Cassidy Hutchinson, an aide to former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, testifies during the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol hearing to present previously unseen material and hear witness testimony in Cannon Building, on Tuesday, June 28, 2022. (Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
We Have a Smoking Gun--Trump Must Be Indicted for Sedition
If Trump gets a "get out of jail free" card after trying to join armed rioters at the Capitol, the dangers are incalculable.
Mitchell Zimmerman's June 22, 2022 column explored a similar theme. This newer column contains significant new information.
Trump White House insider and January 6 Committee witness Cassidy Hutchinson provided startling and compelling evidence that Donald Trump deliberately set out to incite an insurrection at the Capitol.
Not indicting would be far more dangerous, because the threat to democracy is not yet over.
Before giving his inflammatory speech, Hutchinson testified, Trump was told his supporters were armed with guns, knives, spears, and flagpoles and were wearing body armor.
"I don't f-ing care that they have weapons. They're not here to hurt me," she heard Trump say, urging the Secret Service to turn off metal detectors. "Let my people in. They can march to the Capitol from here."
Hutchinson, like the many other Republican witnesses who testified, has no motive to lie. She was a loyal member of the Trump White House who had been proud to work for him--she just didn't want to overthrow democracy.
When his speech concluded, Trump was informed that his supporters were already attacking the Capitol police. He wanted to join them, Hutchinson said. Trump even grabbed the wheel of his limousine and physically attacked a Secret Service agent who refused to take him to the Capitol.
At the White House, Trump watched the unfolding violence on television. According to Hutchinson, Trump's own chief of staff said Trump didn't want to do anything to restrain it--and even approved of the rioters' death threats against Vice President Pence.
"We're going to get charged with every crime imaginable," White House lawyer Pat Cipollone warned.
They should be. But they haven't been--yet.
Attorney General Merrick Garland still hesitates to indict Trump, perhaps fearing it would inflame MAGA Republicans. It will. But letting that stop you is as good as saying that presidents are above the law.
Not indicting would be far more dangerous, because the threat to democracy is not yet over.
Any belief that handing Donald Trump a "Get Out of Jail Free" card could reconcile a divided nation is out of touch with reality.
There is a deep fissure between those who know that Biden won the election and those in the thrall of the big lie; between those who were shocked by the lethal violence on January 6 and those who say it was "legitimate political discourse," as the Republican National Committee now claims; and between those who believe in peaceful elections and those who think violence is warranted when they lose.
The peril is extreme because GOP politicians are working on many fronts to thwart majority rule. Many Republicans running for governor and secretary of state say they would not have certified Biden's victory. If Trump or another Republican loses again in 2024, they will likely try to overturn the outcome based on fake fraud claims.
Notwithstanding the absence of evidence of voting fraud, 19 states controlled by Republicans have passed laws making it harder to vote and raising the specter of criminal prosecution for voter registration mistakes.
In some Republican-controlled states, legislatures seek the power to appoint electors regardless of what voters say. In Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, Republicans want to allocate electoral votes by gerrymandered districts so the loser might get most of the state's votes, among other schemes to thwart majority rule.
Election officials face threats of violence. Nonpartisan election workers may be criminally prosecuted for things like sending mail ballot applications.
Over all this looms the menace of political violence. Armed Trump supporters may haunt voter lines in Democrat-tilting districts to intimidate would-be voters. How many will remain on line as AR-15-wielding vigilantes instigate fights?
Those who believe in democracy must push back against all of these dangers. But since the big lie is the excuse for the attacks, the place to start is with the lie's author. Trump must be indicted for sedition for attempting to overthrow the government of the United States.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Mitchell Zimmerman's June 22, 2022 column explored a similar theme. This newer column contains significant new information.
Trump White House insider and January 6 Committee witness Cassidy Hutchinson provided startling and compelling evidence that Donald Trump deliberately set out to incite an insurrection at the Capitol.
Not indicting would be far more dangerous, because the threat to democracy is not yet over.
Before giving his inflammatory speech, Hutchinson testified, Trump was told his supporters were armed with guns, knives, spears, and flagpoles and were wearing body armor.
"I don't f-ing care that they have weapons. They're not here to hurt me," she heard Trump say, urging the Secret Service to turn off metal detectors. "Let my people in. They can march to the Capitol from here."
Hutchinson, like the many other Republican witnesses who testified, has no motive to lie. She was a loyal member of the Trump White House who had been proud to work for him--she just didn't want to overthrow democracy.
When his speech concluded, Trump was informed that his supporters were already attacking the Capitol police. He wanted to join them, Hutchinson said. Trump even grabbed the wheel of his limousine and physically attacked a Secret Service agent who refused to take him to the Capitol.
At the White House, Trump watched the unfolding violence on television. According to Hutchinson, Trump's own chief of staff said Trump didn't want to do anything to restrain it--and even approved of the rioters' death threats against Vice President Pence.
"We're going to get charged with every crime imaginable," White House lawyer Pat Cipollone warned.
They should be. But they haven't been--yet.
Attorney General Merrick Garland still hesitates to indict Trump, perhaps fearing it would inflame MAGA Republicans. It will. But letting that stop you is as good as saying that presidents are above the law.
Not indicting would be far more dangerous, because the threat to democracy is not yet over.
Any belief that handing Donald Trump a "Get Out of Jail Free" card could reconcile a divided nation is out of touch with reality.
There is a deep fissure between those who know that Biden won the election and those in the thrall of the big lie; between those who were shocked by the lethal violence on January 6 and those who say it was "legitimate political discourse," as the Republican National Committee now claims; and between those who believe in peaceful elections and those who think violence is warranted when they lose.
The peril is extreme because GOP politicians are working on many fronts to thwart majority rule. Many Republicans running for governor and secretary of state say they would not have certified Biden's victory. If Trump or another Republican loses again in 2024, they will likely try to overturn the outcome based on fake fraud claims.
Notwithstanding the absence of evidence of voting fraud, 19 states controlled by Republicans have passed laws making it harder to vote and raising the specter of criminal prosecution for voter registration mistakes.
In some Republican-controlled states, legislatures seek the power to appoint electors regardless of what voters say. In Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, Republicans want to allocate electoral votes by gerrymandered districts so the loser might get most of the state's votes, among other schemes to thwart majority rule.
Election officials face threats of violence. Nonpartisan election workers may be criminally prosecuted for things like sending mail ballot applications.
Over all this looms the menace of political violence. Armed Trump supporters may haunt voter lines in Democrat-tilting districts to intimidate would-be voters. How many will remain on line as AR-15-wielding vigilantes instigate fights?
Those who believe in democracy must push back against all of these dangers. But since the big lie is the excuse for the attacks, the place to start is with the lie's author. Trump must be indicted for sedition for attempting to overthrow the government of the United States.
Mitchell Zimmerman's June 22, 2022 column explored a similar theme. This newer column contains significant new information.
Trump White House insider and January 6 Committee witness Cassidy Hutchinson provided startling and compelling evidence that Donald Trump deliberately set out to incite an insurrection at the Capitol.
Not indicting would be far more dangerous, because the threat to democracy is not yet over.
Before giving his inflammatory speech, Hutchinson testified, Trump was told his supporters were armed with guns, knives, spears, and flagpoles and were wearing body armor.
"I don't f-ing care that they have weapons. They're not here to hurt me," she heard Trump say, urging the Secret Service to turn off metal detectors. "Let my people in. They can march to the Capitol from here."
Hutchinson, like the many other Republican witnesses who testified, has no motive to lie. She was a loyal member of the Trump White House who had been proud to work for him--she just didn't want to overthrow democracy.
When his speech concluded, Trump was informed that his supporters were already attacking the Capitol police. He wanted to join them, Hutchinson said. Trump even grabbed the wheel of his limousine and physically attacked a Secret Service agent who refused to take him to the Capitol.
At the White House, Trump watched the unfolding violence on television. According to Hutchinson, Trump's own chief of staff said Trump didn't want to do anything to restrain it--and even approved of the rioters' death threats against Vice President Pence.
"We're going to get charged with every crime imaginable," White House lawyer Pat Cipollone warned.
They should be. But they haven't been--yet.
Attorney General Merrick Garland still hesitates to indict Trump, perhaps fearing it would inflame MAGA Republicans. It will. But letting that stop you is as good as saying that presidents are above the law.
Not indicting would be far more dangerous, because the threat to democracy is not yet over.
Any belief that handing Donald Trump a "Get Out of Jail Free" card could reconcile a divided nation is out of touch with reality.
There is a deep fissure between those who know that Biden won the election and those in the thrall of the big lie; between those who were shocked by the lethal violence on January 6 and those who say it was "legitimate political discourse," as the Republican National Committee now claims; and between those who believe in peaceful elections and those who think violence is warranted when they lose.
The peril is extreme because GOP politicians are working on many fronts to thwart majority rule. Many Republicans running for governor and secretary of state say they would not have certified Biden's victory. If Trump or another Republican loses again in 2024, they will likely try to overturn the outcome based on fake fraud claims.
Notwithstanding the absence of evidence of voting fraud, 19 states controlled by Republicans have passed laws making it harder to vote and raising the specter of criminal prosecution for voter registration mistakes.
In some Republican-controlled states, legislatures seek the power to appoint electors regardless of what voters say. In Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, Republicans want to allocate electoral votes by gerrymandered districts so the loser might get most of the state's votes, among other schemes to thwart majority rule.
Election officials face threats of violence. Nonpartisan election workers may be criminally prosecuted for things like sending mail ballot applications.
Over all this looms the menace of political violence. Armed Trump supporters may haunt voter lines in Democrat-tilting districts to intimidate would-be voters. How many will remain on line as AR-15-wielding vigilantes instigate fights?
Those who believe in democracy must push back against all of these dangers. But since the big lie is the excuse for the attacks, the place to start is with the lie's author. Trump must be indicted for sedition for attempting to overthrow the government of the United States.