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January 6 Committee Hearings

The hearings of the January 6 Committee so far have exceeded my expectations, which were of a repeat of the second impeachment hearings. I think we have Kevin McCarthy to thank for this.

Given an opportunity to have a bipartisan committee investigate the mob that attacked the Capitol building and killed five police officers that day (more died later) while bragging that they would kill elected officials that had displeased Trump (such as Pence and Pelosi), McCarthy submitted names such as Jim Jordan who had disrupted the impeachment hearings.

To her credit, Pelosi said no to Jordan and Jim Banks because of their disruptive behavior, while accepting the rest of the names that McCarthy suggested. Again:  Jordan and Banks had publicly and on video interrupted witnesses and other representatives.  Rather than suggest alternatives McCarthy refused to allow Republican representatives to participate in a bipartisan committee.  Cheney and Kinziger have joined the resulting Select Committee, despite being told that the party will no longer support their reelections.

Rather than have two hearings going on at once as with the second impeachment (alternating serious questions and answers with fairly lurid conspiracy claims as the two parties mixed liked oil and water) the proceedings have been able to adhere to specific themes and build momentum.  And, which is surprising to me, they have provided more evidence than they promised in the form of coherent testimony.

So far:

  • Trump advisors told him he was losing before the election
  • Trump spoke to them before the election of claiming fraud
  • Advisors including the Attorney General confirmed that there was no evidence of fraud
  • Giuliani et al ("Team Crazy") went ahead championing fraud
  • Eastman discussed plans with Trump about overturning the election, and requested a pardon in advance
  • Ginni Thomas was in written communication with Eastman who claimed that at least two Supreme Court justices would support their conspiracy
Ah, my beloved country. I knew that Trump's election would break us, it was always just a matter of the details. The founders of my homeland never envisioned so many corrupt folk working to hold on to their power.

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