January 6 committee

JAN. 6 COMMITTEE TIES TRUMP ACTIONS TO EXTREMIST GROUPS THAT ORGANIZED VIOLENCE AT CAPITOL

By Christianne McCormick and Miriam Raftery

View full hearing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrUa0hfG6Lo&t=189s

July 21, 2022 (Washington D.C.) – Last Tuesday’s hearing by the House Select Committee investigating the January 6, 2020 attack on the U.S. Capitol revealed new evidence, which exposed then-President Donald Trump’s use of social media to influence his followers, including violent extremists in designated hate groups.

Testimony revealed that instead of conceding the election after extensive briefings by top legal advisors informing him that he lost, Trump instead took actions that incited violence and inspired coordination among extremist groups including the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, whose leaders have been charged with seditious conspiracy. Evidence also showed coordination between key Trump advisors and extremist leaders in the days leading up to the January 6th insurrection. A former Oath Keepers member testified to how he was swayed by Trump's deceptions and a documentary filimmaker confirmed the group's violent intentions.

Trump's White House Counsel Pat Cippolone, former Attorney General Bill Barr and others have testified that Trump was fully informed that no fraud sufficient to overturn election results had been found, after 60 judges found no evidence to overturn any election results. But the President continued to spread the false claim that the election was stolen, pressured Vice President Mike Pence to illegally stop certification of electoral votes, and sought to corrupt the Department of Justice to make false claims.

Republican Senator Liz Cheney said of Trump, “He had access to more information than almost any other American that the election was not stolen,” adding, “No rational or sane man could ignore that or reach an opposite conclusion.” Yet Trump ignored advice of top legal advisors and his own campaign chairman, relying instead on unsubstantiated and debunked legal theories promoted by his personal attorney, Rudy Giiuliani,

The committee presented evidence laying out a disturbing timeline of events:


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JANUARY 6 COMMISSION BOMBSHELLS: TRUMP KNEW HE LOST, GLOATED AS CAPITOL WAS ATTACKED AND REFUSED TO SUMMON HELP

 

Some GOP members of Congress sought pardons for their roles in failed coup attempt, refused to testify, Cheney says

View video of the complete hearing

By Miriam Raftery

June 10, 2022 (Washington D.C.) -- The Senate’s Select Committee investigating the violent January 6, 2020 attack on the U.S. Capitol presented several shocking revelations during its first public hearing televised in prime time on June 9.

Chairman Bennie Thompson called the Jan. 6 attack an attempted “coup” (hear audio) and made clear that former President Donald Trump knew that the election was not stolen. He played video of Trump’s Attorney General, Bill Barr, testifying that Barr had repeatedly told Trump that there was no evidence of election fraud, even advising the President that such claims were “bulls**t.”  (hear audio). Thompson said the committee will prove in subsequent hearings that Trump organized a coup in an attempt to violently overthrow the U.S. government.

Next, ranking Republican Liz Cheney provided more evidence that Trump knew his stolen election claims were false. Even Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, told the selection committee that she believed Attorney General Barr.  (hear audio). Top campaign advisors to the President also counseled him that he had lost the election, and 62 judges including some appointed by Trump found no evidence of fraud.

Cheney asserted that Trump oversaw a seven-part plan to overturn the 2020 election.

A committee source told CNN that those seven steps were:

Audio: 

Chairman Bennie Thompson describes "coup"
Attorney General William Barr says he told Trump there was no election fraud
Senator Liz Cheney provides more evidence Trump knew he lost, and so did his daughter, Ivanka
Pres. Trump illegally demands Vice Pres. Pence stop the vote counting
Cheney reveals Trump made no effort to halt violence; Pence stepped in
Insurrectionists broke through a police line, violently assaulting officers
Officer Caroline Edwards testifies about the violent assault amidst a "war zone" at the Capitol
Republican Congressional members sought pardons for roles in the insurrection, Cheney reports
Rep. Perry calls hearings a "Soviet-style" show trial
Cheney warns "dishonor will remain"

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JANUARY 6 HOUSE COMMITTEE HOLDS FIRST PUBLIC HEARING ON INSURRECTION: WATCH LIVE STARTING TONIGHT AT 5 PM

 

By Miriam Raftery

After months of closed-door investigations, the House of Representatives’ January 6 Committee is holding its first hearings with public testimony about what transpired during the assault on the U.S. Capitol, including evidence expected to show coordination among extremist groups and potentially, the Trump campaign and White House insiders.

All major TV networks (except Fox) will be carrying the hearings live in prime time including ABC, NBC, CBS,NPR, PBS, C-Span and MSNBC; the latter will also have pre-and post-event coverage.

The first public hearing will be aired tonight, June 9 at 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, followed by five additional days of early morning hearings over the next two weeks. 

Here is the full schedule, listed with local viewing time for San Diego:


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VOTING RIGHTS BILLS HIT ROADBLOCK IN SENATE, WITH DEMOCRACY ON THE LINE

By Elijah McKee

Photo, left by Rebecca Jefferis Williamson:  Voter casts ballot at San Diego Register of Voters

January 26, 2022 (San Diego) — With year one of the Biden Administration completed and the 2022 midterm elections on the horizon, Congress’s pivotal tug-of-war over federal voting rights legislation continues to escalate.

 

In January 19 in the Senate, Republicans blocked the Democrats’ attempt at passing both the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The legislation — which was also blocked several times in 2021 — sought to strengthen the protections of voters in light of many recent state laws that suppress voting rights. 

 

Such laws have been levied across the nation in the wake of the 2020 Presidential election and the January 6 attack on the Capitol. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) recently warned, “Our voting rights – and our democracy – are on the line.”


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