House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) suggested on Friday that someone from inside the U.S. Capitol may have been “complicit” in its attack earlier this week, citing the relative ease that Trump’s supporters raided the building on Wednesday.
I agree with Clyburn. I used to work in the Capitol complex and have been on site many times a year over the past decade. Watching it live on TV it was obvious that something was terribly wrong–the terrorists had easy access. They didn’t storm or run in, they walked in, like they were on a guided tour.
There should be plenty of surveillance video from security cameras mounted at entrances throughout the building. Let’s see what those cameras recorded. And if they were disabled, then let’s find out why.
If true that the mob were “let in through side doors”, that’s incredibly serious. That said, extraordinary allegations require evidence. Preferably air-tight evidence, but at least something better than “I’ve heard…” or “I’ve been told…”
Clearly there is a lot to investigate here, and there are many failures that need to be examined. Quite possibly assistance from the complicit. The Capitol Police caught on film taking selfies with the mob obviously need to be held to account as well (I’m not clear if this was more than a person or two, since I’ve only seen the one nasty selfie repeated over and over). Having said all that, congressman Clyburn is out over the tips of his skis on this one and somewhat exposed. Trump and friends criminally withholding additional support from the Capitol Police when requested, plus poor contingency planning from said Capitol Police (very possibly because of the blinders that white privilege can bring to the situation), also could explain this. I’m not saying that’s all that happened, but it could be; never underestimate the disruptive effects of incompetence. He could have waited until the truth was a little clearer, because it’s all going to come out
Photos please of all those sustained injuries. Not saying it didn’t happen to some, but bet it didn’t happen to the welcoming committee when the thugs were entering the building.
Like the days in the “Old South” where law enforcement disappeared when the Klan held its rallies (or lynchings). I expect that the orders came from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
However, once the mob took over, I agree with the restraint shown by law enforcement when it finally arrived. The best gift that they could have given to he whose name must not be tweeted would have been a replay of the Odessa Steps on national TV.
This unemployed bartender was in my son (the Doctor of Pharmacy!)’s High school class: the Zip Tie Guy:
“They did not do their jobs. They were not just derelict. You could say they were complicit,” he added of law enforcement.
Maybe so. But even if some of the capitol cops aided the enemy, their crimes pale in comparison to the entire basket of Republican officeholders who have cheered or enabled or stood by as Trump trampled the constitution for four years. They have egg on their faces and blood (of many thousands) on their hands, but the stench of their complicity pervades every fiber of their being. A pox on their party. As I write this it grieves me that everything I’m able to say, even as I say it, sounds pathetically inadequate to describe our situation.
Looks like his side kick is perhaps his mother. Photos of both on capitol grounds, inside and then in their hotel.
You’ve got photos of two guys with zip ties, two different people.
No doubts about it
I saw Clyburn in an interview on PBS yesterday. I was thinking that I have an incredible amount of respect for him.
I loved this part:
It didn’t say, is he convicted of impeachment? It said, to be impeached. The House impeaches. The Senate convicts. So, if I just take the reading, it just says impeachment. And so I think it’s worth doing.
And, look, he’s already said that he wants to be doing things that nobody else has much done before. This will help accommodate him. Nobody has — no president has ever been impeached for a second time before.
So, in this instance, we will be helping him do at least one thing that he always said he wanted to do, and that’s something nobody else has done.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and Clyburn offers nothing but hearsay within hearsay.
Gen. Honoré also suggested complicity from inside, repeatedly, in an interview with Brian Williams (who then tried, desperately, to change the subject).
This is why I gravely fear for an in-person inauguration.
Trump and his seditious conspirators – some perhaps elected Representatives – are a clear and present danger to US national security, and must be neutralized at the soonest possible opportunity.
There is a photo of House Members not wearing masks.
Could that be if the rabble broke in the rabble would know who was on their side?
And was what happened when the Klan carried out the Greensboro Massacre (1979) with police complicity:
My understanding is the Capitol Police by themselves have somewhat limited capability against a massive influx like this, just like one’s local police department. Case in point, the famous picture of troops on the capitol steps during the BLM protests consists of literal troops (national guard), not Capitol Police. It’s still outrageous that said police didn’t plan better (for whatever reason, be it complicity or incompetence or a combination), but once things escalated past a certain point they would not have had the resources to effectively contain things by themselves
So, why are the initial hoards that are inside just strolling along like they’re sightseeing? These guys didn’t come through broken windows like some others did. There’s footage of guards greeting and nodding to these people like it’s business as usual.
I would expect that there will be several rings of protection (National Guard and active duty military, DC Police, Capitol Police, and Secret Service and a perimeter set up at least a half mile away, with Humvees and MRAPs set up. Just the image of a democracy!
I don’t like to sound like fucking conspiracy theorist Trumptard, but there are several things that have not been properly explained that make me believe the mob was no accident but a calculated effort to intimidate the GOP Senators.
Trump and Giuliani should be prosecuted as well as Steven Sund, Chief of the Capitol Police .
