They Laughed It Off
COVID? Capitol insurrection? The GOP's deadly denialism.
AMANDA CARPENTER: COVID? Capitol insurrection? The GOP's deadly denialism.
Daily Podcast: Ben Collins: Why We Should Be Alarmed
On today's Bulwark Podcast, Ben Collins from NBC News joins Charlie Sykes to discuss the destructive web of disinformation that led to the January 6th siege of the Capitol, why there's more to be concerned about, and what we can do about it.
Beg to Differ: Crisis
Eric Edelman joins to discuss the Trump mob's storming of the Capitol.
Across The Movie Aisle: QAnon and Conspiracy Media; Plus: 'Lovers Rock,' Reviewed!
On this week's episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) discuss the ways in which culture and technology helped influence the unchecked spread of QAnon-style conspiracy theories.
Morning Shots: America Under Siege 🔐
CHARLIE SYKES writes: Profiles in courage are rare these days, but this is one of them. Unlike many of his counterparts, Russell Moore has been an outspoken critic of Trump and is now calling for his resignation. He is willing to say so, even if it means that he will be fired from his position as president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Make sure you read Moore's essay here.
The Triad: We Need More Social Media Bans 🔓
JONATHAN V. LAST on why actually, de-platforming is good.
Across the Movie Aisle: Arnold Schwarzenegger on America's Dark Path—and a Better Way Forward 🔐
On this bonus, members-only episode of Across the Movie Aisle, the panel discusses one of the few bright spots over the last week: Arnold Schwarzenegger's impassioned plea for patriotism and reason in the face of the failed assault on Capitol Hill by Donald Trump's most ardent supporters.
Capitol siege increases tensions in House over COVID-19 precautions – Erin Durkin, National Journal
Time For Consequences – James Fallows, The Atlantic
Sidney Powell's Loony Election Claims, Which Gave Birth to the Deadly Capitol Invasion, May Finally Cost Her – Jacob Sullum, Reason Magazine
Inside Pelosi's push to impeach Trump: This time it's personal – Heather Caygle and Sarah Ferris, Politico
Inside the remarkable rift between Donald Trump and Mike Pence – Josh Dawsey and Ashley Parker, The Washington Post
Ossoff, Warnock set to take Senate seats with little drama after tumultuous week – Stephanie Akin, Roll Call
The fraught bet Republicans are placing on Trump's final days – Aaron Blake, The Washington Post
The Vacuum at Justice
CHRIS TRUAX: Trump's Justice Department is adrift. If Merrick Garland can't find a way to fill the gap until January 20, anarchy will.
Joe Biden's—and America's—Precious Opportunity
RICHARD NORTH PATTERSON: For his policy agenda to go anywhere, he must find the economic and social sweet spot to hold together his coalition.
The Alt-Right Is Now the Entire Right
BENJAMIN PARKER: The voices of reason, reality, and responsibility are a cowering minority in the Republican party.
Trump Always Had a Whiff of Fascism
MONA CHAREN: Some Republicans and conservatives are just now realizing that Trump is a danger. Here's what they missed.
The Attack on Democracy Is Not Over. It's Still Happening. Right Now.
TIM MILLER: More violence is expected—and Republicans, far from being chastened by last week's mob, are still trying to derail the transfer of power.
We're #2!! Congrats to Alabama on handily defeating my Ohio State Buckeyes last night. The game was a shooting match early, but over time, a fast Crimson Tide team and a bad Buckeye defense led to a definitive loss. I slept through halftime, and woke up at some point in the fourth quarter and determined it's over. Oh well. At least the Browns are going to disappoint me next week.
Cheney a yes on impeachment…
Jonathan Martin @jmartNYT
🚨 .@Liz_Cheney: "There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution. "I will vote to impeach the President."
10:38 PM ∙ Jan 12, 2021
One of the few bright spots remaining in right-leaning politics… The Taxpayers Protection Alliance, released a statement I missed during the hectic siege on the Capitol. It's worth revisiting:
"While we are a nonpartisan group that does not engage in matters related directly to elections, as a taxpayer and consumer watchdog group based in Washington, D.C., we cannot stay silent about the events that unfolded today. What has occurred is beyond intolerable. President Trump and many of his staunchest allies are directly responsible for fomenting the violence and assault upon our constitutional republic today. This is a physical attack on the Capitol and an attack on our democracy. Those responsible or supportive of what occurred today have no place in our politics or policymaking going forward.
"While we will not always agree with elected officials and policymakers, TPA is committed to voicing our disagreements in a civil manner. We hope other individuals and organizations join us in this commitment, as we look to heal the deep wounds our country has suffered over the last year."
At a time when lots on the right are grading at a steep curve for even daring to slightly push back against Trump and Trumpism, a statement like this takes guts. Bravo.
"I owe the Never Trumpers an apology. They were right all along." Writing at The American Conservative, Rod Dreher explains:
What I did not foresee is that Trump would normalize cult thinking on the Right. Donald Trump did not make people lose their minds. Nobody held a gun to people's head and force them to espouse crazy things on Trump's behalf. But a lot of people did go that far. I regret not taking the Never Trump folks more seriously back in the day. I am not saying that the Republican Party should return to the status quo — it couldn't if it wanted to, but it shouldn't want to — but I am saying that the things that the Never Trumpers said about not making a deal with this devil were true, or at the very least more truthful than I gave them credit for at the time. And for that, I am sorry.
Of course, Dreher might disagree with our neocon sensibilities, and that's OK! Paleocons and neocons have always been fighting. And always will.
Good. As justice is served, perhaps I and others will be less mad about the siege of the Capitol. Leave no stone unturned.
Jim Roberts @nycjim
BREAKING: *Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Sherwin say the FBI has opened investigations on 170 people for potential crimes at the Capitol. *70 people have been charged. *He expects "hundreds of criminal cases" to arise from Capitol siege. wfaa.com/article/news/n…
8:25 PM ∙ Jan 12, 2021
But deep down, we're always going to be mad. Never forget that these fellow countrymen are not patriots, but seditious traitors.
Keep the good coming…
Scott MacFarlane @MacFarlaneNews
US JUSTICE DEPT: "We're looking at significant felony cases tied to sedition"
Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney
Acting U.S. attorney Michael Sherwin on U.S. Capitol investigation. "I think the scope and scale of this investigation in these cases are really unprecedented not only in FBI history but really in DOJ history." He says the Capitol Grounds are, essentially, a crime scene.
Rep. Stefanik pays the price… Fired by Harvard for her role in promoting unfounded election conspiracy theories.
Stephanie Murray @stephanie_murr
Harvard Institute of Politics removes GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik from its Senior Advisory Committee, citing her unfounded claims of voter fraud in the November election. Letter from Harvard Kennedy School Dean Douglas Elmendorf —> hks.harvard.edu/more/about/lea…
16,523Likes3,836Retweets
Elmendorf is former head of the CBO.
Not a chump. One of the funnier memories of my time on the Hill was when Rep. Elijah Cummings asked SIGTARP IG whether or not, in the parlance of the neighborhood he grew up in, he was a "chump." Personally, I'm a fan of Kashkari, who later ran for office and failed, and now is a Fed president. Am I biased that he's a Cleveland native, Browns fan, and has named his dogs after Browns players?
Yes. I am biased. But he's also a smart and sincere guy, and after his time managing "TARP" as IG, when he ran for CA Gov. in 2014, spent a week on the streets. More politicians should do that.
Here are his thoughts on the Capitol siege and he's 100% right.
Brian Cheung @bcheungz
.@neelkashkari at Fed's racism and the economy event: "If those were Black militants, armed militants storming the US Capitol, I think they'd all be dead right now." "That is the most stark example of racism and disparities in our society."
The end of the GOP? At National Review, Kevin Williamson has thoughts:
The distinction between the prudent choice of making a compromise and the blameworthy eventuality of being compromised is a very fine one. It is complicated by the fact that it so often is the case that one party (most often the radicals) may be right as a matter of moral principle while the other party (most often the conservatives) is right as a matter of practical politics — and, until quite recently in our history, there was a world of difference between the attitudes of those who actually hold power and bear responsibility for its use and those who have a public platform but no power.
A worthy resignation letter. Staff in Congress resigning don't normally make news when they get pissed and quit. But here are two worth reading:
Ryan Goodman @rgoodlaw
Top Republican aide on House Armed Services Committee Jason Schmid resigns. His blistering letter calls out congressional Republicans who propelled "poisonous lie" that election was illegitimate who now fail to "rebuke these insurrectionists" #CountryOverParty
Punchbowl News @PunchbowlNews
>⁦@laurenblair88⁩ — ⁦@tedcruz⁩ comms director — is leaving his office, increasingly uncomfortable with what's going on.
Yikes, Rep. Mo Brooks. This is like a Facebook post from your crazy aunt.
Somebody finally did it… Got in between Chuck Schumer and a camera (as the old DC joke goes.) But listen in, this woman is unhinged.
Jacob Kornbluh @jacobkornbluh
Heckler calls Schumer "an antisemite." 😳
TPUSA Phenom doesn't understand the law… More at 11!
Scott Nover @ScottNover
Area man who doesn't know what the First Amendment does wants to violate the First Amendment https://t.co/HgJi34m4iA
Rep. Madison Cawthorn @RepCawthorn
BREAKING: I am co-sponsoring a bill to amend Section 230 to demand First Amendment protections be applied to big tech platforms! This is a bipartisan issue. If big tech can silence the right, then rest assured that they can silence the left!
Speaking of TPUSA….
Jim Swift @JimSwiftDC
Maybe this is why Charlie Kirk deleted that tweet about busing in activists...
Kristina Malimon, an organizer of he Trump Boat Parade that sank a family's boat in Portland, Ore., was among those arrested in the Capitol siege. https://t.co/B5xcuSIeb2 https://t.co/n1KTRR9gYi
Those "ANTIFA" types must really love them some Parler… Because the "censored" site that "big evil tech" "blamed" for fomenting the Capitol siege sure seem to have a lot of metadata on posts from inside the U.S. Capitol.
Must be a strange coincidence, or "ANTIFA" is smarter than we thought. Must be all those $oro$ bucks paying for their flights, Gadsden flags, dead animal coverings and MAGA hats, and their Parler Premium memberships.
Gee, I wonder if a site that requested a ton of personal information (including driver's license scans for some accounts) might help identify those who committed crimes?
We'll find out!
Well, that's it for me for today. If you have questions, comments, or concerns, you know how to reach me: swift@thebulwark.com. I'll do my best to get back to you.
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