Reposted from Dark Skies on the Horizon
This weekend Tom Cotton appeared on ABC’s This Week and claimed that some of the J6 Rioters were “just wandering around” the Capitol.
"It's past time for the president to accept the results of the election, quit misleading the American people, and repudiate mob violence," Cotton said at the time.
"More than three years later, Trump has still not accepted the results," Karl noted. "He is still misleading the American people."
Cotton falsely claimed Trump had accepted the election results "that very day."
"He still hasn't accepted the results of the election," Karl pointed out. "He's also calling the people that attacked the Capitol hostages. And he's suggesting that he would, may pardon all of them. I mean, I assume you don't agree with that."
"He said that he would consider pardons, and some of them probably..." Cotton said.
"And he called them hostages," the ABC host interrupted. "So you agree these are hostages?"
"Some of them have been held in pre-trial detention longer than the sentences for the crimes with which they are charged," Cotton remarked. "For people who just wandered into the Capitol, they thought it was open or was on the grounds."
"I mean, that wasn't like wandering," Karl explained. "This wasn't a tourist visit."
For his part, Cotton complained that the Department of Justice was not going after "left-wing street militia threatening to assassinate Supreme Court justices."
"People who were involved in that riot, who assaulted police officers, or who defaced and damaged public property should face the legal consequences," he added.
"Isn't it odd that the Republican nominee doesn't agree with that?" Karl asked.
"What shouldn't be used is every grandma who had a red MAGA hat that was within a country mile of the Capitol on January 6th shouldn't be sitting in pre-trial detention for a longer time than the crimes for which they might face a sentence," Cotton concluded.
The Capitol was not open.
One person who thought that it would be open was Ray Epps, who testified to this to the J6 Committee and yet he was still prosecuted for entering the Capitol grounds.
The building was closed and the grounds were closed. There was a fence around the entire building which had giants signs on it that said “AREA CLOSED.” Entering the area - entering the grounds of the Capitol - was a crime. People are being prosecuted for the crimes they committed.
This was not a boating accident. This was not a “peaceful protest” that “got out of hand.” The violence as planned ahead of time and documented by the Proud Boys in their reference document “1776 Returns” on how to enter and hold the buildings.
Overall Goal
Fill the buildings with Patriots and communicate our demands.
To maintain control over a select few, but crucial buildings for a set period of time, presenting our demands in unity. (See attached list of demands in “Patriot Plan” Section)
We need [as] many people as possible inside these buildings. These are OUR buildings, they are just renting space. We must show our politicians we the people are in charge.
Manpower needs
Lead: Covert Sleeper, sets up fake appointment - is expected to spend the day as our insider and let people inside the buiding.
Second: Takes place of the lead in case of being discovered.
Hypeman: leads chants, must maintain energy/precense
Recruiter: In charge of gathering patriots for starting point of each building, share the “Patriot Plan” documents, spread the word
Patriots: Minimum of 50 for each building or its no go for that building. Maintain a presense while handing out “Patriot Plan.”
January 1-5 Preparation
-
Distribute “Patriot Plan” far and wide via internet. Get confirmation from Patriots to join.
-
Recruiters bring hard copy of “Patriot Plan” to distribute IN PERSON at rally.
-
Fill the roles in charge at each building, they are REQUIRED to let us in, they represent (US).
-
Scope out and report road closures
Use Covid to yout advantage. Pack huge face masks & face shields, protect our identity. Make sure everyone has food and water to last a day in their backpacks.
[…]
Be a part of history & fight for this country so our chidren don’t have to It’s all of nothing Patriots, boldness & bravery is necessary
Even though not all of this plan was implemented and they ultimately entered a different building than the ones targeted, this was what they were planning and thinking when they arrived.
This is what they wanted - to revote the election.
The “1776 Returns” plan also include a map to show people the path from the White House to the Capitol buildings.
The day before the attack, people who would later storm the building were inside taking pictures of apparently random hallways and corridors that could be used by members of Congress to escape.
There’s no escape Pelosi, Schumer, Nadler - we’re coming for you. We’re coming in like White on Rice for Pelosi, Schumer, Nadler, even you AOC. And pull you out by your hair. How ‘bout that Pelosi. When I get done with you, you gonna need a shine up apon that bald head.
This video follows the Proud Boys through that day as they shepherded the attack to vulnerable portions of the defense.
The initial breach of the first barricade was at 12:56 after which the bulk of the crowd was stopped by police before the scaffolding.
They FOUGHT for the next 70 minutes until the Proud Boys noticed a set of stairs beneath the scaffold which was lightly guarded and fought their way through the police up those stairs until they reached the upper level and Proud Boy Dominick Pezzola was able to break the first window into the building using a stolen riot shield at 02:16.
This video shows the larger progression of the attack across the lawn and into the building from both sides.
Cotton does have a point when he says this:
"Some of them have been held in pre-trial detention longer than the sentences for the crimes with which they are charged," Cotton remarked.
And the reason this is true is because of the Cash Bail system used by our jails.
More and more individuals who participated in the attempted insurrection at the Capitol in January have been charged with federal crimes in recent weeks. That was to be expected. What is a shock, however, is that many who allegedly engaged in direct acts of violence have been released on minimal bail conditions, while the Black and brown clients I represent as a federal public defender almost never get such treatment.
The problem isn’t that these alleged Capitol rioters are out on bail as much as that my clients aren’t.
Consider how a typical case begins for me. As a federal defender, I first meet my scared, handcuffed client through the mesh window in lockup, the holding area where those arrested are kept before court begins. I may see the shaded contours of his face but I can’t truly see him (I say “him” because 93 percent of federal inmates are men). If it’s a drug case, I explain that, as ludicrous as it seems, possessing two sugar packets worth of drugs is a five-year mandatory minimum sentence. Possessing a little more is 10 years.
[…]
Hence my utter surprise — my total, wide-eyed disbelief — to read about so many Capitol rioters receiving bail release orders in cases involving violence. Robert Sanford, a white man, is charged with throwing a fire extinguisher into a group of Capitol police officers, striking at least three officers in their heads. He was released on personal recognizance, no collateral needed.
Cody Connell, another white insurrectionist, is out on the same terms despite allegedly bragging that “4 of us breached the cops blockade and us same 4 breached the Capitol.” He also allegedly said that he “stormed” the cops and “pushed the cops against the wall.” When asked on social media if it looks like a civil war yet, Connell allegedly answered, “It’s gonna come to it.” Prosecutors also cite evidence that Connell was in communication with others about purchasing long-rifle firearms, ammunition and body armor.
So the fact is that many of these defendants were offered bail, only the ones who couldn’t afford it have been held in lockup. Yes, that can be for longer than their ultimate sentence - but then that’s just how our system “works.”
"For people who just wandered into the Capitol, they thought it was open or was on the grounds."
People who followed in the wake of the Proud Boys who tossed barricades out of the way, fought with cops, smashed windows and kicked open doors were not just “innocently wandering.”
Again - the entire building was ringed with fences with signs every 10 feet that said “AREA CLOSED.” They would have had to walk directly over these fences and signs.
Anyone entering the entire block was illegally trespassing. Entering through a window or door that had been smashed or kicked open is still breaking and entering, even if the person ahead of them did most of the breaking. Being in the building was disrupting a lawful proceeding of Congress.
The building was breached at 8 separate points, at 2 of those points police stepped back and let the crowd enter. Arguably, those officers could have been acting as “Covert Sleepers” since many of the attackers were themselves law enforcement officers.
Cotton tries to argue what he thinks the charges should be.
"People who were involved in that riot, who assaulted police officers, or who defaced and damaged public property should face the legal consequences," he added.
So apparently all the other people who were part of the crowd used to distract and weaken the police presence - spreading their numbers so thin - don’t count? They were part of the attack, even if many of them were “unwitting” the core fighters were using them as a diversion and distraction.
Cotton is making a distinction without a real difference, all of them were trespassing and all of them were disrupting the function of Congress.
And Trump has proposed pardoning all of them whether they were violent or not.
And of course, Cotton tries to play “Whataboutism.”
For his part, Cotton complained that the Department of Justice was not going after "left-wing street militia threatening to assassinate Supreme Court justices."
No one ignored any attempt to assassinate any Supreme Court justice. But even if it was merely a threat, that would be protected by the First Amendment.
The Justice Department’s top national security official indicated at a House hearing Thursday that prosecutors haven’t taken action against liberal activists seeking and posting information about the activities of Supreme Court justices and their families because such speech is protected by the First Amendment.
However, Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew Olsen said law enforcement will act against people making threats or seeking to engage in violence against justices, such as the alleged assassination attempt against Justice Brett Kavanaugh last month.
“Everyone who serves in a position of public trust — certainly, at the very top, the members of our Supreme Court, deserve to be safe and we have taken very seriously the threats of violence and violence,” Olsen told the House Judiciary Committee. “We are prosecuting an individual with attempted assassination of Justice [Brett] Kavanaugh. We have provided support and protection through the Marshals’ Service to the Supreme Court. We have supported legislation to increase that support.”
The suggestion that this was done by a “left-wing street militia” is nonsense.
But then Cotton doesn’t decry the attempted murder of Nancy Pelosi’s husband.
David DePape, the man arrested in the hammer attack on former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul Pelosi, could face up to 50 years in prison after being convicted of two federal charges. DePape was found guilty on Thursday, Nov. 16, of attempting to kidnap a federal official and assaulting an immediate family member of a federal official with intent to retaliate against the official, in connection with the October 2022 attack at the couple's San Francisco home.
He had pleaded not guilty to both the federal charges and separate state charges, which include attempted murder, residential burglary, assault with a deadly weapon and threats to a public official, among others.
Playing partisan games, trying to make the rioting terrorist who assaulted the Capitol, and a SCOTUS Justice look like “Victims” — when people like Pelosi, Schumer, Nadler, AOC are the actual targets of the right wing who have suffered actual consequences of Right-wing violence.
Like most of those in the GOP he tries to downplay thousands of death threats, bomb threats and actual violence by the Right which the few meager instances of threats - which didn’t hurt, harm or inconvenience anyone - from the Left.
It’s a sad authoritarian game, “My guys are guilty of nothing - YOUR guys did the bad thing” when that is simply not the case.
You can join me debating the issues and the facts inside the belly of the beast on my Facebook Group: Army for Truth.
Have a listen to my new Vocal Cover — "PIll" originally by Pink and check out my new Patreon where you can download copies of my covers and original songs. You can also stream tracks from my previous Solo CD from ReverbNation.
And You can send Funds to Support me via Paypal