Violent thugs and hooligans brutally attack police officers in D.C.

This is how autocracies develop all over the world. We are just at the start here.

Remember all the election fraud threads? People grasping at every garbage, and soon disproved, allegation.

When Trump told the DOJ to make the allegation and leave the rest to him, he knew exactly what he was doing. The accusation is enough. He tried the same thing with Ukraine. Exactly the same playbook.

Ignite the racists, xenophobes, greedy, stupid, embittered; tell them their way of life is being threatened; lie to them that their choice has been taken away by those with values foreign to what they believe, etc.

Pretty soon, giving up democracy is not such a bad choice for them. Especially when you can undermine that the elections were fair.

No autocrat runs on, "I am going to take away your freedom." That comes later.

 

Blue lives matter, except when they don't.

 

Here’s an example. It may be just me, but I think WaPo is being overly solicitous of the hateful, violent mob that tried to destroy American democracy. A public record lawsuit was filed by the family of of Officer Jeffrey Smith against the attackers that struck him and concussed him, alleging that caused his suicide. Obviously causation will be an issue, but usually a public filing merits naming the parties, so long as you qualify that they are yet unproven allegations. Here’s WaPo

A blow to Officer Jeffrey Smith’s head captured on video shows the 12-year veteran being knocked to the ground, apparently unconscious, according to a lawsuit Smith’s family filed Friday against the alleged attackers. The lawsuit includes a report from a doctor who evaluated the case for Smith’s estate, saying a traumatic brain injury led the officer to take his own life.
The family attorney, David Weber, said he turned the names of the potential attackers over to D.C. police. A department spokesman confirmed receiving the name delivered Friday; it could not immediately be determined if they received the second name provided Saturday.
That spokesman, Dustin Sternbeck, said the agency is “reviewing the information.” A spokeswoman for the FBI, which is leading the investigation into the assault on the Capitol, declined to comment.


The Washington Post is not identifying the men named in the lawsuit because The Post could not independently verify their identities and they have not been charged with a crime.
Reached Friday, one man identified Friday declined to comment. He would not say if he had been to the Capitol on Jan. 6. Social media accounts that appear to be connected to him share conspiracy theories about the election and coronavirus vaccinations. Efforts to reach the second man on Saturday were not successful.

Since when are publicly identified individuals in a court document not identified unless criminal charges, which require a much higher burden, are filed? FWIW, the Guardian had no similar deviation from standard journalism practice, even linked to the publicly filed complaint


In a new complaint, attorney David P Weber – who represents Smith’s widow, Erin – wrote that David Walls-Kaufman and and Taylor F Taranto appeared to specifically target Smith because his eyes and face were vulnerable.

The lawsuit said Walls-Kaufman used a cane, crowbar or similar object to level a brain injury to Smith, who took his own life on 15 January. Jonathan Arden, DC’s former chief medical examiner, has attributed Smith’s death to post-concussion syndrome, which can lead to symptoms like depression and suicidal thoughts.

We are making all sorts of exceptions for terrible people

 

I think it’s because these people were identified by “internet sleuths”, not by law enforcement.

If it’s abundantly clear it’s them they will certainly be charged as well as face whatever civil liability a lawsuit might bring. But the media that’s not reporting the names are probably just being careful, internet sleuths have gotten things wrong before... that being said if the lawsuit is officially filed that should adequately cover their reporting it going forward.

 

I agree about not reporting solely based on internet sleuths,but I never recall failing to identify someone named in a publicly filed lawsuit that is plainly a researched filing. You qualify that it’s alleged, but you still report and identify

 

You guys are going to keep this going after you lose the midterms and DeSantis is prez in '24 right?

 

wait, Are these more predictions!?
What is it with trump followers always making forecasts. Seriously, we see it frequently. It’s obvious hubris.

 

Said with all the verve and swagger of the I'm Headed to Matt Bevin's Victory Party, partygoers.

 

In the week before the Jan 6th insurrection, there was an unusual spike in the traffic at a very obscure website. The website dealt with the history and mapping of all the tunnels under DC including those under the Capitol Bldg. The operator of the site became so alarmed that he contacted the FBI.

Now recall the walkie-talkie transmissions on one of the videos taken while the crowd was in the capitol telling someone (paraphrased) if they are all in the tunnels turn on the gas. Just the normal tourist type conversation.

DC Tunnel History Site Flagged Suspicious Activity Before Capitol Insurrection

The sharp increase in web visitors alarmed the site’s operator so much that he contacted the FBI. Elliot Carter, who operates the site, worried people were covertly seeking escape routes or entry points to the Capitol ahead of the electoral college count in January.

These people were suddenly obsessed with the Capitol building,” Carter said.

Traffic on the website is usually limited to visitors and referrals from people in D.C. and in nearby communities in Virginia and Maryland, Carter said. But starting on New Year’s Day, a spike in traffic included visitors nationwide. He said a deeper review of analytics from his site revealed many of the clicks were coming from hyperlinks shared on anonymous message boards, sites and forums named after militias or firearms, or using Donald Trump’s name.

 

Yeah, I don't understand why you guys just won't let it go.

Death Threats And Conspiracy Theories: Why 2020 Won't End For Election Officials
It's been more than nine months since Election Day 2020, but as the nation's top election officials met in Iowa over the weekend, it was clear the shadow of that race will stretch far into the future of American democracy.

The conspiracy theory that the 2020 election was somehow stolen from former President Donald Trump has upended almost all aspects of election administration: Local officials who a decade ago would have gone about their bureaucratic business in relative anonymity are facing threats and intense pressure, and a large chunk of American voters have no confidence the system is fair.

This is the very unfortunate new normal," said Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, who had dozens of armed protesters visit her home in December after last year's election.

To offer a counter view, I will say my staff and myself got a week of death threats because of the pillow conference, so we did appreciate the DHS announcement," Griswold said. "So, thank you.

 

For a guy who gives more off topic ratings than anybody else on the board you sure go off topic a lot.

10 to 1 odds this post gets an off topic rating from you.

 

Dad bitches about our education system and then bitches about people remembering a recent, violent attempted overthrow of the us government.
I guess he just likes to bitch.

 

The Department of Justice on Wednesday announced the arrest and indictment of a Texas man accused of beating D.C. Metropolitan police officer Daniel Hodges with his own baton during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, an incident that went viral and was recounted in emotional testimony during a Jan. 6 select committee hearing.

Capitol Rioter Charged With Beating D.C. Officer Daniel Hodges With His Own Baton

 

More tourist videos released

 

The Texas realtor who asked Trump for a pardon has entered her plea of guilty.

"Jenna Ryan, 51, pleaded guilty to illegally demonstrating inside the Capitol building on January 6. She agreed to pay $500 in restitution for damage done to the Capitol during the riot. Prosecutors have cut the same deal for other low-level defendants who weren't violent or destructive inside the building."

"She could face a sentence of up to six months in prison, according to her agreement with prosecutors read at her plea hearing on Thursday, though it is likely Ryan will be ordered to serve much less, or even no jail time, when she is sentenced in November."


I suspect the judge will remind her of this at sentencing:

"In March, Ryan tweeted that she is "definitely not going to jail. Sorry I have blonde hair white skin a great job a great future and I'm not going to jail... I did nothing wrong." Though defendants are not required to show remorse, federal prosecutors have said in other cases they're looking for contrition from the insurrectionists, and it could persuade a judge to show leniency at sentencing."

Real estate agent who asked Trump for a pardon pleads guilty in Capitol riot

 

Speaking of remorse, Languerand has expressed none, which is part of the reason he is considered a continuing threat and not subject to pretrial release. He said those at the Capitol were "standing up for their Constitutional rights". Not sure what Constitutional right he is referring to; he apparently believes in a right to white supremacists governance, which is widespread

 

trumpists on tour, lovely......