January 7, 2021

State Department political appointee fired after tweeting Trump "unfit to remain in office"

CNN

From CNN's Kylie Atwood

A State Department political appointee was fired by the White House today after tweeting last night that President Trump was unfit for office and was to blame for the mob attack on the Capitol, according to two sources familiar with the firing.

“President Trump fomented an insurrectionist mob that attacked the Capitol today. He continues to take every opportunity to obstruct the peaceful transfer of power,” Gabriel Noronha, who worked on Iran at the State Department and was previously a staffer on Capitol Hill, tweeted. “These actions threaten our democracy and our Republic. Trump is entirely unfit to remain in office, and needs to go.”

Noronha also said that all government officials must uphold the Constitution, not a political party.

“All government officials swear to uphold and defend the constitution. That is where our loyalties must lie – not to any man or political party. @JoeBiden has won the election for President and we must all work together to rebuild our economy and defend our nation,” Noronha wrote in his second tweet.

Noronha was notified that he would be fired in a letter from the State Department liaison to the White House today, said a source familiar with the letter. He was given no explicit reason for his ouster, the source said.

Noronha’s bosses at the State Department did not object to him posting his opinion on his personal Twitter account, the sources said. It is unclear who at the White House made the decision to fire him.

Together his two tweets received almost 30,000 retweets as of Thursday afternoon.

Noronha, the State Department and White House did not immediately reply to request for comment.

See his tweet:

President Trump fomented an insurrectionist mob that attacked the Capitol today. He continues to take every opportunity to obstruct the peaceful transfer of power. These actions threaten our democracy and our Republic. Trump is entirely unfit to remain in office, and needs to go.
— Gabriel Noronha (@GLNoronha) January 7, 2021

https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/washington-dc-election-riots/index.html

The Empire strikes back - WB

January 7, 2021

Biden says Black Lives Matter protestors would have been treated 'very differently,'

CNN

Biden says Black Lives Matter protestors would have been treated ‘very differently,' calls difference ‘unacceptable’

President-elect Joe Biden began his remarks Thursday before introducing members of his judiciary team by addressing the siege on Capitol Hill Wednesday, admonishing President Trump for inciting the violence and condemning the rioters.
"“It was not dissent, it was not disorder, it was not protest,” he said. “It was chaos. Don’t dare call them protesters. They were a riotous mob. Insurrectionists. Domestic terrorists.” "

Biden called yesterday one of the darkest days in the history of our nation and reiterated that it was an “unprecedented assault on our democracy.”

“I wish we could say we couldn’t see it coming. But that wasn’t true. We could see it coming," he said.

Biden said that he will not address questions regarding the invocation of the 25th Amendment against President Trump.

Biden had harsh words for Trump, condemning him for attacking the free press and independent judiciary and using tactics long-used by autocrats and dictators all over the world.

https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/washington-dc-election-riots/index.html?tab=all

January 7, 2021

Biden calls Jan. 6 one of the "darkest days in the history of our nation"

CNN

President-elect Joe Biden began his remarks Thursday before introducing members of his judiciary team by addressing the siege on Capitol Hill Wednesday, admonishing President Trump for inciting the violence and condemning the rioters.
"“It was not dissent, it was not disorder, it was not protest,” he said. “It was chaos. Don’t dare call them protesters. They were a riotous mob. Insurrectionists. Domestic terrorists.” "

Biden called yesterday one of the darkest days in the history of our nation and reiterated that it was an “unprecedented assault on our democracy.”

“I wish we could say we couldn’t see it coming. But that wasn’t true. We could see it coming," he said.

Biden said that he will not address questions regarding the invocation of the 25th Amendment against President Trump.

Biden had harsh words for Trump, condemning him for attacking the free press and independent judiciary and using tactics long-used by autocrats and dictators all over the world.

https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/washington-dc-election-riots/index.html?tab=all

January 7, 2021

Pelosi calls for invoking 25th Amendment and says Congress could impeach if Pence does not act

Source: CNN

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for invoking the 25th Amendment over the riots at the US Capitol and said that if that doesn’t happen then Congress may move to impeach.

“I join the Senate Democratic leader in calling on the vice president to remove this President by immediately invoking the 25th Amendment. If the vice president and the Cabinet do not act, the Congress may be prepared to move forward with impeachment that is the overwhelming sentiment of my caucus and the American people," she said in a news conference

This comes after Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer earlier today called for the vice president to immediately invoke the 25th Amendment.



Read more: https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/washington-dc-election-riots/index.html?tab=all

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From Washington Post:

Trump “invited an armed insurrection against the United States of America,” Pelosi told reporters at the Capitol, a day after a pro-Trump mob incited by the president stormed the Capitol, vandalizing the building and forcing lawmakers to be evacuated.

Pelosi left open the possibility of impeaching Trump a second time.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/01/07/congress-election-biden-capitol-live-updates/#link-KLUZRTJ26NDHLKR42JEPXUTREY

January 7, 2021

CNN: Pelosi to speak shortly nt

January 7, 2021

Trump greeted with cheers as he calls in to Republican National Committee meeting

The Washington Post
By Josh Dawsey and Felicia Sonmez

Trump briefly called in to the Republican National Committee’s winter meeting Thursday morning — and received a loud and overwhelmingly enthusiastic reception when RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel put him on speakerphone, according to people in the room.

“We love you!” some in the room yelled.

Addressing RNC members by phone as they held a private, members-only breakfast at the Ritz-Carlton on Amelia Island in Florida, Trump said he had heard that the news media had falsely reported he would not be speaking. He told the RNC members he wanted to speak, was sorry to miss the event and looked forward to seeing them in person.

Trump made no mention of Wednesday’s violence at the U.S. Capitol, according to the people present, who were not authorized to speak publicly about the president’s remarks. Trump had originally intended to deliver a longer speech but is not scheduled to address the event Thursday night.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/01/07/congress-election-biden-capitol-live-updates/#link-KLUZRTJ26NDHLKR42JEPXUTREY

January 7, 2021

12,000 were arrested in May Day 1971 protests, just for contrast

This is how the May Day protests 50 years ago were handled in Washington DC. The protesters, for the most part, planned to sit down in civil disobedience to block streets. I spent several days bailing out arrestees from my college in the aftermath.

They were FAR less of a threat to the U.S. government than the traitorous seditionists who invaded the Capitol yesterday.

Addendum from Global Nonviolent Action Database:

"Before the actions took place, protesters were given a manual that described 21 detailed key bridges and traffic circles. Protesters were told to block the roads nonviolently using stalled vehicles, jury rigged barricades, or their bodies. They were also told to break down into “affinity groups.” These were groups of five to fifteen people who would jointly take part in the actions. The manual asked the protesters to come in waves, thus one affinity group would sit down at the target until arrested and then additional waves of demonstrators would follow."

https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/washington-dc-protests-against-war-vietnam-mayday-1971

You will notice that there were no plans in the 1971 protest to carry firearms, plant bombs, break into government buildings, destroy government property or to hold members of Congress as hostages. There were no plans to invade and damage state government buildings around the nation.


WIKIPEDIA:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1971_May_Day_protests

The 1971 May Day Protests were a series of large-scale civil disobedience actions in Washington, D.C., in protest against the Vietnam War. These began on Monday morning, May 3rd, and ended on May 5th. More than 12,000 people were arrested, the largest mass arrest in U.S. history. (my boldface)

Monday May 3

The U.S. government had put into effect Operation Garden Plot, a plan it had developed during the 1960s to combat major civil disorders. Over the weekend, while protesters listened to music, planned their actions or slept, 10,000 federal troops were moved to various locations in the Washington, D.C. area. At one point, so many soldiers and Marines were being moved into the area from bases along the East Coast that troop transports were landing at the rate of one every three minutes at Andrews Air Force Base in suburban Maryland, about 15 miles east of the White House. Among these troops were 4,000 paratroopers from the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division. Troops from the Marine Barracks lined both sides of the 14th St bridge. These troops were to back up the 5,100 officers of the D.C. Metropolitan Police, 2,000 members of the D.C. National Guard and federal agents that were already in place.[7] Every monument, park and traffic circle in the nation's capital had troops protecting its perimeters. Paratroopers and Marines deployed via helicopter to the grounds of the Washington Monument.


Protesters announced that because the government had not stopped the Vietnam War they would stop the government[4] and told troops, many of whom were of similar age, that their goal was to prevent the troops from being sent to Vietnam. While the troops were in place and thousands held in reserve, the police clashed with members of the May Day tribe. The protesters engaged in hit and run tactics throughout the city, trying to disrupt traffic and cause chaos in the streets. President Richard Nixon, who was at the Western White House in San Clemente, California, refused to give Federal workers the day off, forcing them to navigate through police lines and May Day tribe roadblocks. Most commuters who tried arrived at their jobs, despite being delayed somewhat. Federal Employees for Peace held a rally the following day in Lafayette Park. (Me - This is somewhat inaccurate. Many protesters intended to peacefully sit down to block street traffic in acts of civil disobedience - I was there)

While the troops secured the major intersections and bridges, the police abandoned their usual arrest procedures, roaming through the city making sweep arrests and using tear gas. They detained anyone who looked like a demonstrator. By 8 am thousands of people had been arrested, including many who had not been breaking any law. The city's prisons did not have the capacity to handle that many people thus several emergency detention centers were setup including the Washington Coliseum and another one surrounded by an 8-foot-high (2.4 m) fence was set up next to RFK Stadium. The prisoners massed against the fence, pushed it over, and were tear-gassed. No food, water, or sanitary facilities were made available by authorities but sympathetic local residents brought supplies. Skirmishes between protesters and police occurred up until about mid-day. In Georgetown, the police herded the protesters and onlookers through the streets to the Georgetown University campus. The police then engaged in a back and forth with the protesters outside the university's main gate on O Street, lobbing tear gas over the gate each time they pushed the crowd back. Other forms of gas were used including pepper based and one that induced vomiting. Police helicopters also dropped tear gas on the university's lower athletic field where protesters had camped the night before. Numerous people were injured and treated by volunteers on campus. By afternoon the police had suppressed the protest and held more than 7,000 prisoners.[8]


On Tuesday, May 4, another 2,000 people were arrested at a sit-in outside the headquarters of the Justice Department. On Wednesday, May 5, 1,200 more people were arrested at a legal rally on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, bringing the total to 12,614 people, making this the largest mass arrest in U.S. history. [4][9]

January 7, 2021

Facing criticism, US Capitol Police details response to violent mob

Facing criticism, US Capitol Police details response to violent mob

From CNN's Manu Raju, Ted Barrett and Sam Fossum

US Capitol Police, facing criticism over an apparent lack of preparedness to deal with Wednesday's violent mob on Capitol Hill, provided first details about the deadly incident that left lawmakers and staff fearful for their lives.

In a statement released Thursday morning, chief of police Steven A. Sund said Capitol Police and other law enforcement officers were "actively attacked" with metal pipes and other weapons.

"They were determined to enter into the Capitol Building by causing great damage," Sund said.

The Capitol Police fired on an adult woman as "protesters were forcing their way toward the House Chamber where Members of Congress were sheltering in place." The woman was later pronounced dead after being transported to a nearby hospital. The officer involved has been put on administrative leave pending a joint investigation with Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

Sund also said Capitol Police responded to reports of pipe bombs and a suspicious vehicle on the southeast corner of the capitol, adding that the Capitol police "determined that both devices were, in fact, hazardous and could cause great harm to public safety."

The FBI is investigating the incident further.

Here's what else the department said:

More than a dozen arrests: The Capitol Police revealed for the first time that 13 people have been arrested for "unlawful entry" of the Capitol complex, in addition to the owner of the suspicious vehicle. The police said that additional charges may be filed pending further investigation.
Officers injured: More than 50 Capitol Police and metropolitan police were injured during yesterday's attack, and several have been hospitalized with "serious injuries," according to Sund.
How Sund described the chaos: "The violent attack on the US Capitol was unlike any I have ever experienced in my 30 years in law enforcement here in Washington, D.C.," Sund said. "Maintaining public safety in an open environment – specifically for First Amendment activities – has long been a challenge."

Lawmakers say they are perplexed at the lack of preparedness among law enforcement given that it had been known for weeks that President Trump was promoting a rally he said was aimed at preventing the certification of Joe Biden's win.

Illinois Rep. Mike Quigley, who was locked in the House chamber during an armed standoff between Capitol Police and a rioter, praised the officers who were in the building that put their lives on the line to protect the lawmakers. But Quigley made clear that they were outnumbered and law enforcement was underprepared.

"The Capitol Police I was around did an amazing job under difficult circumstances," Quigley told CNN. "My concern wasn't with how valiant the Capitol Police were. It was that an hour before the debate started, I looked at the throngs of people surrounding different sections of the Capitol — and said, we don't have enough security."

Quigley added: "I'm no expert in security, but you can tell we were outmanned in an hour before the debate," referring to Congress' proceedings to certify Biden's win.

https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/washington-dc-election-riots/index.html

January 7, 2021

New fence going up around Captiol

Washington Post love updates:

Crews quickly began erecting tall black fences around the perimeter of the Capitol grounds just after 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Two Capitol Police officers said the fencing was being assembled around the Capitol as a precautionary measure after Wednesday’s events.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2021/01/07/capitol-protests-dc-live-updates/

Shutting the barn door after the horse is gone...

January 7, 2021

DC police made 68 arrests Wednesday, mayor's spokeswoman says

DC police made 68 arrests Wednesday, mayor's spokeswoman says

From CNN's Alex Marquardt and Aileen Graef

DC’s Metropolitan Police Department made 68 arrests last night following an insurrection at the US Capitol, according to a mayor’s spokeswoman.

Most of the arrests were made for curfew violations after DC Mayor Muriel Bowser imposed a 6 p.m. ET curfew in the District of Columbia. Other charges included weapons charges and unlawful entry.

Last night’s arrests include the following charges:

Five arrests for possession of an illegal firearm. (One on US Capitol Grounds.)
Two arrests for illegal possession of other weapons (metal knuckles & blackjack-like weapon.) Note – while these types weapons may be legal in other states, they are illegal in DC.
25 arrests for curfew violations and unlawful entry on the Capitol Grounds.
36 arrests for curfew violations, including 8 arrests for curfew violations on US Capitol Grounds and 28 arrests for curfew violations throughout the city.

https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/washington-dc-election-riots/index.html

68? What a contrast to BLM protests and MayDay 1971. This is an outrage



WASHINGTON POST is reporting 79 arrests including yesterday, plus one arrest by US Park Police