Friday, June 10, 2022

Wake-Up Call: Hearing Fingers Trump As Instigator


In the first of a series of televised hearings, a bipartisan House committee investigating the January 6th, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol began to lay out their case that President Donald Trump instigated the assault through his words, actions, and Tweets. The presentation included videotaped depositions of Trump associates, testimony from people on the scene, and never-before-seen video from the event.


Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat, said Trump had encouraged the assault in order to prevent the peaceful transfer of power to a newly elected president and remain in power, thwarting a process that had prevailed for 220 years:

“Unlike in 1814, it was domestic enemies of the Constitution who stormed the Capitol and occupied the Capitol, who sought to thwart the will of the people, to stop the transfer of power. And they did so at the encouragement of the president of the United States. The president of the United States trying to stop the transfer of power. A precedent that had stood for 220 years even as our democracy had faced its most difficult test."


Representative Liz Cheney, the Republican co-chair of the committee, said a Tweet from Trump inviting his followers to come to Washington on January 6th set off a chain of events that led directly to the attack:

“President Trump sent the Tweet on the screen now, telling people to come to Washington on January 6th. ‘Be there,’ he said. ‘Will be wild.’ As you will see, this was a pivotal moment. This tweet initiated a chain of events. The Tweet led to the planning for what occurred on January 6th, including by the Proud Boys who ultimately led the invasion of the Capitol and the violence on that day. The indictment of a group of Proud Boys alleges that they planned ‘to oppose by force the authority of the government of the United States.’ And according to the Department of Justice, on January 6th, 2021, the defendants directed, mobilized and led members of the crowd onto the capitol grounds and into the Capitol, leading to the dismantling of metal barricades, the destruction of property, the breaching of the Capitol building, and the assaults on law enforcement.”


The evening’s most compelling testimony came from Capitol Police Officer Caroline Edwards, who was injured during the assault:

“What I saw was just a war scene. It was something like I had seen out of the movies. I couldn’t believe my eyes. There were officers on the ground. They were bleeding. They were throwing up. I mean, I saw friends with blood all over their faces. I was slipping in people’s blood. I was catching people as they fell. It was carnage. It was chaos. I can’t even describe what I saw. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that as a police officer, as a law enforcement officer, I would find myself in the middle of a battle.”

➤MICHIGAN GOVERNOR CANDIDATE ARRESTED: Ryan Kelley, the Republican candidate for governor of Michigan, was arrested by the FBI yesterday on misdemeanor charges related to the January 6th, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. He was released on a personal recognizance bond after a hearing. Prosecutors filed four charges against Kelley: knowingly entering a restricted building; disorderly and disruptive conduct; knowingly engaging in an act of physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, and willfully injuring or committing depredation against federal property.

➤NASA JOINS SEARCH FOR UFOS: NASA has joined the search for extraterrestrial objects. The space agency is putting together a team to study data on “"events in the sky that cannot be identified as aircraft or known natural phenomena from a scientific perspective," a statement said. Its interest is in the safety and security of its space missions.

➤DAUGHTER OF SLAIN COUPLE FOUND ALIVE: The baby daughter of a young couple who were murdered in Texas 41 years ago has been found alive and well. DNA evidence only recently led to a positive identification of the remains of Harold Clouse Junior and Tina Gail Linn Clouse, who disappeared near Houston in 1981. The same evidence led to the identification of their infant daughter Holly. The full story of her disappearance is still unfolding, but Holly is now in contact with her very delighted grandmother.

➤MAN SHOT DEAD OUTSIDE SCHOOL: A man was shot and killed by police outside of an Alabama elementary school in Gadsden, Alabama, yesterday. The man was apparently involved in a dispute with a school resource officer and had tried to get into the school. At one point, he tried to force his way into a police cruiser and grab an officer’s gun. There were 34 children in the Walnut Park Elementary School at the time of the incident.

➤FIVE MARINES DEAD IN CRASH: All five Marines aboard a military aircraft died when it crashed during a training mission near Glamis, California, the Marine Corps said in a statement yesterday. Rumors that there were nuclear materials on board the MV-22B Osprey aircraft were flatly denied.


💒BRITNEY SPEARS AND SAM ASGHARI TIE THE KNOT AS HER EX IS ARRESTED FOR CRASHING WEDDING: Britney Spears and Sam Asghari exchanged nuptials in a small ceremony in front of about 60 guests on Thursday (6-9) evening. Some of her famous friends in attendance included Madonna, Selena Gomez, Drew Barrymore, Maria Menounos, and Paris Hilton. Britney wore a Donatella Versace dress.

Britney’s brother, Bryan, was there... but her mom, dad, sister, and two sons did not attend. A statement from her sons read “The boys are happy for Britney and wish her and Sam all the best going forward."

The couple has been together since 2016 and engaged since last September.

And there was drama… Her first ex-husband, Jason Alexander was arrested after breaking into her home, which was also the wedding venue. The 40-year-old livestreamed himself on Instagram as he roamed around the property, revealing their wedding decorations, which were still being arranged by party planners. He was yelling her name and claiming to security that he was invited. He said, “I’m here to crash the wedding.”

🏒TAMPA BAY DEFEATS RANGERS 3-1: The New York Rangers got hit by lightning last night as Tampa Bay blew past them with two goals late in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The final score was Tampa Bay 3, New York 1.


🏌PGA TOUR LOWERS THE BOOM ON RIVAL LEAGUE PLAYERS: The PGA Tour organization has suspended any and all players who compete on the new rival LIV tour. That’s 17 pro golf players, and more likely in the future. Phil Mickelson and Ian Poulter are among those banned from PGA events including the FedEx Cup and the Presidents Cup. The LIV Tour management issued a statement: “The era of free agency is beginning as we are proud to have a full field of players joining us in London and beyond.” The first LIV event aired yesterday on YouTube, Facebook, and LIVGolf.com. The major broadcasters declined to cover it.

🏀STEPH CURRY WILL BE THERE: Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry is determined to play in the critical Game 4 of the NBA finals tonight. He suffered a leg injury in the fourth quarter of Game 3 when he and Boston Celtics forward Al Horford crashed into each other while diving for a ball. He says a good rest and some ice did the trick.

🏀LEBRON JAMES HAS HIS EYE ON VEGAS: LeBron James has said he wants to own an NBA team after retiring from playing. Now he’s narrowed down the preferred location of the team to Las Vegas. There are no plans to expand the NBA to Vegas. But what LeBron wants, LeBron mostly gets. His personal fortune has been estimated at more than $1 billion.

⚾SANCHEZ MAKES A DEAL WITH THE TWINS: Minnesota Twins catcher Gary Sanchez has agreed to accept a $9 million one-year contract with the team. The talks had been headed to arbitration. Chicago Cubs catcher Wilson Contreras also made a deal yesterday, agreeing to a $9.625 million salary.

🏈PEYTON MANNING MAY JOIN NEW BRONCOS ORGANIZATION: Peyton Manning is in talks with the new owners of the Denver Broncos about a potential advisory and ownership role in the organization, according to KDVR in Denver. The Walmart family has a deal to buy the team for about $4.5 billion.
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