# 7 Jan 2021 and beyond - the aftermath of the storming of the Capitol **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 8, 2021, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020 "2021-01-08T10:28:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 131
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2021, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/2609 "2021-12-16T11:47:34Z")
Sauce for the goose is definitely NOT sauce for the gander. > **[Opinion | Meadows texts show Trump did what GOP (falsely) claimed Clinton did...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/15/jan-6-text-messages-meadows-benghazi/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWJpZCI6IjYyMDc3NTgiLCJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNjM5NjU0Njk4LCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNjQwODY0Mjk4LCJpYXQiOjE2Mzk2NTQ2OTgsImp0aSI6ImJjNjFhMzAzLTk5MTItNDk2OS04ZjFlLWMzYzYwMjkzZDAzYSIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9vcGluaW9ucy8yMDIxLzEyLzE1L2phbi02LXRleHQtbWVzc2FnZXMtbWVhZG93cy1iZW5naGF6aS8ifQ.JrNWd7r3INC7vyTOPOFQfH_2ES0qZUif8PcWa0Ac3v8&itid=gfta)** > > The Jan. 6 text messages to Mark Meadows are outrageous. So where’s the Benghazi-level outrage? > Paging Trey Gowdy! Where’s the bulldog of Benghazi when his country needs him? > > On Sept. 11, 2012, terrorists attacked the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. **Four** Americans died. > > On Jan. 6, 2021, terrorists [attacked](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2021/jan-6-insurrection-capitol/?itid=lk_inline_manual_5) the U.S. Capitol. **Five** people [died](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/trump-riot-death-medical-exainer/2021/04/07/53806608-97cf-11eb-a6d0-13d207aadb78_story.html?itid=lk_inline_manual_5)during the attack and its immediate aftermath, including a police officer. **Four more** officers [died by suicide](https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/02/3rd-police-officer-gunther-hashida-kills-himself-after-capitol-riot-by-trump-mob.html) in the following months. Another 140 police were [injured](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/police-union-says-140-officers-injured-in-capitol-riot/2021/01/27/60743642-60e2-11eb-9430-e7c77b5b0297_story.html?itid=lk_inline_manual_5). > > The differing responses to the two tragedies show the rank hypocrisy in the Republican Party and the sickness that has taken hold of it. > > Lawmakers launched [eight congressional investigations of Benghazi](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/two-years-7-million-still-no-smoking-gun-on-clinton-and-benghazi/2016/06/28/603ffa60-3d67-11e6-80bc-d06711fd2125_story.html?itid=lk_inline_manual_7) over four years, culminating in a [two-year, $7 million](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2016/05/17/have-republicans-really-spent-7-million-on-the-benghazi-committee/?itid=lk_inline_manual_7) select-committee extravaganza led by Gowdy (R-S.C.), now out of Congress. > > … > > Now we know, thanks to the [text messages of former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/12/14/text-messages-meadows-renew-focus-trumps-inaction-during-jan-6-attack/?itid=lk_inline_manual_10), that while domestic terrorists were sacking the Capitol and legislators hid in fear for their lives, several Republican lawmakers, Fox News personalities and Donald Trump Jr. reached out to Meadows to urge President Donald Trump to call off the attack. Trump refused for hours, and his Pentagon stalled on an urgent plea to deploy the National Guard to defend the Capitol. > > Essentially, Trump did just what Republicans falsely accused Clinton of doing in Benghazi. **And attacking the U.S. seat of government is orders of magnitude worse than attacking a diplomatic outpost.** > … My bold. [Hillary Clinton was grilled by the Benghazi committee for 11 hours.](https://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/10/22/451012235/clinton-endures-an-11-hour-grilling-before-benghazi-committee) She was Secretary of State, BTW. When is **president** Teflon going to be questioned in person in public by anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2021, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/2610 "2021-12-16T12:23:23Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > We’re long past the point where objective reality matters. If you can insist on your own substitute reality hard enough, you win. “Da red ones go fasta!” (For context, in Warhammer 40K Orks can literally change reality by believing in something. If they paint a vehicle red, _it will go faster_, no matter if it’s been souped up or not, because of belief. Yes, i am calling the current Republicans spore-based morons hungry for pointless conflict.) ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2021, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/2611 "2021-12-16T13:15:26Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > “Da red ones go fasta!” (For context, in Warhammer 40K Orks can literally change reality by believing in something. If they paint a vehicle red, _it will go faster_ , no matter if it’s been souped up or not, because of belief. Yes, i am calling the current Republicans spore-based morons hungry for pointless conflict.) Let’s not make bad comparisons between the Orks and the GOP. Not only are the Orks a lot more fun than the GOP, but they know how to organized a proper WAAGH! I can’t say the same about the GOP. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2021, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/2612 "2021-12-17T09:51:47Z")
LOL, they staged a failed coup and now they are getting away with it. They are not very competent, but they sure are more cunning than the dems. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2021, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/2613 "2021-12-17T10:13:22Z")
As long as the committee is able to do their thing, I don’t think the bad guys are necessarily getting away with it. But when it’s all said and done, I think this may end up with the committee saying: “We’ve shown all this evidence for the record. Our work here is done. Now it’s up to the American people to use this knowledge in their decision making.” Now it’s up to the American people. That’s the hopeless part. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2021, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/2614 "2021-12-17T14:09:05Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > As long as the committee is able to do their thing, I don’t think the bad guys are necessarily getting away with it. But when it’s all said and done, I think this may end up with the committee saying: “We’ve shown all this evidence for the record. Our work here is done. Now it’s up to the American people to use this knowledge in their decision making.” Just the other day, my mother posted on Facebook (the most reliable of information sources) a photo of one of the capitol rioters with a little burb claiming he’s a registered Democrat from Delaware who posed as a Trump supporter while carrying a Confederate flag. To her, this is obvious evidence that the Democrats were behind the capitol riot. When I pointed out that Ashli Babbit had voted for Obama, she pointed out that lot’s of people were fooled by him. Why this man from Delaware wasn’t “fooled” by the Democrats, I don’t know. Personally, I think the bad guys are getting away with it. So many Americans have convinced themselves that nothing happened January 6, 2021 that was of consequence. Other than a nice woman was murdered by capitol police while participating in a peaceful protest. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2021, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/2615 "2021-12-17T19:35:41Z")
Mr. Palmer is going to have one helluva self-reflection opportunity: > **[Toughest sentence yet for any Capitol rioter: over 5 years](https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-capitol-siege-university-of-kentucky-b7a82e7205634d7f2e9767e1cfa10ccf)** > > WASHINGTON (AP) — A Capitol rioter who attacked police officers working to hold back the angry pro-Trump mob on Jan. 6 was sentenced Friday to more than five years behind bars, the most so far for anyone sentenced in the insurrection. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2021, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/2616 "2021-12-17T20:10:17Z")
I’m glad to see that the editors at the Associated Press have decided to use the word “insurrection” to describe Jan 6. In contrast to Fox News, which is taking the stand that Jan 6 was no different than the BLM protests of 2020. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2021, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/2617 "2021-12-17T20:11:37Z")
Just as I am glad to see many of the news anchors on MSNBC frequently refer to Trump as “the disgraced former president”. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2021, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/2618 "2021-12-17T21:16:43Z")
I recently got a fundraising letter from the U.S. Capitol Historical Society (I’ve been a member for several years). It also used the word “insurrection” to refer to the events of Jan. 6, which surprised me, given that the society presumably wants to stay on the good side of the Congressional GOP. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2021, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/2619 "2021-12-17T23:56:56Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > When is **president** Teflon going to be questioned in person in public by anyone? Never. Because It’s OK If A Republican Does It. (or worse) ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/2620 "2021-12-18T00:01:17Z")
> Palmer, who has been held at the D.C. jail [among fetid conditions that prompted a review by authorities](https://apnews.com/article/proud-boys-district-of-columbia-capitol-siege-b944fd79b8e132f633bfb0111adfaba8), said it wasn’t fair that he be punished so severely when the ringleaders aren’t even behind bars. > > The judge agreed — to a point. “It is true that the people who extorted you and encouraged you and rallied you to go and take action have not been charged,” she said. “ **That is not the court’s decision. I have my opinions but they are not relevant.”** my bolding ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/2621 "2021-12-18T02:10:57Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > When is **president** Teflon going to be questioned in person in public by anyone? > **[DA's last big decision: Whether to charge Trump](https://apnews.com/article/business-new-york-manhattan-donald-trump-cyrus-vance-jr-2a8fb1e013858ed5dd1edf4f7096663a)** > > After a dozen years in office, one piece of unfinished business remains for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. before he retires at the end of the month. > [@](#): > > “I really can’t talk about the Trump case, so I’m not going to talk about the Trump case,” Vance said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. “But I think it’s pretty clear that our investigation is active and ongoing.” If he’s retiring at the end of the month, we’ll find out soon enough. Let’s hope he has more cojones than Mueller. If not, let’s hope his replacement, Alvin Bragg, can bring it. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/2622 "2021-12-18T19:25:34Z")
> **[Trump Ally Peter Navarro Says The Jan. 6 Coup Conspiracy Part Out Loud](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/peter-navarro-steve-bannon-overthrow-election_n_61bd2f18e4b0bcd2193f2e99)** > > Navarro used a football analogy to describe the day of the Capitol riots and called Bannon a "hero." > [@](#): > > Navarro, using a football analogy about one team sacking another, gloated Thursday that there were “100 people working on the … team … who were going to make sure we remanded the [electoral] results back to the battleground states,” which would have subverted Americans’ choice for president. > [@](#): > > Navarro also referred to former Vice President [Mike Pence](https://www.huffpost.com/news/topic/mike-pence) as the “quarterback” of the offense, suggesting they had wanted Pence to go along with the plot. Can’t remember if the bolded has been reported before: > [@](#): > > Right-wing attorney [John Eastman](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/john-eastman-bar-investigation-coup-memo-pence-greg-jacob_n_6197fa5ce4b0f398af0538ac) penned a [pair of “coup memos”](http://cdn.cnn.com/cnn/2021/images/09/21/privileged.and.confidential.--.jan.3.memo.on.jan.6.scenario.pdf) on how to overturn the election by challenging electoral votes — **and met with Meadows and [Trump in the Oval Office](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/12/us/politics/mike-pence-trump.html) to discuss the strategy the day before the insurrection**, The New York Times reported. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2021, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/2623 "2021-12-20T09:41:58Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > As long as the committee is able to do their thing, I don’t think the bad guys are necessarily getting away with it. But when it’s all said and done, I think this may end up with the committee saying: “We’ve shown all this evidence for the record. Our work here is done. Now it’s up to the American people to use this knowledge in their decision making.” It’s not the American people’s job to enforce the law - it’s the government’s. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2021, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/2624 "2021-12-20T11:20:41Z")
@Alessan **bobot** is referring to voting in the next election, not vigilantism. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2021, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/2625 "2021-12-20T11:34:21Z")
> [@Mr.Duality](#): > > **bobot** is referring to voting in the next election, not vigilantism. I get it, but the U.S. is ostensibly under the rule of law. That means that crimes are tried in court, not in the ballot booth. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2021, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/2626 "2021-12-20T14:30:02Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I get it, but the U.S. is ostensibly under the rule of law. That means that crimes are tried in court, not in the ballot booth. Checks & balances, my friend. If politicians aren’t interested in living under the rule of law then one way to change things is to vote for other politicians. Obviously we’re in dire straits to be at this point but there you go. It’s all well and good to acknowledge what should be but that doesn’t mean we can sit hear with our mouths agape complaining that the Republicans aren’t following the rules. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2021, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/2627 "2021-12-20T22:08:02Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > It’s not the American people’s job to enforce the law - it’s the government’s. Yeah, I’m sure that looks good on paper and all, but I’ve just experienced four years of Trump as so-called president waiting for the government to enforce the law. It just didn’t happen. It’s up to the people, now, to change the politicians and their affiliated DOJ cronies charged with enforcing the law. But for the most part, the people aren’t paying attention. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2021, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/2628 "2021-12-20T22:34:42Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > > [@Mr.Duality](#): > > > > **bobot** is referring to voting in the next election, not vigilantism. > > I get it, but the U.S. is ostensibly under the rule of law. That means that crimes are tried in court, not in the ballot booth. No, it doesn’t. We live in a democracy, meaning all government power ultimately comes from the people. This includes the judicial branch. It is merely co-equal with the other branches. The rule of law means that there are rules and some sort of due process. But it does not and should not mean that the people have no recourse if they believe the system is corrupt and people are getting away with crimes or things we as a people believe should be crimes. Otherwise the Courts just become a dictatorship, a government entity we have to defer to no matter what. There becomes no incentive for them not to be corrupt and do whatever they want, just like any other government that is not beholden to the people. The rule of law means that we don’t base things on the whim of any particular person. But it doesn’t mean the people as a whole have no say. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020.md?page=130) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020.md?page=132)