# 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:** 16
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/302 "2021-01-11T02:57:09Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > He wasn’t well enough armed to shoot them all, - The vast majority of police carry semi-autos, typically 12-15 rounds in the mag plus 2-3 mags on the belt. Him leading them away from where the Senators were sheltered changes things. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/303 "2021-01-11T03:22:16Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I’m still amazed it didn’t devolve into bloodbath. I’m amazed some idiot in that crowd didn’t set the place on fire. I more than half expected that while watching. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/304 "2021-01-11T03:43:02Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > I’m amazed some idiot in that crowd didn’t set the place on fire. I more than half expected that while watching. I too expected the Reichstag – I mean Capitol – to end up on fire due to “Antifa infiltrators” of the otherwise peaceful demonstration. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/305 "2021-01-11T03:55:27Z")
Wasn’t gasoline or something similar found on some of the busts and paintings? ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/306 "2021-01-11T04:14:32Z")
Maybe chalk one up for gun control. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/307 "2021-01-11T12:00:05Z")
I think these stupid fucking idiots couldn’t decide if Officer Goodman was on their side or not. They had reason to believe that some cops were on their side. They were so fucking confused because he was black. I’m being a smart ass. Mr Goodman is a fucking hero. I can’t believe our leaders were forced to hide under a table in a dark silent room for 2 hours. And some people just want to pretend it didn’t happen. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/308 "2021-01-11T12:11:40Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > WaPo is reporting that the Capitol Police officer who died today was on duty during the siege and that police sources are telling them that it was suicide. In case anyone else got confused the way I did: > [@WaPo](#): > > It was second death of a Capitol Police officer in the span of a week: On Wednesday, Officer Brian D. Sicknick died of injuries sustained while fighting off the [“Stop the Steal” mob](https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2021/01/10/capitol-rioters-identified-arrested/?arc404=true&itid=lk_inline_manual_11)that had breached the Capitol while lawmakers were certifying the presidential vote. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/309 "2021-01-11T14:24:09Z")
[The Washington Post (paywall)](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sund-riot-national-guard/2021/01/10/fc2ce7d4-5384-11eb-a817-e5e7f8a406d6_story.html) has an article this morning based on a wide-ranging interview with ousted Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund. Now obviously, he’s going to present his own role in the events of Wednesday in the best possible light. But in the interview he makes two claims that are particularly damning: - He requested of his bosses (the House and Senate Sergeants-at-Arms) that he be allowed to request the DC National Guard to be on standby based on intelligence that the crowd would be larger than initially estimated. He was declined because of concerns about the “optics.” - Once protestors had actually breached the Capitol, he made an urgent request to the Pentagon to deploy DC guardsmen. The Army representative on this call said he couldn’t recommend that the Secretary of the Army approve the request due to concerns about the “visual” of Guardsmen deployed at the Capitol. The first guardsmen did not arrive until three hours later. ---
**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:** [January 11, 2021, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/310 "2021-01-11T15:07:52Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > due to concerns about the “visual” of Guardsmen deployed at the Capitol. The first guardsmen did not arrive until three hours later.- Good fucking grief. Yeah, let’s keep the “optics” in mind. How about the optics of Mike Pence hanged, or the Capitol going up in flames. _“Oh, that’s no problem, 'cause none of my troops would be in the picture.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/311 "2021-01-11T15:12:21Z")
Wait! Needed support from the National Guard is being thwarted by my bosses, so my response is to only use 25% of the forces I currently have available under my own discretion? Something doesn’t add up. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/312 "2021-01-11T15:17:52Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Good fucking grief. > > Yeah, let’s keep the “optics” in mind… But this is far more serious than elements in the DoD/army exercising _poor judgment_ in actually thinking the optics matter. That excuse is surely cover for standing down to let it happen, for pro-Trump _collusion_ with the insurrection. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/313 "2021-01-11T15:48:02Z")
Yeah - I read this a.m. that the number of Capitol cops was the same as any other day. Nothing special about the nature of the proceedings or the context WRT to planned rally to warrant even a couple of additional cops on duty or the readying of gear? I wonder - were the (easily breached) barricades any different than those normally in place? ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/314 "2021-01-11T17:23:48Z")
Nancy Pelosi asks, what if he pardons the terrorists, as the reason why they need to get the President out quickly. > **[Nancy Pelosi: What if Donald Trump pardons terrorists who stormed US Capitol?...](https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2021/01/11/nancy-pelosi-trump-impeachment-25th-amendment-nobles-sot-tsr-vpx.cnn)** > > In an interview with CBS News' "60 Minutes," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says there is strong support in the House to impeach President Donald Trump. CNN's Ryan Nobles reports. Forbes editor says that if any company hires Trump admin who have been shown to lie, particularly press secretaries, Forbes will tend not to believe their press reports They will be more vigorously fact checking those companies. But I wonder why this wasn’t done before. Back when Sean Spicer left, I asked who would hire him since he was shown to be a liar. People said that he would land on his feet. Only now are people more closely scrutinizing their lies, after a bunch of people believed them. The Trump hires had control over their lies, not over who will commit heinous acts based on them. Forbes should have held them accountable back then. > **[Forbes editor warns companies that might hire Trump press secretaries:...](https://www.businessinsider.com/dont-hire-former-trump-officials-forbes-editor-warns-businesses-2021-1?utm_source=reddit.com)** > > The editor of Forbes magazine has urged companies not to hire Sean Spicer, Kayleigh McEnany, Stephanie Grisham, or Sarah Sanders. San Francisco gearing up for a Trump protest at Twitter HQ. I’m wondering if much will happen now that the planning platforms are gone and many of the leaders are not allowed on commercial airlines. > **[San Francisco braces for possible pro-Trump demonstration at Twitter...](https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/San-Francisco-braces-for-possible-pro-Trump-15860077.php)** > > Days after Twitter banned the @realdonaldtrump account citing the risk of more violence,... Besides police and firefighters, there were also US army people at the protest. A US army officer in PSYOPS led a group of people to the protest. She had already resigned due to an earlier protest but was still on active duty. All of these people tasked with our safety are trying to threaten the government. I’m not feeling safer. > **[Officer resigns as Army investigates her involvement in Washington rally that...](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/emily-rainey-fort-bragg-captain-resigngs-washington-rally-army-investigating/)** > > Commanders at Fort Bragg said they were reviewing Captain Emily Rainey's involvement in last week's events in the nation's capital. ---
**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:** [January 11, 2021, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/315 "2021-01-11T17:53:45Z")
> [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](#): > > Besides police and firefighters, there were also US army people at the protest. A US army officer in PSYOPS led a group of people to the protest. She had already resigned due to an earlier protest but was still on active duty. > Rainey had resigned her commission after receiving a career-ending letter of reprimand for her actions at an earlier protest in the Fort Bragg area I understand that even though she resigned, she can still be court-martialed. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/316 "2021-01-11T18:03:23Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I understand that even though she resigned, she can still be court-martialed. And I believe a court-martial strips all retirement benefits including pension. Oops! Wal-Mart doesn’t even hire door greeters anymore, what oh what will they do? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/317 "2021-01-11T18:09:27Z")
More precisely, _conviction_ at a court martial _may involve_ loss of pension, etc. Any number of the rioters are going to prove to be current or ex-military, and are going to discover than military courts don’t play by quite the same rules as civilian ones. ---
**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:** [January 11, 2021, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/318 "2021-01-11T18:35:45Z")
What do you wanna bet **“they can’t handle the truth”**?? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/319 "2021-01-11T19:45:34Z")
> [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](#): > > Besides police and firefighters, there were also US army people at the protest. A US army officer in PSYOPS led a group of people to the protest. She had already resigned due to an earlier protest but was still on active duty. We have to make a clear line between the **protest** and the **insurrection.** Those that just stood _outside,_ yelled slogans and waved flags- that was their Constitutional right. Those that broke into the Capitol building or had weapons, etc- they are guilty of a _violent insurrection._ Many times more just stood around outside than stormed into the Capitol. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/320 "2021-01-11T20:15:19Z")
Does the article answer why he didn’t call for backup from the Metropolitan Police sooner? Or when _did_ the Capitol Police call on the Metropolitans, because as I recall they were involved in clearing the Capitol afterwards? They’re a lot closer at hand than the National Guard, under control of the DC Mayor rather than the President or Defense Department, had recently clashed with Proud Boys and thus less susceptible to discounting them as protestors, and the optics of police rather than troops is better. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/7-jan-2021-and-beyond-the-aftermath-of-the-storming-of-the-capitol/930020/321 "2021-01-11T20:23:32Z")
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