National Guard whistle blower disputes Barr and Trump's account of Lafayette square brutality

Politics & Elections
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https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/dc-national-guard-whistleblower-details-tear-gas-op-for-trump-photo-shoot

That article may be behind a pay wall for some. If so, summary: NG Major Adam "DeMarco’s testimony publicly contradicts the statements of Attorney General Bill Barr, who was also present at the clearing, and later said that he and other officials did not order the square violently cleared to make room for the President and his entourage. In a June 4 press conference, Barr took responsibility for “moving the perimeter,” but denied that there was a “correlation” with President Trump’s photo op.

The Park Police have defended the operation by claiming that it was necessary in order to build a fence that would provide more security for the White House.

But DeMarco wrote that fencing materials did not arrive until nearly three hours after federal law enforcement gassed and cleared the crowd."

There’s more confirming that Barr lied - the protesters were entirely peaceful, tear gas really was used, and more. Good for this officer for speaking out, especially considering the fate of Lt colonel Vindman.

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Not paywalled, I don’t think:

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National Guard officer DeMarco lists seven specific details, itemized in this account by Cody Fenwick at Alternet:

  1. DeMarco had no indication that protesters would be moved prior to 7 p.m., which was when the city’s curfew would be in place.
  2. Federal officials didn’t even set up a new barrier until much later.
  3. The warnings given to the protesters were entirely insufficient.
  4. As others who were on the scene have said, the protesters were peaceful.
  5. DeMarco provides direct evidence that CS tear gas was used by officials on the scene, despite repeated denials from the Trump administration.
  6. DeMarco described extreme and excessive violence being used against civilians.
  7. Even DeMarco was unaware of all the federal agencies involved.
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It’s nice when people come out and speak out against the weakling bone-spurs wannabe-thug bully in chief, but after almost 4 years of zero accountability, lot of good it will do. Better to come out and speak than not to, certainly. But what’s it going to amount to? Vote the bastard con man out.

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This could be a very interesting hearing. Apparently the acting Chief of the Park Police will also be testifying at the same hearing as DeMarco.

From this NYT article. Behind a paywall but this is the part I’m referencing:

Gregory T. Monahan, the acting chief of the Park Police, will testify on Tuesday before the House Committee on Natural Resources, along with Major DeMarco. The episode at Lafayette Square is the latest controversy for the Park Police, which prosecutors and defense lawyers say has a reputation for fostering a culture of recklessness. As a U.S. Park Police patrol officer nearly two decades ago, Mr. Monahan was accused of conducting unlawful body cavity searches and providing unreliable testimony.

He certainly sounds charming.

I expect the character assassination of Major DeMarco to start in 3…2…1…

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William Barr is still playing games with the “tear gas” issue at the June 1 Lafayette Square “church photo op” assault on peaceful protesters, as well as its use in Portland. At today’s House Judiciary Committee hearing:

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You left out:

  1. The protestors, one of whom is the rector of the church in question, were all on the church property which is private property and the current occupant of the White House was, in fact, not invited there to grandstand.
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I don’t think that’s exactly true. The rector (and maybe some of the protesters?) were on church property. Most of the protesters were all over the place in that public plaza. (Not that it mattered to Trump’s goons. They just cleared them all out.)