Insurrectionists Seized the United States Capitol, What Do We Do Now?

January 6th was supposed to be the constitutionally mandated day when the Vice President presides over the Congressional Electoral College count. This tradition is an essential aspect of the peaceful transfer of power. Congress’s role is to confirm that President-elect Joe Biden won the election.

We knew things were going to be outside of the norm. President Trump, who lost the popular vote and the electoral college, continues to dispute the election results while ignoring the 25.6 Million US Covid-19 cases and 429,000 deaths.

We also expected clownish antics planned by Texas State Senator Ted Cruz and Missouri Senator Josh Hawley to disrupt the electoral college certification.
We did not expect thousands of Trump-supporting American Terrorists to storm the Capitol and attempt a coup of our government. A mob breached the security of the Capitol. Our senators, representatives, and their staff were forced into evacuation while other public servants were sheltering-in-place.

We should not call these people protestors. These are terrorists who temporarily shut down the legislative branch of the United States Government. These people were not Antifa. These insurrectionists were waving Confederate flags, Trump apparel, and wearing MAGA hats.

Let’s face facts. This QAnon leader temporarily held control of the legislative branch of the United States of America.

As I watched the news coverage, I was appalled. A tiny group of police officers corralled the thousands of people gathered on the stairs of our nation’s Capitol. There were a few arrests, but there were no efforts to clear the area until hours later.

In stark contrast, when President Trump wanted to stage a photo op at St John’s Church in Lafayette Park during a peaceful anti-police brutality protest, the military arrived and gassed the protestors.
I wondered how so many insurrectionists might have been able to storm the Capitol until this video was released on Twitter. Can anyone honestly believe the same response would have occurred if these people were #BLM protestors?

I realize the Capitol police’s priority was to protect our elected leaders trapped inside but did they have to appear so chummy with those attempting a coup of the American Government?

Jan 6th is the first time the Capital was breached since the war of 1812.

Congress reconvened and completed their task. The insurrectionists failed in their attempt to thwart the certification of Joe Biden. But we can not ignore the abject failure of intelligence and protection.

This was Donald Trump’s day. He called for this action. There is a direct line between Charlottesville to the attempted coup. Facebook and Twitter locked his account for 12 hours. Big deal.

I give Mitch Mcconnel and Lindsey Graham credit for impassioned speeches attempting to stop the madness, but one speech does not erase their four years of complicit behavior.

Senator Mitt Romney nailed it when he said in his statement:

My fellow Senator Ted Cruz and the co-signers of his statement argue that rejection of electors or an election audit directed by Congress would restore trust in the election. Nonsense. This argument ignores the widely perceived reality that Congress is an overwhelmingly partisan body; the American people wisely place greater trust in the federal courts where judges serve for life. Members of Congress who would substitute their own partisan judgement for that of the courts do not enhance public trust, they imperil it.

So what happens next after an attempted desecration of our democracy?

Are we going to turn a blind eye to the inciting actions of Senator Ted Cruz, Senator Josh Hawley, Senator Ted Cruz, Senator Josh Hawley, and Senator Mitch McConnell?

Will the FBI be arresting and charging each and every one of the insurgents? It should be easy. They shot selfies while lounging on the Capitol stairs.

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Previously published on medium

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