15 January 2021

Inside Job?

Mounting evidence suggests Trump's rioters who attacked Congress last week had inside help from congressional staff and even Republican members of Congress themselves (details here).

The day before the seditious attack, several members of Congress witnessed some Republican colleagues giving small private tours in non-public areas at a time when the Capitol was closed to the public. Some of those on the tour were later recognized to be amongst the rioters.

Panic buttons for Congressional staff were also torn from the wall shortly before the attack, something that could only have been done by a person or persons already inside the Capitol building.

Federal officials are currently investigating these leads.

If Trump-supporting members are shown to have assisted in the planning, they could be criminally charged with conspiracy and being accessories before the fact as well as other felonies. A Democratic-majority Congress could also vote to expel them.

It certainly wouldn't help Trump in his impeachment trial if evidence surfaces that his die-hard supporters in Congress assisted in the attack. It could also make Senators angrier and more inclined to find him guilty.

The impeachment presents an extraordinary situation: those trying the facts are also victims of the crime. And they cannot recuse themselves because there is no one to take their place.

That could be a uniquely bad situation for Trump, but then he only brought this upon himself. Many criminals don't think they'll be caught until they are, and he may have a similar mindset.



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