House Document 117-9 — Impeachment Evidentiary Record, Volume III (February 2, 2021)
Summary
House Document 117-9 (117th Congress, 1st Session) is Volume III of the evidentiary record for the impeachment of President Donald John Trump, titled Public Reporting and Other Documents, Part 3, Tweets, Photos, Videos, and Congressional Documents. It was ordered to be printed on February 2, 2021, at the direction of Cheryl L. Johnson, Clerk of the House of Representatives. The cover states that it was produced by the House Committee on the Judiciary and submitted by Jamie Raskin, Lead House Impeachment Manager, with the other House Impeachment Managers and staff listed. The pages that follow reproduce news articles dated January 26, 2021, including one titled "Trump sends a message to Senate Republicans ahead of his trial."
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“House Document 117-9 — Impeachment Evidentiary Record, Volume III (February 2, 2021).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/cdoc-cdoc-117hdoc9-cdoc-117hdoc9-vol3/
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117TH CONGRESS }
1st Session HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES { DOCUMENT
117-9
IMPEACHMENT OF PRESIDENT
DONALD JOHN TRUMP
THE EVIDENTIARY RECORD
VOLUME III
Public Reporting and Other Documents Part 3, Tweets,
Photos, Videos, and Congressional Documents
Printed at the direction of Cheryl L. Johnson, Clerk of the House of
Representatives, pursuant to H. Res. 40, 117th Cong., 1st Sess. (2021)
FEBRUARY 2, 2021.-Ordered to be printed
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
42-976 WASHINGTON : 2021
PRODUCED BY THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY
PURSUANT TO H. RES. 40 AND SUBMITTED BY:
JAMIE RASKIN (D-MD), Lead House Impeachment Manager
DIA.\/A DEGETTE (D-CO), House Impeachment Manager
DAVID CICILLINE (D-RI), House Impeachment Manager
J0AQGIN CASTRO (D-TX), House Impeachment Manager
ERIC SWALWELL (D-CA), House Impeachment Manager
TED LIEU (D-CA), House Impeachment Manager
STACEY PLASKETT (D-VI), House Impeachment Manager
JOE NEGUSE (D-CO), House Impeachment Manager
MADELEI'.':E DEAN (D-PA), House Impeachment Manager
(II)
AMY RUTKIN, Chief of Staff
PERRY APELBAGM, Staff Director and Chief Counsel
JOHN DOTY, Senior Advisor
AARON HILLER, Deputy Chief Counsel
DAVID GREEc'IGRASS, Senior Counsel
JOHN WILLIAMS, Parliamentarian and Senior Counsel
BARRY BERKE, Chief Impeachment Counsel
JOSHUA MATZ, Impeachment Counsel
S11ADAW"1 REDDICK-SMITH, Communications Director
MOH SHARMA, Director of Member Services and Outreach & Policy Advisor
ARYA HARIIIARA."I, Deputy Chief Oversight Counsel
BEN HERNANDEZ-STERN, Counsel
SARAH lSTEL, Counsel
MATTHEW MORGA.'!, Counsel
MATTHEW ROBl"1SO"1, Counsel
MADELINE STRASSER, Chief Clerk
WILLIA.\1 S. EMMONS, Legislative Aide
PRIYA."IKA MARA, Legislative Aide
A."ITHOc'IY VALDEZ, Legislative Aide
CIERRA FONTENOT, Staff Assistant
JESSICA PRESLEY, Director of Digital Strategy
KAYLA HAMEDI, Deputy Press Secretary
(III)
1/2612021 Trump sends a message to Senate Republicans ahead of his trial Reader View
WI/I/W. politico. com /news/2021 /01 /25/trump-senate-republicans~impeachmenPria 1-462420
Trump sends a message to Senate Republicans ahead of his
trial
Burgess Everett, Marianne Le Vine, Meridith McGraw
7-9 minutes
Trump's second impeachment trial began unfolding on Monday - and Republicans started deliberating
over how, or even whether, to defend the president. I Pete Marovich Pool/Getty Images
A top political aide to former President Donald Trump spent the weekend quietly reassuring Republican
senators that the former president has no plans to start a third party - and instead will keep his imprint
on the GOP.
The message from Brian Jack, Trump's former political director at the White House, is the latest sign
that Republicans considering an impeachment conviction will do so knowing that Trump may come after
them in upcoming primaries if they vote to convict him for "incitement of insurrection."
Jack did not mention impeachment in his calls. But he wanted the word to get around that Trump is still
a Republican - and for many, still the leader of his party.
"The president wanted me to know, as well as a handful of others, that the president is a Republican, he
is not starting a third party and that anything he would do politically in the future would be as a
Republican," recounted Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.). 'The Republican Party is still overwhelmingly
supportive of this president."
On Monday evening, Trump's second im,100,,chmod bogen and Republicans started
deliberating in earnest over how, or even whether, to defend the
The trial will test how loyal Republican senators will remain to the former president following his
departure from the White House and what kind of grip he still maintains on the GOP conference. While
most Senate Republicans are not expected to vote to convict Trump, almost no one has defended his
rhetoric after a riot that left five dead and the Capitol ransacked.
Trump has already threatened his critics in the Senate GOP with primary challengers, and conviction
votes would only bring more attacks from the former president. On Monday, Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio)
announced his retirement, allowing him to take in the trial without thinking about his reelection campaign
next year. Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), who is also retiring next year, has conceded that Trump committed
impeachable offenses. He declined to talk about the trial on Monday evening.
Trump "has the potential to continue to have a major influence on the party," said Sen. Mitt Romney (R-
Utah), who was the sole GOP senator to vote to convict Trump last year and who has excoriated
Trump's role in inciting the Jan. 6 riot.
Trump's influence "was significantly diminished by his perpetuation of the 'Big Lie.' That he won the
election and that it was stolen from him. I don't think the facts have borne that out," Romney added.
"Clinging to the lie will diminish his influence over time."
Though Trump has absorbed more criticism from Senate Republicans over the last three weeks than at
any time since he won the 2016 election, few are willing to be as vocal as Romney on the eve of the
trial.
These days Republicans are leaning on an argument that the impeachment trial is unconstitutional,
which might only be tested if Trump is convicted and the result goes to the Supreme Court.
On Tuesday, Senate Republicans will hear that argument at a party meeting from Jonathan Turley, a
conservative legal scholar who says the impeachment is "at odds" with the Constitution, according to
two sources. Others on the right, including at the Federalist Society, have said it's constitutional to hold
an impeachment trial for an ex-president.
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1/26/2021 Trump sends a message to Senate Republicans ahead of his trial Reader View
Even some of the president's closest allies have used strong words to condemn Trump's role in the Jan.
6 invasion of the Capitol by pro-Trump supporters. It's a stunning turn from Trump's first impeachment
trial, when only a handful of senators conceded that Trump acted irresponsibly in pressuring Ukraine to
investigate his political rivals.
"The ex-president's rhetoric on the day was inflammatory. I think it was irresponsible. I think it was
wrong," said Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), who helped lead objections to the certification of President Joe
Biden's win in the Senate. "This impeachment effort is, I think, blatantly unconstitutional. It's a really,
really, really dangerous precedent"
Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Mike Braun (R-lnd.) were among the senators who quickly rushed to
the cameras last January to defend Trump. On Monday they attacked the constitutionality of convicting
Trump but indicated they have no plans to reprise their role as Trump's rhetorical bulldogs.
"No, I don't," said Braun.
And unlike during last year's impeachment trial, when Senate GOP leadership was pushing the caucus
to vote against hearing from witnesses, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and his team
are taking a more hands-off approach. After closely coordinating Trump's defense with the White House
a year ago, McConnell has said he would listen to both sides' arguments before deciding how to vote.
"It's just a different, entirely, dynamic than what we had," said Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-
S.D.). "This is an issue where nobody's being whipped, everybody's going to do what's in their best
interest for their constituencies and their conscience and people are being asked to vote their
conscience."
Still, the appearance by Turley at a party meeting indicates that GOP leaders are strongly considering
joining the constitutional arguments against impeachment Sen. Joni Ernst (R-lowa), a member of
leadership, said on Monday night that "President Trump exhibited poor leadership and holds some
responsibility for the anarchy," but added she was concerned impeaching a former president sets a
"dangerous standard."
Several Senate Republicans are citing their status as jurors when asked if they'll stick up for the former
president Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a Trump ally who has ripped Democrats for impeaching the
ex-president, said he has faith in Trump's lawyers and that Trump needs to 'trust them." A fellow South
Carolinian, Butch Bowers, will lead Trump's impeachment defense.
It's become a common adage within the Senate GOP that if the trial had occurred on Jan. 7, Trump
might have seen a flood of Republicans looking to make a clean break with him. But now the final vote
might not take place until late February and the number of GOP senators truly weighing whether to
convict the president is likely short of the 17 needed to join all 50 Democrats.
"A lot of people made strong statements, and I put myself in the category, of what the president's role
was, particularly right after Jan. 6 happened. And the disappointment and shock," said Sen. Shelley
Moore Capito (R-W.Va.). "And I suppose as time goes on the political considerations begin to weigh in."
But she added that something more vivid is on many senators' minds.
"It's more a function of being seated on the Senate floor as an insurrection is rising behind you," she
said. "You can hear it and watch the vice president be whisked out"
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1/26/2021 Former Trump officials and other GOP lawyers urge senators to 'consider the evidence' in impeachment trial Reader View
www.cnn.com/2021/01/25/pomics/gop~!awyers-trump~impeachment-senate/index.html
Former Trump officials and other GOP lawyers urge
senators to 'consider the evidence' in impeachment trial
Michael Warren
6-8 minutes
Washington (CNN)With the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump set lo begin in February, nine
prominent Republican lawyers, including two former officials in the Trump administration, have signed a
letter urging GOP senators to "consider the evidence" before deciding how to vote on conviction.
The letter, obtained by CNN and organized by the nonprofit Republicans for the Rule of Law, is
addressed to Republican senators and calls the impeachment article passed by the House a "grave
accusation" and says the trial is "not the time for petty, partisan politics."
"We urge every Senator to consider the evidence presented by the House without prejudice or political
tint, and with an open mind," reads the letter. "We particularly urge that, if the evidence supports a vote
to convict the former president and disqualify him from future office, no Senator let partisan or electoral
considerations alter that conclusion."
Among the signatories are former Trump officials John Mitnick, former general counsel at the
Department of Homeland Security, and Robert B. Shanks, the general counsel for the Peace Corps from
2017 to 2020 and a former Justice Department official under President Ronald Reagan.
Mitnick we:; fired in 2019 after pushing back on a White House proposal to release undocumented
immigrants into sanctuary cities.
"For national security and the rule of law, it is necessary that former President Trump be held
accountable for inciting the deadly January 6 attack on the US Capitol, the aim of which was to prevent
the Congress from carrying out its constitutional function to count the votes of the Electoral College,"
Mitnick told CNN.
Both Mitnick and Shanks say they support convicting Trump. Last October, they both endorsed Joe
Biden for President in a statement organized by the anti-Trump group Defending Democracy Together
and signHd by over 70 former lawmakers and national security officials in past Republican
administrations.
The letter does not take a position on whether Trump should be convicted. Republicans for the Rule of
Law is run by Republican operative Sarah Longwell and former Weekly Standard editor William Kristo!.
The group is affiliated with Defending Democracy Together and has advocated for positions in
opposition to Trump, including running TV ads during the previous impeachment investigation calling on
Republicans to seek out the facts.
"I think that for me, at least, the importance of this letter is to try to make the point that we are at a
seminal moment in American history," Shanks told CNN. "No President has ever tried through force,
threat of force, intimidation, to prevent a free and fair election from being consummated. It just demands
consequences."
Lobbying Senate Republicans
Many of the lawyers who signed the letter served under previous Republican presidents, and several
are members of the Federalist Society, the conseivative legal organization.
Among the names are former Justice Department officials Charles Fried (under Reagan), Donald Ayer
and Stuart Gerson (under George H.W Bush), and Peter Keisler (under George W Bush); former
George W Bush Homeland Security official Paul Rosenzweig; former Reagan White House lawyer Alan
Raul; and Marisa Maleck, a former clerk to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
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1/26/2021 Former Trump officials and other GOP lawyers urge senators to 'consider the evidence' in impeachment trial Reader View
The letter Is the latest example of how influential Republicans are lobbying senators ahead of the
impeachment trial. The effort includes multiple former Trump administration officials, donors, former
members of Congress, and current and former Capitol HIii aides -- all encouraging Republican senators
to vote to convict Trump. A set of talking points circulating among Republicans charges that "it Is difficult
to find a more anti-conservative outburst by a U.S. president than Donald Trump the last two months."
For Trump to be convicted, 17 Republican senators would have to join all 50 Democrats. While no
Republican has publicly declared their Intent to support conviction, several have denounced Trump's
actions surrounding the January 6 attack on the Capitol. On the other hand, an Increasing number of
Senate Republicans have said they oppose convicting Trump, and loyalists to Trump have argued In the
conservative media against taking a stand against the former President.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, however, has signaled his openness to vote for conviction.
In a deal struck Friday between McConnell and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the ceremonial
functions of the Impeachment trial will occur this week, with the articles being presented to the Senate
on Monday and senators being sworn in as jurors on Tuesday. Then the trial will pause, while the House
Impeachment managers and Trump's legal team exchange pre-trial briefs for two weeks. The final briefs
would be due on February 9, allowing the trial itself to begin.
A constitutional argument
Some of the debate among Republicans In the Senate concerns whether It Is constitutional to convict a
former President who has already left office. Republican senators who have said they will vote to acquit
c.te a Jan. 12 op-·ed In The VVash!ngton Post by former federal judge and conservative legal luminary J.
Michael Luttlg, who writes that an Impeachment trial after Trump left office would be unconstitutional.
"I think a lot of people would like a reason not to convict," said a former Republican Senate staffer.
But other Republican legal experts are pushing back with GOP senators.
"It feels like the weight of the energy In Washington with legal conservatives is pretty strongly in favor of
Impeachment," said Gregg Nunziata, a former counsel to the Senate Republican conference who has
reached out to senators himself.
And Mitnick told CNN that he concurs with a recent letter signed by more than 150 constitutional
scholars arguing the Senate can convict a former federal official who has been Impeached by the
House.
"Despite the expiration of President Trump's term of office, the Senate may lawfully take up the article of
impeachment, try and convict him, and disqualify him from holding future office," Mitnick said.
CNN's Manu Raju contributed to this story.
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Proud Boys Under Growing Scrutiny in Capitol Riot
Investigation
January 26, 2021
The leadership of the Proud Boys has come under increased scrutiny as agents and
prosecutors across the country try to determine how closely members of the far-right
nationalist group communicated during the riot at the Capitol this month and to what extent
they might have planned the assault in advance, according to federal law enforcement
officials.
At least six members of the organization have been charged in connection ,-vith the riot,
including one of its top-ranking leaders, ~ph Bigg~. Mr. Biggs, a U.S. Army veteran, led
about 100 men on an angry march from the site of President Donald J. Trump's speech
toward - and then into - the Capitol building.
The Proud Boys, who have a history of scuffling with left-wing antifascist activists, have long
been some of Mr. Trump's most vocal, and violent, supporters, and he has returned the favor,
telling them during one of the r.residential debates to "stand back and stand by_,_'_'.Along with
the right-wing militia the Oath Keepers, the Proud Boys was one of the extremist groups with
a large presence at the Capitol incursion, investigators said.
Despite having launched one of the most sprawling inquiries in American history,
investigators have yet to unearth clear-cut evidence suggesting there was a widespread
conspiracy to assault the Capitol on Jan. 6.
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Still, in recent days, they have turned their attention toward a pair of Proud Boy organizers
on the West Coast and have started executing a series of search warrants connected to the
group, a federal law enforcement official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because
he was not authorized to discuss an ongoing inquiry.
One of the organizers, Ethan Nordean, of Auburn, Wash., appeared with Mr. Biggs in a
YouTube video on the day of Mr. Trump's rally and can be seen shouting orders to a group of
Proud Boys through a bullhorn. Mr. Nordean also known as Ruffo Panman, investigators
said - is named in Mr. Biggs's criminal complaint but has not been charged himself.
The second Proud Boy organizer, Eddie Block, of Madera, Calif., took video of Mr. Biggs and
Mr. Nordean during the event in Washington, according to a photograph included in Mr.
Biggs's charging documents. In an hourlong YouTube video that he livestreamed this
weekend, Mr. Block acknowledged that about 25 federal agents swooped down on his house
on Friday, seizing two of his cellphones, a laptop, an iPad, an Xbox and an old computer.
¼'hen reached by phone on Tuesday, Mr. Block declined to comment further on the federal
investigation. Mr. Nordean could not be reached for comment.
The F.B.I. has acknowledged it is conducting a similarly serious inquiry into the Oath
Kee12ers,1Lgrou12 largcly com12osed of law enforcement and military_12ersonnel, and the Three
Percenters, which emerged from the extremist v,,ing of the gun rights movement. Several
members of both organizations have already been charged in connection with the Capitol
attack, including three defendants who stand accused of the most severe cons12iracy
allegations leveled so far.
Investigators involved in the Capitol attack have also focused their attention on the chairman
of the Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio. Mr. Tarrio, who lives in Miami, was scheduled to attend
the march in Washington but was throvm out of the city by a judge the day before it
happened. When he was arrested on Jan. 4 in connection with the burning of a Black Lives
Matter banner that had been torn from a historic Black church during a different round of
violent protests last month, police officers found he was carrying two high-capacity rifle
magazines emblazoned with the Proud Boys' chicken logo.
Prosecutors have noted in documents attached to Mr. Biggs's case that Mr. Tan·io first began
encouraging the Proud Boys to go to Washington for the "Stop the Steal" march in late
December, when he posted a message on the social media app Parler announcing that
members of the group would "turn out in record numbers."
In the run-up to the rally, Mr. Tarrio also used Parler to urge his members to avoid wearing
their traditional black-and-yellow polo shirts but instead to go "incognito" and move about
the city in "smaller teams," prosecutors say.
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In an interview with The New York Times one week after the siege, Mr. Tarrio, who took over
the Proud Boys from its founder Gavin Mclnnes, said that the attack on the Capitol was
misguided and that anyone who broke windows or took part in the nearly 140 assaults on
police officers should be prosecuted.
The riot inside the U.S. Capitol on WednesdaY., Jan. 6, followed a rally at which President
Trump made an infiammatory.Jipeech to his supporters, questioning the results of the
election. Here's a look at what happened and the ongoing fallout:
o As this video shows, poor planning and a restive crowd encouraged by President
Trump set the stage for the riot.
o A two hour p.erio.d was crucial to turning the rally into the riot.
o Several Trump administration officials, including cabinet members Betsy DeVos
and Elaine Chao, announced that they: were ster:ming down as a result of the riot.
o Federal prosecutors have charged more than 7-0 people, including some who
appeared in viral photos and videos of the riot. Officials expect to eventually
charge hundreds of others.
o The House voted to impeach the president on charges of "inciting an
insurrection" that led to the rampage by his supporters.
He tried to minimize the role that the Proud Boys played in the attack - even though, among
the 150 people charged so far, prosecutors have brought charges against Nicholas Ochs, the
leader of the group's Hawaii chapter, and Nicholas DeCarlo, one of its top media figures.
Dominic Pezzola, a Proud Boy from Rochester, N.Y., was in the first wave of rioters to breach
the Capitol, prosecutors say, and stands accused of shattering a window with a plastic police
riot shield.
"Obviously, they didn't help our cause," Mr. Tarrio said.
Investigators are continuing to sift through online posts and messages by Mr. Tarrio and Mr.
Biggs in an effort to determine if they showed any attempt at coordination or planning, the
federal law enforcement official said.
On the day of the attack, Mr. Tarrio took to Parler, calling members of the Proud Boys who
took part in it "revolutionaries" and urging them not to leave. "For now, I'm enjoying the
show," he wrote, adding, "Do what must be done."
vVhile investigators are increasingly focused on people who may have preplanned the attack,
any evidence that the assault was organized in advance could be a factor in Mr. Trump's
second impeachment trial, scheduled for next month.
House Democrats have accused the former president of inciting the riot, which led to the
deaths of five people, including one Capitol Police officer. Several defendants have said they
joined the siege following Mr. Trump's orders, but if proof emerges that groups like the
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Proud Boys or Oath Keepers plotted it in the days before it happened, it could undermine
some arguments that Mr. Trump is entirely to blame.
On the other hand, evidence could end up showing that any pre-planned attack was inspired
by weeks of the president's insistence that the election was rigged.
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Senate Republicans unite behind failed effort to
challenge Trump impeachment trial
U.S. Legal News
Updated
By David Morgan
5MinRead
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Forty-five Senate Republicans backed a failed effort on Tuesday
to halt former President Donald Trump's impeachment trial, in a show of party unity that
some cited as a clear sign he will not be convicted of inciting insurrection at the Capitol.
Republican Senator Rand Paul made a motion on the Senate floor that would have required
the chamber to vote on whether Trump's trial in February violates the U.S. Constitution.
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The Democratic-led Senate blocked the motion in a 55-45 vote. But only five Republican
lawmakers joined Democrats to reject the move, far short of the 17 Republicans who would
need to vote to convict Trump on an impeachment charge that he incited the Jan. 6 Capitol
assault that left five people dead.
"It's one of the few times in Washington where a loss is actually a victory," Paul later told
reporters. "Forty-five votes means the impeachment trial is dead on arrival."
Paul and other Republicans contend that the proceedings are unconstitutional because
Trump left office last Wednesday and the trial will be overseen by Democratic Senator
Patrick Leahy instead ofby U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts.
Leahy, 80, was briefly hospitalized on Tuesday evening after not feeling well but was released
after an examination, his spokesman, David Carle, said in a statement.
Some Republican senators who backed Paul's motion said their vote on Tuesday did not
indicate how they might come down on Trump's guilt or innocence after a trial.
"It's a totally different issue as far as I'm concerned," Republican Senator Rob Portman told
reporters.
The senators voted after being sworn in as jurors for the impeachment trial.
Slideshow ( 6 images )
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who moved to thwart Paul's motion,
dismissed the Republican constitutional claim as "flat-out v,Tong" and said it would provide
"a constitutional get-out-of-jail-free card" for presidents guilty of misconduct.
There is a debate among scholars over whether the Senate can hold a trial for Trump now
that he has left office. Many experts have said "late impeachment" is constitutional, arguing
that presidents who engage in misconduct late in their terms should not be immune from the
very process set out in the Constitution for holding them accountable.
The Constitution makes clear that impeachment proceedings can result in disqualification
from holding office in the future, so there is still an active issue for the Senate to resolve,
those scholars have said.
'MATIER OF POLITICAL CONSEQUENCE'
Fellow Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, who has been critical of Trump, rejected Paul's
move.
"My review of it has led me to conclude that it is constitutional, in recognizing that
impeachment is not solely about removing a president, it is also a matter of political
consequence," Murkowski told reporters on Tuesday.
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She joined fellow Republicans Mitt Romney, Susan Collins, Ben Sasse and Patrick Toomey in
opposing Paul.
Trump is the only president to have been impeached by the House of Representatives hvice
and the first to face a trial after leaving power, with the possibility of being disqualified from
future public office if convicted by two-thirds of the Senate.
Slideshow ( 6 images )
He was acquitted by the then Republican-controlled Senate last February on charges of abuse
of power and obstruction of Congress arising from his request that Ukraine investigate
Democratic rival Joe Eiden and his son.
The House approved a single article of impeachment - the equivalent of an indictment in a
criminal trial - on Jan. 13, accusing him of inciting an insurrection with an incendiary speech
to supporters before they stormed the Capitol. A police officer and four others died in the
melee.
But reaching the two-thirds threshold required for conviction will be a steep climb. Trump
remains a powerful force among Republicans and his supporters have vowed to mount
election challenges to la'Amakers in the party who support conviction.
Some Republicans have criticized Trump's false claims of voting fraud and his failed efforts
to overturn Biden's Nov. 3 election vict01y. But no Senate Republicans have said definitively
that they plan to vote to convict him.
Although the Constitution calls on the chief justice to preside over presidential impeachment
trials, a senator presides when the impeached is not the current president, a Senate source
said. First elected to the chamber in 1974, Leahy is the most senior Democrat in the chamber
and holds the title of Senate president pro tempore.
The nine House Democrats who will serve as prosecutors set the trial in motion on Monday
by delivering the article of impeachment to the Senate.
Reporting by David Morgan; Additional reporting by Makini Brice and Jan Wolfe in Boston;
Editing by Alistair Bell, Grant McCool and Peter Cooney
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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1/26/2021 'THIS IS ME': Rioters flaunt involvement in Capitol siege Reader View
apnews. com 1artlcle/riot-capitol-hlll-update-f9a4050fc3179c87e0c29b8872e020e9
'THIS IS ME': Rioters flaunt involvement in Capitol siege
By MICHAEL BALSAMO, ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and COLLEEN LONG
7-8 minutes
WASHINGTON (AP) - These suspects weren't exactly in hiding,
"THIS IS ME," one man posted on lnstagram with a hand emoji pointing to himself in a picture of the
violent mob descending on the U,S, Capitol, "Sooo we've stormed Capitol Hill lol," one woman texted
someone while inside the building, "I just wanted to incriminate myself a little lol," another wrote on
Facebook about a selfie he took inside during the Jan, 6 riot.
In dozens of cases, supporters of President Donald Trump downright flaunted their activity on social
media on the day of the deadly insu,rection, Some, apparently realizing they were in trouble with the
law, deleted their accounts only to discover their friends and family members had already taken
screenshots of their selfies, videos and comments and sent them to the FBI,
Their total lack of concern over getting caught and their friends' willingness to turn them in has helped
authorities charge about 150 people as of Monday with federal crimes, But even with the help from the
rioters themselves, investigators must still work rigorously to link the images to the vandalism and
suspects to the acts on Jan, 6 in order to prove their case in court, And because so few were arrested at
the scene, the FBI and the U,S, Marshals Service have been forced to send agents to track suspects
down,
"Some of you have recognized that this was such an egregious incident that you've turned in your own
friends and family members," Steven D'Antuono, the assistant director in charge of the FBl's
Washington office, said of the tipsters Tuesday, "We know that those decisions are often painful, but you
picked up the phone because it's the right thing to do."
In the last few weeks, the FBI has received more than 200,000 photos and video tips related to the riot.
Investigators have put up billboards in several states with photos of wanted rioters. Working on tips from
co-workers, acquaintances and friends, agents have tracked down driver's license photos to match their
faces with those captured on camera in the building. In some cases, authorities got records from
Facebook or Twitter to connect their social media accounts to their email addresses or phone numbers.
In others, agents used records from license plate readers to confirm their travels.
More than 800 are believed to have made their way into the Capitol, although it's likely not everyone will
be tracked down and charged with a crime. Federal prosecutors are focusing on the most critical cases
and the most egregious examples of wrongdoing. And they must weigh manpower, cost and evidence
when charging rioters.
A special group of prosecutors is exam!n!ng whBlher to hrinq sedition charges against thn riotors, which
carry up to 20 years in prison. One trio was charged with conspiracy; most have been charged with
crimes like unlawful entry and disorderly conduct.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Sheiwin said prosecutors were "closely looking at evidence related to the
sedition charges" and he believed "the results will bear fruit very soon."
Many rioters posted selfies inside the Capitol to their social media accounts, gave interviews to news
outlets describing their experience and readily admitted when questioned by federal investigators that
they were there. One man created a Facebook album titled "Who's House? OUR HOUSE" filled with
photos of himself and others on Capitol grounds, officials said.
"They might have thought, like so many people that work with Trump, that if the president tells me to do
it, it's not breaking the law," said Michael Gerhardt, an expert on impeachment and professor at the
University of North Carolina School of Law.
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1/26/2021 'THIS IS ME': Rioters flaunt involvement in Capitol siege Reader View
Others made blunders, like a Houston police officer, who denied he went into the Capitol, then agreed to
let agents look at the pictures on his phone. Inside his deleted photos folder were pictures and videos,
including selfies he took inside the building, authorities said. Another man was wearing a court-ordered
GPS monitor alter a burglaiy conviction that tracked his eveiy movement inside the building.
A retired firefighter from Long Island, New York, texted a video of himself in the Capitol rotunda to his
girlfriend's brother, saying he was "at the tip of the spear," officials said. The brother happened to be a
federal agent with the State Department's Diplomatic Security Seivice, who turned the video over to the
FBI. A lawyer for the man, Thomas Fee, said that he "was not part of any attempt to take over the U.S.
Capitol" and that "the allegation is that he merely walked through an open door into the Capitol -
nothing more."
Another man who was inside the Capitol was willing to rat out another rioter who stole House Speaker
Nancy Pe!o$i'S !edem and emailed the video to an FBI agent, even signing his own name to it "Hello
Nice FBI Lady," he wrote, "Here are the links to the videos. Looks like Podium Guy is in one of them,
less the podium. Let me know if you need anything else."
Full Coverage: Capito! siege
In another case, a man was on a flight leaving D.C. two days after the riot when he kept shouting
"Trump 2020!" and was kicked off. An airport police officer saw the man get off the plane and the man
was booked on another flight. Forty-five minutes later, the officer was watching a video on lnstagram
and recognized the man in a group of rioters. The man, who was wearing the same shirt as the day he
stormed the Capitol, was arrested at the airport, authorities said.
Even defense attorneys have acknowledged that the evidence poses a problem for them.
"I'm not a magician," said an attorney for the man seen in a photo cariying Pelosi's lectern. "We've got a
photograph of our client in what appears to be inside a federal building or inside the Capitol with
government property."
Police at the Capitol planned only for a free-speech demonstration and were oveiwhelmed by the mob
that broke through and roamed the halls of the Capitol for hours as lawmakers were sent into hiding.
Five people died in the melee, including a Capitol police officer who was struck in the head with a fire
extinguisher.
Trump was impeached alter the riot on a charge of "inciting violence against the government of the
United States." Opening arguments will begin the week of Feb. 8. He is the first president to be twice
impeached and the first to face a trial after leaving office.
Unlike criminal cases, impeachment trials do not have specific evidence rules so anything said and done
that day can be used. And several of the people charged have said in inteiviews with reporters or
federal agents that they were simply listening to the president when they marched to the Capitol.
Richer reported from Boston.
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Nearly a.II GOP senators vote against impeachment trial
for Trump, signaling likely acquittal
ill wae.hingtonpostcom/politic.sigop-s~nators-to-q1.Jo:;tion-basis-for-trump-impeachmerit-s gna1ing-iikflly-
1
acqtlit(al/202·110-1/.26/cxf/·397d(>·G002 .. ·11 eb,·906!-07abcc 1W229 _ story htrnl
By Mike DeBonis and Seung Min Kim January 26, 2021
All but five Republican senators backed former president Donald Trump on Tuesday in a key
test vote ahead of his impeachment trial, signaling that the proceedings are likely to end with
Trump's acquittal on the charge that he incited the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
The vote also demonstrated the continued sway Trump holds over GOP officeholders, even
after his exit from the vVhite House under a historic cloud caused by his refusal to concede
the November election and his unprecedented efforts to challenge the result.
Trump's trial is not scheduled to begin until Feb. 9, but senators were sworn in for the
proceedings Tuesday, and they immediately voted on an objection raised by Sen. Rand Paul
(R-Ky.) questioning the constitutional basis for the impeachment and removal of a former
president.
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"Impeachment is for removal from office, and the accused here has already left office," he
argued, adding that the trial would "drag our great country down into the gutter of rancor
and vitriol, the likes of which has never been seen in our nation's history."
But Democrats argue that Trump must be held accountable for the riot, which saw the
Capitol overrun and resulted in the deaths of one police officer and four rioters. Paul's
argument, they said, suggests that presidents can act ,vith impunity late in their terms.
Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Tuesday that the Republican
argument is "flat-out wrong by every frame of analysis - constitutional context, historical
practice, precedent and basic common sense."
The final vote was 55 to 45 to kill Paul's objection, with GOP Sens. Susan Collins (Maine),
Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Mitt Romney (Utah), Ben Sasse (Neb.) and Patrick J. Toomey (Pa.)
joining all 50 Democrats.
The largely partisan vote indicated that, nearly three weeks after the Capitol attack, much of
the GOP anger over Trump's actions immediately before and during the siege has faded.
Notably, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) - who previously said Trump had
"provoked" the Capitol mob - voted to back Paul and Trun1p, who has reached out to
senators directly and through intermediaries to marshal support for his defense.
Convicting Trump would require support from 67 members of the 100-member body. The
Democratic-led House has already impeached Trump a historic second time. If convicted in
the Senate, the former president could be barred from holding future office with a
subsequent majority vote.
Paul had sought to muster at least 34 votes in support of his objection to signal that there
were enough senators with constitutional misgivings to secure an acquittal. After the vote,
Paul declared that "the impeachment trial is dead on arrival."
Sen. Lindsey 0. Graham (R-S.C.), who has been advising Trump on his defense, said Tuesday
that he considered 45 votes to be "a floor, not a ceiling" for an acquittal vote.
"He just needs to keep doing what he's doing, and the trial will be over in a couple of weeks,"
he told reporters.
A few senators who voted vvith Paul disputed that Tuesday's vote was a foolproof indication
of the trial's outcome. Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), for instance, told reporters that he
wanted to hear further debate on the constitutionality question but had not yet decided
whether to convict Trump.
But several other Republicans, including Collins, drew the conclusion that a Trump acquittal
was now a fait accompli. "I think it's pretty obvious from the vote today that it is
extraordinarily unlikely that the president will be convicted," she said. "Just do the math."
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16
Before the vote, Republican senators met for a private lunch where they heard from Jonathan
Turley, a George Washington University law professor who has argued that a former
president cannot be tried for impeachment.
Exiting the lunch, Turley said he had presented a nuanced argument: that the benefits of
condemning a now-departed president were "outweighed by the cost" of setting a precedent
for Congress to retroactively impeach and remove former presidents, creating a new political
weapon.
The theory has gained traction among Republicans as a way to side with Trump while
sidestepping the question of whether he incited the violence at the Capitol - the allegation at
the heart of the impeachment effort.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said he hoped that Tuesday's vote would prompt Democrats to
reassess whether it is worth having a trial.
"I hope my colleagues ... look at it from the standpoint, is it wise to do this?" he said. "I
would hope we would end this now. It's just not wise. It's not healing. It's divisive."
Democrats and many legal scholars have balked at the argument that a former president or
any former official - cannot be convicted in an impeachment trial.
"The theory that the Senate can't try former officials would amount to a constitutional get-
out-of-jail-free card for any president who commits an impeachable offense," Schumer said.
"It makes no sense whatsoever that a president, or any official, could commit a heinous crime
against our country and then defeat Congress's impeachment powers by simply resigning, so
as to avoid accountability and a vote to disqualify them from future office."
Schumer and others have cited the precedent set in 1876, when Secretary of War William
Belknap resigned moments before the House was set to vote on his impeachment on
corruption charges. The House impeached Belknap anyway, and the Senate proceeded with a
trial in which he was acquitted.
McConnell did not speak before Tuesday's vote or release any statement squaring his vote
with his previous statements critical of Trump's behavior. In the immediate aftermath of the
Capitol attack and the House impeachment, McConnell communicated to his GOP colleagues
that he was open to supporting a conviction.
Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), the minority whip, said Tuesday's vote indicated that many
Republicans consider the trial to be on "a ve1y shaky foundation" but have not necessarily
ruled out voting to convict.
"I, as a juror, am going to wait until the trial commences and hear the arguments on both
sides," he said. "And I think that's where the leader is."
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17
The former president's aides also have started putting GOP senators on notice about the
impending trial vote, asserting that Trump will continue to be in a force within the
Republican Party. Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said Brian Jack, a political aide to Trump,
called him over the weekend to stress that Trump had no interest in starting a third party and
that his post-presidency political activity would be with the GOP.
"I would say it wasn't out of the blue," Cramer said of the call, first reported by Politico. "I
think it was strategic."
Among the other key Republicans who aired constitutional concerns Tuesday was Sen.
Charles E. Grassley (Iowa), a former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the
longest-serving GOP senator.
He had qualms about the fact that Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., who is constitutionally
mandated to preside over the impeachment trial of a sitting president, has opted not to
appear at Trump's second trial.
"That would send a pretty clear signal to me what Roberts thinks of the whole thing,"
Grassley said.
Roberts, through a Supreme Court spokeswoman, has declined to comment.
Rather than Roberts, presiding over the trial will be Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) - the
Senate president pro tempore and currently the longest-serving senator. While Leahy
pledged Monday to act fairly in the role, the image of a Democrat presiding over the trial of a
GOP former president led several Republicans to cry foul.
"Brazenly appointing a pro-impeachment Democrat to preside over the trial is not fair or
impartial and hardly encourages any kind of unity in our country," Patil said Tuesday. "No,
unity is the opposite of this travesty we are about to witness."
A few Republicans, however, said they believed that the trial of a former president is
constitutional. Murkowski told reporters Tuesday that, in her view, "impeachment is not
solely about removing a president, it is also a matter of political consequence."
Despite the broad constitutional concerns among Republicans, it appeared that Democrats
had little intention of canceling or curtailing the trial.Some, including Sen. Richard
Blumenthal (Conn.), said the vote Tuesday suggested that House impeachment managers
needed to make an even more detailed case against Trump calling witnesses and
presenting evidence attesting to the depravity of his behavior leading up to and during the
events of Jan. 6.
Blumenthal said he believed that the trial would rekindle the anger many Republicans felt in
the immediate aftermath of the Capitol assault. "They were in a different frame of mind than
today when they were voting on the motion to dismiss," he said. "And I want to bring back
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18
the feelings ofrevulsion and terror that were caused on that day."
Other Democrats suggested that Republicans were simply trying to avoid contending with the
political consequences ofrendering a judgment on Trump's conduct.
"They don't want to argue the merits," said Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.). "We have a president
who incited a violent attack on the United States Capitol, and on our very democracy, so it's
absolutely critical that we call that out and make sure that future presidents understand that
this is completely unacceptable behavior and will never be tolerated by the American people."
Schumer on Tuesday said Trump's behavior - which included spreading baseless theories
about the November election being stolen, pressuring state officials to change vote tallies,
encouraging supporters to rally in Washington as Congress certified the electoral college vote
on Jan. 6, and then calling that day for ralliers to march to the Capitol - amounted to "the
most despicable thing any president has ever done."
"I believe he should be convicted," he said.
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1/2612021 Pentagon restricted commander of D.C. Guard ahead of Capito! riot Reader View
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Pentagon restricted commander of D.C. Guard ahead of
Capitol riot
Paul Sonne
10-13 minutes
But Maj. Gen. William J. Walker, the commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard,
essentially took that power and other authorities away from him ahead of the shmt-
That meant he couldn't immediately roll out troops when he received a
panicked phone call from the Capitol Police chief warning that rioters were about to enter the U.S.
Capitol.
The Post obtained hours of video footage, some exclusively, and placed it within a digital
3-D model of the building. (TWP)
"All military commanders normally have immediate response authority to protect property, life, and in my
case, federal functions - federal property and life," Walker said in an interview. "But in this instance I
did not have that authority."
Walker and former Army secretary Ryan D. McCarthy, along with other top officials, briefed the House
Appropriations Committee on Tuesday behind closed doors about the events, the beginning of what is
likely to become a robust congressional inquiry into the preparations for a rally that devolved into a riot
at the Capitol, resulting in five people dead and representing a significant security failure.
The military, which isn't structured to be a first responder like law enforcement, took hours to arrive at
the scene primarily because the Capitol Police and the District government hadn't asked the D.C. Guard
to prepare a contingency force for a riot. The Capitol Police chief also didn't call Walker to tell him a
request for Guard backup was imminent until about 25 minutes before rioters breached the Capitol.
But the restrictions the Pentagon placed on Walker also contributed to the delay. He needed to wait for
approval from McCarthy and acting defense secretary Christopher C. Miller before dispatching troops,
even though some 40 soldiers were on standby as a quick reaction force. That standby force had been
assembled in case the few hundred Guard members deployed that day on the District's streets to assist
police with traffic control and crowd management needed help, Walker said.
The Pentagon required the highest-level approval for any moves beyond that narrow mission, in part
because its leaders had been lambasted for actions the D.C. Guard took during last June's racial justice
protests, including helicopters that flew low over demonstrators in D.C. Top officials concluded those
maneuvers resulted from "fragmentary orders" that hadn't received high-level approval and were looking
to prevent a repeat of that situation.
"After June, the authorities were pulled back up to the secretary of defense's office," McCarthy said in
comments to The Washington Post. "Any time we would employ troops and guardsmen in the city, you
had to go through a rigorous process. As you recall, there were events in the summer that got a lot of
attention, and that was part of this."
McCarthy said he worked hard to ensure authority was pushed back down the chain of command to
Walker ahead of the inauguration, during which Walker oversaw the 25,600 troops that came to the
District. As for the preparations ahead of Jan. 6, McCarthy said, "It was everyone just being very careful.
When you go back to times when we've done this, like June, we wanted to make sure we were very
careful about the employment - careful about fragmentary orders."
Had he not been restricted, Walker said he could have dispatched members of the D.C. Guard sooner.
Asked how quickly troops could have reached the Capitol, which is two miles from the D.C. Guard
headquarters at the Armory, Walker said, "With all deliberate speed - I mean, they're right down the
street."
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Still, even if Walker had been able to send the troops on standby to the Capitol immediately, and round
up others in the District, it's unclear how much that would have affected the situation, given the large
size of the mob and the last-minute nature of the call for help.
Walker recalled how Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund, who has since resigned, asked him on a call in
the run-up to Jan. 6 to have National Guard troops at the ready.
"All he said was, 'If I call you, will you be able to help?'" Walker said. "And I said, 'Yes, but I need
permission. So send a formal request,' and I never got it, until after the fact."
The request came, but only at 1 :49 p.m. the day of the attempted insurrection. Sund called Walker to
say rioters were about to breach the building and the Capitol Police would soon request urgent backup.
"I told him I had to get permission from the secretary of the Army and I would send him all available
guardsmen but as soon as I got permission to do so/ Walker said. "I sent a message to the leadership
of the Army, letting them know the request that I had received from Chief Sund."
Permission from the Pentagon to activate the full D.C. Guard wouldn't come for another hour and fifteen
minutes, according to a Defense Department timeline of events, as members of Congress barricaded
themselves in their offices and hid from a marauding horde trying to undo the results of the Nov. 3
election. It would take nearly three hours before Miller authorized the D.C. Guard to "re-mission" and
help the Capitol Police establish a perimeter around the Capitol.
In the meantime, Sund dialed into a phone call with the Pentagon.
In an interview with The Post, Sund recalled Army staff director, Lt. Gen. Walter Piatt, saying, "I don't like
the visual of the National Guard standing a police line with the Capitol in the background."
Piatt, in a statement, initially he didn't make those remarks or any comments similar to them. Later,
he backtracked, saying he didn't recall citing such concerns but note-takers in the room told him he may
have said that. Piatt, who wasn't in the chain of command, was leading the call while waiting for the
Army secretary to receive approval for the full activation of the D.C. Guard from Miller.
Walker said a lot of people were on the chaotic call.
"There was some talk about optics, but I can't assign that to one person," Walker said. "From the Army
leadership, there were quite a few people on the call. It's clear that somebody talked about the
optics. Who said that? I'm not sure."
Asked if the D.C. Guard leadership kept a record of the call, Walker said it wasn't recorded but Guard
officials memorialized the conversation in notes known as a memorandum for record.
In the days before the protest, all the living former defense secretaries warned the Pentagon not to get
involved in the peaceful transition of power, after reports that former national security adviser Michael
Flynn had raised the possibility with President Donald Trump of declaring martial law to "rerun" the
election.
The day before the Jan. 6 event, a senior U.S. official Post the military had "learned its lesson"
after being rebuked over Trump's heavy-handed response to racial justice protests last year. The official,
who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the details of the preparations, said the military
would be "absolutely nowhere near the Capitol building" because "we don't want to send the wrong
message."
Pentagon officials were also concerned that sending Guard troops who answered to the president into
the Capitol during the riot could give the impression that the military was aiding Trump's supporters in a
coup. Senior defense officials said federal law enforcement should always be in the lead clearing
buildings, rather than soldiers, who shouldn't be the tip of the spear on U.S. soil.
Members of the D.C. Guard ultimately arrived at the Capitol around 5:30 p.m. and helped establish a
perimeter around the grounds. D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) first called McCarthy, the Army
secretary, to request an unspecified number of troops at the scene four hours earlier.
"Do I wish I could have got there sooner?" Walker said. "Of course. I mean, I think everybody does. I
absolutely wish I could have got there sooner. But, you know, I follow orders, and those making the
decision went through a decision-making process."
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Whether the Guard could have arrived sooner at this point is "probably axiomatic," Walker said. "Here's
what I want you to know: We got there and we made a difference upon arrival."
Because the District is not a state, the president technically controls the D.C. Guard but defers his
power to the defense secretary and Army secretary.
Memos obtained by The Post show how tightly the Pentagon restricted Walker ahead of the events.
In a Jan. 5 memo, the Army secretary, who is Walker's direct superior in the chain of command,
prohibited him from deploying the quick reaction force composed of 40 soldiers on his own and said any
rollout of that standby group would first require a "concept of operation," an exceptional requirement
given that the force is supposed to respond to emergencies.
McCarthy was also restricted by his superior, Miller. In a Jan. 4 memo, McCarthy was prohibited from
deploying D.C. Guard members with weapons, helmets, body armor or riot control agents without
defense secretary approval. McCarthy retained the power to deploy the quick reaction force "only as a
last resort."
Miller, in a recent Fair, dismissed accusations that the Defense Department
dragged its feet in rolling out the "Oh, that is complete horse---," Miller said, contending the
Pentagon leadership "had their game together."
Top Pentagon officials said they didn't deploy the quick reaction force during the riot because they
hadn't approved a "concept of operations" ahead of time with the Capitol Police.
Walker said one takeaway from the Jan. 6 riot should be that when in doubt, city and federal authorities
should always err on the side of requesting a contingency of National Guard troops to be at the ready in
advance, even if they don't end up being used.
Ahead of the event, Bowser made a narrow request for a D.C. Guard presence, resulting in about 340
personnel to help with traffic and crowd management and another 40 in the quick reaction force.
letter, she cited the administration's problematic deployment of federal agents without insignia on the
streets last year and said the District wasn't requesting any additional support.
Days alter the violence, Walker was tasked with overseeing the Guard members who filtered into the
capital from across the nation to secure the inauguration. Walker said the Capitol Police have requested
a contingent of about 7,000 of the 25,600 troops to stay until at least March 12.
Walker expressed gratitude to the soldiers who showed up, and thanked their families and employers for
contributing to a successful and secure event.
"People have jobs that they walked away from at a moment's notice. They have families that they
walked away from at a moment's notice," Walker said. "This is what the Guard has done since 1636."
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1/26/2021 US Capito! officers debating no-confidence vote for leaders in charge during Capitol riots Reader View
WWW. cnn, com /2021/01126/politicsrcapito!-police~riot-no-confidence/index.html
US Capitol officers debating no-confidence vote for leaders
in charge during Capitol riots
Peter Nickeas, Whitney Wild and Manu Raju, CNN
4-5 minutes
(CNN)US Capitol Police officers are in preliminary discussions over holding a no-confidence vote
targeting department leaders who were working on the day when Donald Trump supporters led an
insurrection into the building, according to three people familiar with the discussions.
The vote would target acting USCP ChiefYogananda Pittman, who was promoted into the agency's top
job following the resignation of Steven Sund after the insurrection. At least four additional chiefs may be
targeted as part of any no-confidence vote, the three sources said.
News of the discussion comes as Pittman spoke to congressional members during a closed-door
briefing Tuesday, where she said the "department failed to meet its own high standards" on January 6,
adding that police "knew there was a strong potential for violence and that Congress was the target."
One source told CNN that Pittman was the operational chief that day and "never took control of the radio
or commanded officers what to do in any way shape or form."
One Capitol police source said stewards from the USCP Labor Committee, the union representing rank-
and-file officers, visited section roll calls to take the temperature of officers on the potential no-
confidence vote.
Another source within the department says a no-confidence vote was likely forthcoming for senior
leadership. "The rank-and-file of this department has no faith in any of our chiefs, especially the ones in
that were here on January 6th," the source told CNN.
A Capitol Police spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request from CNN for comment.
Union President Gus Papathanasiou told CNN that no vote is underway. "Officers have been calling for
a vote of no confidence since January 6th," Papathanasiou said. "At this time we have not initiated a
vote of no confidence. Doesn't mean we can't think about it. There's a big difference."
Officers have told CNN that they felt abandoned and betrayed by the department's leadership.
Prior to her appointment, Pittman had served as head of intelligence operations since October 2019. In
that role, Pittman was responsible for the safety and security of the US Capitol, congressional members,
congressional staff and Capitol visitors, including detecting any threat and preventing it. On the day of
the insurrection, she was second in command of the US Capitol Police force.
In her prepared remarks Tuesday, Pittman outlined the department's failure to act on intelligence that
pointed to a likelihood of violence.
"We knew that militia groups and White supremacists organizations would be attending. We also knew
that some of these participants were intending to bring firearms and other weapons to the event. We
knew that there was a strong potential for violence and that Congress was the target," she said.
The department responded to the threat by canceling days off for some officers and putting civil
disturbance teams on standby. The SWAT team was available to wade into the crowd to make arrests,
though officers told CNN that was not possible because of how badly officers were outnumbered that
day.
Officers also described to CNN a hasty attempt to get helmets into the hands of officers before the
event, without clear instruction on when to use them and where to store them.
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Pittman said the department had adopted a new perimeter around the Capitol based on "instructions it
received from the House and Senate sergeants-at-arms." But officers have told CNN, and videos
indicate, that the bike-rack-type fencing used that day created a danger because it provide no security
and can be easily weaponized by violent protesters.
"The department prepared in order to meet these challenges, but we did not do enough," she said.
Pittman also acknowledged that two pipe bombs and a van with explosives had forced police to divert
officers just as the main body of protesters was arriving at the Capitol.
Officers told CNN they believe the assault on the Capitol was timed to the bombs being found and was
coordinated between insurrectionists on the east and west fronts of the building. The lack of any quick
backup left officers stranded in thin lines attempting to keep a crowd of thousands from entering.
This story has been updated with additional developments Tuesday.
CNN's Annie Grayer contributed to this report.
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STATEMENT OF ACTING CHIEF OF POLICE YOGANANDA D. PITTMAN
UNITED STATES CAPITOL POLICE
On behalf of the women and men of the U.S. Capitol Police, I want to thank the Committee, the
Congress, and the American people for their support following the attack of January 6, 202 l.
As you know, the U.S. Capitol Police's sole mission is to protect Congress to ensure that Congress
may fulfill its legislative obligations under the Constitution ofthe United States. The Department
understands the gravity of this import.ant objective and holds itself to the highest of standards in
ensuring mission fulfillment. The Department also knows that you the Congressional community
expect excellence from the Capitol Police and depend on us for your safety, but, most importantly, the
protection of the democratic process.
On January 6th, in the face ofa terrorist attack by tens of thousands ofinsurrectionists detem1ined to
stop the certification of Electoral College votes. the Department failed to meet its own high standards
as well as yours. Although the Department fulfilled its mission of protecting Members and democracy
ultimately prevailed. the insurrectionists' actions and the Department's inability to immediately secure
the U.S. Capitol emboldened the insurrectionists and horrified millions of American. We folly expect
to answer to you and the American people for our failings on January 6th.
I am here to offer my sincerest apologies on hehalfofthe Department.
But l am also here to tell you what we are doing to secure the U.S. Capitol from future threats
whether domestic or foreign.
Let me be clear: the Department should have been more prepared for this attack. By January 4th, the
Department knew that the January 6th event would not be like any of the previous protests held in
2020. We knew that militia groups and white supremacists organizations would be attending. We also
knew that some of these participants were intending to bring firearms and other weapons to the event.
We knew that there was a strong potential for violence and that Congress was the target.
The Department prepared in order to meet these challenges. but we did not do enough. Based on the
information we had about the event. the Department changed its existing operational plan for January
6th. It required all available officers to be working that day. It increased the numher of Civil
Disturbance Units scheduled to work the event from four to seven. including four hard platoons
equipped witl1 less lethal munitions. It activated its SWAT team to extract violent demonstrators or
those with weapons from the rally and to engage in counter sniper activity. !t also adapted a new
security perimeter based on instructions it received from the House and Senate Sergeants at Arms.
Additionally, on January 4th, former USCP Chief of Police Steven Sund requested that the Capitol
Police Board declare a state of emergency and authorize a request to secure National Guard support
25
The Board denied the request but encouraged Chief Sund to contact the DC National Guard to
determine how many Guardsman could be sent to the Capitol on short notice, which he did. Chief
Sund also coordinated with Acting Chief of Police Robert Contee of the Metropolitan Police
Department to guarantee additional support on January 6th.
The Department had over 1200 sworn personnel working on site when the attack occurred, which was
no match for the tens of thousands ofinsurrectionists (many anned) attacking the Capitol and refusing
to comply with lawful orders,
In my experience, I do not believe there was any preparations that would have allowed for an open
campus in which lawful protestors could exercise their first amendment right to free speech and at the
same time prevented the attack on Capital grounds that day.
However, I do believe certain challenges the Department faced the day of the attack could have been
overcome with additional preparation.
First, it became clear early on that the Department needed much more manpower than what was
available. We received immediate assistance from the MPD who sent a hundred officers within
minutes of the initial breach of the outer security perimeter.
Chief Sund immediately coordinated with federal agencies and law enforcement partners across the
area to gain additional boots on the ground. He also lobbied the Board for autht1rization to bring in the
National Guard. but he was not granted authorization for over an hour.
In addition, the Department's resources were diverted to other major concerns. At nearly the exact
time the mob arrived on the Capitol, a pipe bomb was discovered at the RNC headquarters at First and
C Street, SE. The Department sent USCP personnel to investigate and secure the location. which
included evacuating the Madison and Cannon House office buildings as well as residents and local
businesses. Shortly after the initial pipe bomb was discovered, USCP discovered a vehicle with
explosive chemicals and a firearm in plain view parked on that same block. An identical pipe bomb
was also discovered at the DNC headquarters several minutes later.
Second, our officers were equipped with less lethal options such as OC spmy and batons. They were
also backed up by CDU platoons deploying pepper balls and other chemical munitions. They did not
have other less lethal options. such as impact weapons, at their disposal.
Mmeover. due to the amount of less lethal chemicals being used to disperse the crowd. additional
supplies should have been staged for easy access. Instead. the Department had to send in personnel to
reload our officers.
2
26
Third, once it became clear that the mob was getting too close to !he Capitol building, l ordered a
lockdown of the Capitol, which means that every entrance should have been closed and sealed to
prevent entry from the outside. The Department has very specific lockdown procedures that require
the lockdown to take effect even when officers remain outside of the building. The policy may not
have been consistently followed.
Fourth, we have been told by the Union and other employees that our communications were difficult to
hear on their radios over the ruckus of the attack. Without a clear line of communication, ofticers were
operating with limited information about what was occurring and with little instniction from
leadership.
Similarly, Members and staff have told us !hat our communications over the PA system were not clear
enough.
This is not m, exhaustive list, but a general overview of some of the things that the Department could
have done better then and that we are working to improve now.
Once the Capitol building itself was breached, the Depa11ment's priority· was evacuating Memhers.
Our Dignitary Protection Division agents immediately evacuated congressional leadership and took
them to a secure location to ensure !he continuity of government.
Almost simultaneously l connected with both the House and Senate Sergeant at Arms to arrange the
evacuation of Members from the House and Senate Chambers, as well as the extraction of Members
from their oflices by USCP personnel.
lt was while Members were being evacuated that m. invader was shot by a USCP ofticial outside of the
House Floor. This matter is still undergoing investigation by outside law enforcement.
Once Members were safe, the Department began aiding staff barricaded in oftices in the Capitol.
It was not until Members and staff were safely evacuated that the Department began clearing the
Capitol of invaders floor by floor with the assistm1ce of its law enforcement partners.
Immediately following January 6th, the Department's priority has been to secure the campus now and
into the future.
We have acquired the assistance of the National Guard who have provided thousands of armed
personnel to assist us in securing the campus. Access to the campus has been restricted. And the inner
and outer perimeters are protected by an eight foot non-scalable global fencing.
3
27
Additionally. the Department has taken steps to ensure that it shares and receives critical intelligence
infom1ation from its law enforcement partners and that such infom1ation is disseminated to its
workforce. The Department's Intelligence Director holds daily internal intelligence briefings with
USCP officials. The Department has also arranged to deliver intelligence briefings to the Union on a
mutine basis.
The Department is also leaning forward with briefings for the Congressional Community, including for
core leadership. oversight committees. and congressional caucuses.
The Department is also providing additional training to personnel on civil disturbance policies and
practices.
These are only some of the steps taken by the Department in the immediate wake of the January 6th
insurrection.
In addition to proactive measures intended to shore up the Capitol's security. the Department has taken
numerous steps to aid our officers.
l want to stress that the vast majority of Capitol Police officers who were on the front lines on January
6th performed valiantly in the face of extraordinary violence. They held off the attackers long enough
for us to evacuate the House and Senate Chambers and lead the Members and staff to safety. These
officers are heroes.
I visited every roll call to meet with officers in the days following my being sworn in as Acting Chief
of Police. Many are suffering from PTSD. particularly after the loss of two of our officers directly and
indirectly as a result of the events of January 6th. And since January 6th. they've been working around
the clock to prepare for future events. including the inauguration.
The Department has EAP m1 site to offer counseling services to officers and their families. The
Department also has trauma connselors specialized in dealing with military and law enforcement
PTSD. Finally, due to the uptick in COVID-19 infections following the January 6th event. the
Department has provided onsite testing for USCP personnel and is seeking additional sources for
COVID-19 vaccinations.
The attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6 also forever changed how we look at the "People's
House." By design, the Capitol campus is open and welcoming to visitors. The Capitol Building, until
recently, had not heen surrmmded eight foot global fencing.
And. because it is an open campus, it is very difficult to fortify. Even before September 11, 2001,
security experts. including former USCP chiets of police. argued that more needed to be done to
4
28
protect the Capitol campus~ although I doubt many would have thought it would be necessary to
protect it against our own citizens.
As the Acting Chief. I take responsibility for the mistakes that were made by the Department and I
pledge to this Committee, the Congress. the American people, and my USCP colleagues, that we will
do better going forward. but we need to make changes.
The Department is working with the various offices and agencies tasked with documenting the events
as they unfolded that day, as well as conducting our own in depth review of the incident. to ensure that
accurate. factual and detailed information is provided.
I believe the multiple reviews, after actions. and investigations currently underway will conclude that
the Capito rs security infrastructure must change and that the Department needs access to additional
resources ~ both manpower and physical assets.
We know the eyes ofthe country and the world are upon us, The U.S. Capitol Police remain steadfast
in addressing the new challenges that we face head on. We are committed to protecting and defending
this institution that is responsible for safeguarding the freedoms we all hold dear- including the
public's right to exercise their First Amendment rights at the U.S. Capitol.
Once again, I'd like to thank this Committee and the entire Congress for their support of our law
enforcement otlicers, I am prepared to address any questions you may have.
Thank you,
s
29
Office of the Sergeant at Arms
U.S. House of Representatives
Statement of Acting Sergeant at Arms Timothy .P. Blodgett
Before
The Committee on Appropriations
January 26, 2021
Chair DeLauro, Ranking Member Granger, and Members of the Appropriations Committee,
Thank you for the opportunity to testify about the events of January 6, 2021--one of the darkest
days in the history of our democracy.
I want to briefly touch on the relationship between the House Sergeant at Arms and the Capitol
Police. The House Sergeant at Arms coordinates requests and security planning for the House of
Representatives with the United States Capitol Police. Additionally, the House Sergeant at Arms
serves on the Capitol Police Board - essentially a Board of Directors for the Capitol Police.
I will briefly discuss what went poorly and what went well. It is clear there was a failure of
preparation. Whether it was insufficient or cootlicting intelligence, lacking ability to translate
that intelligence into action, insufficient preparation <Jr an inadequate ability to mobilize partner
agencies for immediate assistance, a series of events. once thought unfathomable, unfolded
allowing our most sacred halls to be breached. And, sadly, several lives were lost. including
Officer Brian Sicknick and Officer Howard Uebengood. As time unfolds, we are beginning to
have a hetter understanding of this series of events. We must examine the event and we must
learn from these lessons to ensure that our systems and structures do uot fail us again. One of the
initial examinations must be in how communications W()rk on the Hill and how we must adapt
and evolve our structures, mindset, and our procedures. We must harden this campus. Too many
access points were breached on January 6 and the Speaker has tasked Lt. General Russel Honore
to review Capitol Security to help us tum these lessons into action.
Communications to the Hill community also need to improve. Our current communications
st.mcture is too rigid !<J appropriately adapt to the multiple varying crises that unfolded that
day-multiple bombs, a breach of the Capitol, and a riot The different crises strained the ability
to communicate fast. accurate, and pertinent information. In addition, the sole reliance on pre-
worded, generic messaging is not transparent. Originally designed to avoid disseminating
incorrect infonnation while in the midst of an event, the communications did not convey much
needed information in a dynamic crisis. We also need to rethink the frequency of
communication. In the past, we have been criticized for sending too many messages. This may
be a fair point when dealing with day-to-day incidents, but not in an extraordinary situation.
Another system we need to implement is an accountability system. Numerous staff were
barricaded in Qffices during the insurrection. When these staff notified SAA staff that they were
trapped, either USCP or SAA staff or both together would go out and retrieve the individual. We
need to implement a system where we can be notified in real time so we can assist in the retrieval
Page j 1
30
of Members and staff in a crisis. Hopefully we will never have to use the system, but it is better
to be prepared. We rarely encounter the crisis we expect, but our system of communications
needs to adapt to constantly changing and unexpected circumstances.
i Riso wc1nt to discuss whc11 went well. First. the bottom line is that every Member and House
staff went home without death or ser.ious injury. That is always the number one priority of the
Office of the House Sergeant at Arms. Congress consists, at its core, of people. The House of
Representatives has met in different places, and different chambers, but it is always the people's
representatives and their staff who a.re irreplaceable.
Our evacuation procedures worked well. With the assistance of many brave USCP officers,
Sergeant at Am1s staff and Members, we were able to evacuate the Chamber and get Members
and staff to a secure location. We were able to utilize the escape hoods to enable the Capitol
Police to deploy tear gas, when and if necessary, to clear an evacuation route from the Chamber.
We were ultimately able to preJ)are for Congress to dischm·ge its Constitutional responsibilities
that same night.
Additionally, the employees of the House Sergeant at Arms have shown tremendous dedication.
Amidst a pandemic. they have worked countless hours~ssentially abandoned their loved
ones-to work in what became a war zone. They have arranged for airport secu1ity, monitored
threats, conducted emergency training, prepared for a Presidential Inauguration and are taking
every effort to ensure that Members of Congress are safe at the U.S. Capitol, in their district, and
while traveling.
Please know that l come here today to tell you that I and the entire Sergeant at Arms team are
dedicated to fixing what went wwng and ensuring that the House and its Members and staff can
continue to safely fulfill their constitutional duties.
However, l also need your help. Please lake time from your calendar to ensure both you and your
staff are prepared for emergencies. We are able to provide training on a variety of different
security and emergency procedures. If you call our office, we will be happy to arrange that
training. Please also support forthcoming efforts to develop a stronger security posture ou the
Hill: it will require assistance from Members to make the necessary changes to our culture to do
so.
Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this briefing.
Page 12
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1/27/2021 Three Weeks Inside a Pro-Trump QAnon Chat Room
Three Weeks Inside a Pro-
Trump QAnon Chat Room
As President Biden's inauf,>uration ticked closer, some of Donald Trump's
supporters were feeling gleeful. Mr. Trump was on the cusp of declaring martial
law, they believed. Military tribunals would follow, then televised executions,
then Democrats and other deep state operatives would finally be brought to
justice.
These were honestly held beliefs. Dozens of Trump supporters spoke regularly
over the past three weeks on a public audio chat room app, where they uploaded
short recordings instead of typing. In these candid digital confessionals,
participants would crack jokes, share hopes and make predictions.
"Look at the last four years. They haven't listened to a thing we've said. Um
... there's going to have to be some serious anarchy that goes on. Otherwise,
nothing is going to change."
I spent the past three weeks listening to the channel from before the Jan. 6
Washington protest to after Mr. Biden's inauguration. lt became an obsession.
something I'd check first thing every morning and listen to as I fell asleep at
night. Participants tend to revere Mr. Trump and believe he'll end the crisis
outlined by that the world is run by a cabal of pedophiles who operate a sex-
trafficking ring, among other crimes. While the chat room group is relatively
small. with only about 900 subscribers, it offers a glimpse into a worrying sect of
Trump snpporters. Some conspiracists like them have to violent language
in the wake of Mr. Trump's electoral loss.
"lf the Biden inauguration wants to come in and take your weapons and
force vaccination, you have due process to blow them the !expletive] away.
Doit.',
Times Opinion has included audio clips from the chat in this story because the
group is public. Names and any identifying information have been omitted.
There's a persistent belief that the online world is somehow not Extreme
views are too easily dismissed if they're on the internet. While people might say
things online they would never do in person, all it takes is one person for digital
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conspiracies to take a deadly turn. That should be clear after the Capitol riot,
which was largely organized online and resulted in deaths.
Listening to the conspiracists - unfiltered and in their own voices - makes that
digital conversation disturbingly real.
To participants, the channel is mainly a way to share and "fact-check" the
news. cobbling theories together from fringe right-wing websites, posts on
Facebook, and private channels on the messaging apps Telegram and Signal.
They say their main focus is reinstituting paper ballots.
The most commonly used phrase is some version of"[ heard," followed by a
theory:
"So I heard when, in 2016, when Hillary was supposed to be president, the
military actually stepped in and appointed Trnmp as the commander in chief."
"There's people that are actually sleeping inside that building to watch over the
area, I guess. Um, I have no link to confirm this. Just from people that I've heard
that should know what they're telling me."
"But if you look into it and read the post, it's actual emails from Pence trying to
get Trnmp out before he even won the election."
"I just read somewhere that Bi den just lowered the age of consent to age 8. Has
anybody heard anything about that""
"You know, you laughed about Tupac and Biggie" He was murdered, and I think
it was the deep state that murdered him."
Sometimes the chat is lighthearted, like when supporters swap details about
grocery runs or wish one other happy birthday. But the conversation can also
turn dark, like when they speak longingly abont "brutal" televised executions or
simply ask, "Can the people declare war inside the country if they wanted
to?"
Key to sustaining their beliefs is the expectation that the other shoe is always
about to drop. One prediction, concerning "l Odays of darkness," was
perpetually about to come true in the form of media blackouts, social media bans
or power outages.
Nearly every day, there were signs that the" JO days of darkness" had begun in
some form. Power outages in India and at the Vatican were possible signs. Then
blackouts were reported across the world. Then state-of-emergency orders
were circulated for various storms, recalling a Q catchphrase, "The storm is
coming."
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112712021 Three Weeks Inside a Pro-Trump QAnon Chat Room
"It'd be wise to stock up water, canned foods, ammo and cash, gasoline in
your vehicles," one said days after the Washington rally.
The Q delusion requires fitting unexpected events into a bigger narrative. The 1iot
in Washington was one such opportunity. The day before, many in the chat room
were worried about anti fa attacking their fiiends. Yet it was also clear they
wanted a confrontation.
"I wish they'd storm the Congress and the Senate and pull all them
treasonous guys out of there."
As the rally began, participants uploaded dispatches from the ground. The
mood was positive, even emotional. In the chat, they shared their real-time
reactions as Mr Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol.
"Patriots are in the building. It's beautiful."
And when Mr. Biden went on television to demand an end to the siege, one
chatter asked, "Does he not realize President Trump called us to siege the
place?"
Another remarked, "Honestly, I think the patriots should have been allowed to
go in there, grab those S.O.B.s and pull them out of the building and, yon
know, have an execution right there."
But by the next morning, members who had called for the siege had changed their
tune. Now it was antifa that was responsible for the Capitol raid and any
violence that followed.
Over and over again, confusing decisions, unexpected outcomes and a lack of
evidence were recast as part of Mr. Trump's master plan.
"I'm hoping that he was planning on antifa showing up there and doing what
they did," one woman said. "And he has a master plan behind that. I'm
hoping."
They believed Mr. Trump would use his Washington rally to announce mass
arrests and release long-awaited evidence supporting Q's theories. None of that
happened.
Instead of coming to grips with that loss, they moved on to another idea: Mr
Trump needed to allow the vote to be certified to spot his enemies. He could use
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112712021 Three Weeks Inside a Pro-Trump QAnon Chat Room
the Insurrection Act at any moment, putting America under martial law and using
the military to seize control of the government.
"] am ready to see something go down. I want to know that this is all real, or
we've just been being yanked around by a bunch of idiots sitting in their
bedrooms, throwing all this fake information out there. I mean, I want to
believe that Trump is holding all the cards, and that he's ,just being deceitful
right now so that he can nail everybody."
They had been through this cycle so many times before, with promises of lawsuits
that could overturn the election or a Supreme Court intervention that Mr. Trump
had planned for months. None of it came to pass. Still, they had hope.
"It's very hard to be patient 'canse we -you know, remember, we're like,
'Oh, the executive order,' and 'We're waiting for D.N.I. report.' We're
waiting for this, we're waiting for that, that passed, and then Jan. 6, and that
passed, and then ... it's hard, but we have to stay focused, and I think we're
so close. I mean, there's just a couple of days left."
As the inauguration approached, signs were adding up in their favor. Thousands
of National Guard troops were deployed to the city, and many of them were
deputized to perform arrests surely a sign that Mr. Trump's plan for martial
law would come true.
Days went by, and nothing. Yet, as the inauguration drew closer, it was still raised
as a possibility.
"It's taking longer than it should be, but possibly he could announce what he's
going to do next. We still have the Insurrection Act."
"[f anything goes down, it'll be today or Inauguration Day. I don't think it would
be Monday."
"If it does get signed, if the Insurrection Act gets signed, it'll be today or
tomorrow. Not a day later."
"The source I follow, l heard, said, Trump can file or call martial law even up
to five minutes before Biden's inauguration ifhe has to."
"l think midnight there's going to be a lot of stuff happening."
One member described her prediction in vivid detail: "His farewell speech is
going to be, he declares martial law, and then as he's doing that, they're
arresting the people, like Biden's administration and all those corrupt
suckers, and that's why they have all the security around the White House,
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112712021 Three Weeks Inside a Pro-Trump QAnon Chat Room
Capitol Hill area. And as they're doing that, he's goiog to read tons all the
evidence, show us everything, and lay it all out right there."
But when Jan. 20 came, Mr. Trump left the White House, rattled off some
accomplishments, said, "Have a good life," then boarded a jet to Mar-a-Lago. Mr.
Biden was inaugurated. Nothing they predicted came true.
When Mr. Biden's inauguration played out as normal, participants were frustrated.
By rejecting mainstream news, they embraced liars who fed them exactly what
they wanted to hear.
"We know not to watch CNN. We know not to watch these people. But when
we have people that we trust on the right, and we're pushing that
information out- because we don't have many media sources, so the ones
that come out, they need to be pretty damn good. And for them to take
advantage of people's hope? We cannot have that."
If the Q movement had a slogan, it would be "Do your research." The
conspiracy is Discovering clues that clarify Q's cryptic
missives produces a which offers a hit of dopamine and improves
mem01y retention. tt's the same satisfaction that comes from solving a puzzle or
finding the answer to a riddle.
Believers apply the same approach to everyday news: Find information that
confirms any existing beliefs, then use it to augment their understanding of the
conspiracy. Reject facts or information that counter the existing beliefs. It's one of
the reasons they struggle to recruit their family members, unless they're
persuaded to do research themselves.
l wondered what would happen in the days after Mr. Biden's inauguration. Rather
than re-evaluate their approach in the wake of Q's failures, many doubled down.
The problem wasn't that the whole world view was false, just that they had been
led astray by inaccurate reports and misinterpretations. Their response was to
improve their process. They would develop a list of sources, vet credentials, link
to original material, and view unconfirmed information skeptically. They were, in
a sense, inventing journalism.
Others made excuses. Theories spread that Q was actually part of a deep state plot
to keep Mr. Trump's supporters complacent. A few members tied Q's strategy to
a C.l.A. psychological operation. And if that was true, their prophets, like Q and
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Mr. Trump and major personalities in the community, weren't everything they
hoped they would be.
"By us believing that, you know, there's all these things going on behind the
scenes. It's preventing us from doing anything because we're just sitting
down, waiting and watching for all this to secretly happen. And I don't think
it's happening," one said.
"We can't be digital warriors our whole life. We can't be keyboard warriors
our whole life," another said, recommending they focus on banking, education
and passing real laws instead. He added: "We can't put all our eggs iu one
basket like we're doing and waiting on Trump. Our forefathers never relied
on one man. We rely on each other going forward."
lfthe current version of the Q conspiracy theory dissolves, what happens to its
followers? They already found a community, and their friendships weathered Mr.
Biden's inauguration. lf anything, their bonds have been strengthened. The
channel was thriving, keeping hope alive for dozens of followers. Right-wing
activists ,vere organizing with fervor on Signal and Telegram. A few in the chat
discussed plans to meet in person.
"It didn't play out the way we wanted, bnt it showed that we can we're
powerful when we're together," one said. "H's created a whole new era. It's
not done. It's far from over."
After the inauguration, Ron Watkins, one of the main pushers of QA non 's
who some suspect is actually Q, seemed to signal the end of the
movement. In a message to followers, he focused on the strength of the
community, writing, "As we enter into the next administration please remember
all the friends and happy memoties we made together over the past few years."
The original version of the conspiracy seems in tatters, but the community is
strong. And that will be harder to unravel.
"Trump has changed things forever. It's a lot of seeds that he planted. And
history is going to be very kind to him and the people that fonght on the right
side of the war."
What should Q's followers inspire in us? Anger? Sympathy 9
The audio chat offers a clearer picture of these believers than the Facebook pages
and Telegram channels where they also gather. The all-caps screeds of the internet
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give way to gentler moments, like when they talk about their pets or babysitting
their grandkids. Many members were struggling in some way financially or
emotionally, with legal troubles or addiction. As Covid-J 9 swept their states,
many got sick, and some family members died. A few members were recently out
of prison. Another was living in a sober house.
"I don't think they understand that we're not all evil," one member said
about how the left views them. "Like you said, we're not evil. We're not bad
people."
As I listened over these three weeks, I saw that they're drawn to Q and Mr. Trump
for many reasons. The political status quo wasn't working for them. Mr. Trump
was an antidote to Washington and was beholden to neither party. And Q
offered not just a political orientation but also a way to place themselves in a
bigger narrative that explains life's shortcomings.
Many believers have paid a price for their views. Some were shunned by friends
and family. Apps and social networks, like this audio chat room, stepped in,
offe,ing a welcoming community with shared beliefs.
"Does anybody else's family members on here think you're crazy?" one
asked.
"1 have family that think that way. I think they're crazy for not seeing what
the beck's going on," another replied.
"I've stopped talking to every single person that isn't on board with this,"
another said.
"I can't even express it enough I'm so thankful for every person in this
group."
In the process, followers have become more isolated, stuck inside an echo
chamber from which they may never escape.
Beneath the anger in their voices is often pain or confusion. When the chat dies
down to just a few members, they'll share stories about their struggles with
affording health insurance or the shame of going on government assistance.
Hearing them talk with one another, I could start understanding the pull of
conspiracy communities - how they exploit the vulnerable and create a
worldview out of shared enemies. Then you can watch those views harden.
read://https_ www.nytimes.com/?url=https%3A %2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Finteractive%2F2021 %2F01 %2F26%2Fopinion%2Ftrump-qanon-washin.. 7/8
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1/27/2021 Three Weeks Inside a Pro-Trump QAnon Chat Room
And while none ofit excuses participation in a dangerous collective delusion, it
takes the complex process of radicalization and gives it a human dimension. What
seemed like a preposterous descent into a kind of madness made slightly more
sense.
"Not every politician is bad. Not every Democrat is bad. But we're going to
automatically assume that they're deep state. So, l mean, you have people, a
small few, that makes the majority look bad."
As I spent more time in the group, l understood why the conspiracy has such
gravitational pull. And while I didn't lose my way, I was taken aback by the
expe1ience. It turned my brain to mush. I was left rattled and deeply concerned.
About what would become of this group when I left. And more important, how
one can lessen the appeal of a conspiracy that gives so much purpose to people's
lives.
Listening in, I came to realize what extremism researchers and cult experts have
long known to be true: You cannot just destroy a community and expect it to
disappear when it is load bearing. If we are to deradicalize Q believers in a Bi den
era, how will we do it? What can we offer them in its place 9
One woman had an idea for how to solve some of these problems. They could try
hearing from their opponents directly. Maybe they could understand their point of
view, learn what motivates them. But then she paused. "I'd love to get into their
heads, but it scares the [expletivej out of me," she said. "Sol keep my
distance and stay with you patriots."
read://https_ www.nytfmes.com/?ur1=https%3A %2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Finteractive%2F2021 %2F01 %2F26%2Fopinion%2Ftrump-qanon-washin... 8/8
39
Video Investigation: Proud Boys Were Key Instigators in
Capitol Riot
1/26/202112:06PM
The Proud Boys, a far-right group, have tried to downplay their role in the Capitol riot. A
WSJ investigation shows that at many of the day's key moments, Proud Boys were at the
forefront. Photo illustration: Laura Kammermann
1/1
40
1/27/2021 Second police officer died by suicide following Capitol attack Reader View
WWW.politico.com /news/2021/01/27/second-officer~suicide-fol!owing"capitol-riotA63123
Second police officer died by suicide following Capitol
attack
Caitlin Emma, Sarah Ferris
3-4 minutes
The death by suicide of a second officer involved in responding to the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol had not
been previously revealed. I John Shinkle/POLITICO
A second police officer who responded to the violent insurrection that rocked the Capitol Building on
Jan. 6 has died by suicide, according to testimony obtained by POLITICO.
Acting Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee told House appropriators during a closed-door session
on Tuesday that Jeffrey Smith, a D.C. Police officer, and Capitol Police Officer Howard Liebengood both
'took their own lives in the aftermath of that battle."
Smith's death had not been disclosed prior to Contee's testimony.
A third member of law enforcement, Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, died from injuries he sustained
during the Capitol attack.
"We honor the service and sacrifices of Officers Brian Sicknick, Howard Liebengood, and Jeffery Smith,
and offer condolences to all the grieving families," Contee said in his testimony.
The report of an additional officer's death once again shook Capitol Hill, where many members and staff
are still reeling in the three weeks since the insurrection. Five people died as a result of the riots, and
two officers later died by suicide - a death toll that has horrified lawmakers of both parties and led them
to demand answers from Capitol security officials.
Congress is still grappling with the political ramifications of the events of Jan. 6, with the Senate in the
early stages of an impeachment trial against former President Donald Trump. But lawmakers are also
deep into an investigation into the many security lapses that left so many Capitol Police and MPD
officers outnumbered and vulnerable to attack by the mob.
Lawmakers heard from law enforcement officials for the first time about the Capitol security breaches
during the briefing with the House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, when Yogananda D. Pittman,
the acting head of the U.S. Capitol Police, rnr,m;mn,en and wl!nrnn;i:,·en
Pittman also admitted that the Capitol Police Board denied a request on Jan. 4 for additional support
from the National Guard. It wasn't until the building was overrun by a pro-Trump mob the panel relented,
an hour after another plea was made.
Appropriators left the briefing with a number of questions - chiefly, that intelligence agencies had
"ample evidence an angry mob would descend on Washington" and they failed to "act on this
intelligence or adequately prepare for the looming threat," House Appropriations Chair Rosa Delaura
(D-Conn.) said in a statement after the briefing.
Contee told appropriators that about 850 MPD officers responded to the riot and 65 members sustained
documented injuries.
"Many more sustained injuries from the assault - scratches, bruises, eyes burning from bear mace -
that they did not even bother to report," he said.
MPD's estimate for the response totals about $8.8 million, he said.
"The costs for this insurrection - both human and monetary-will be steep," Contee said. "The
immediate fiscal impact is still being calculated."
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112712021 Second police officer died by suicide following Capitol attack Reader View
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1/27/2021 California man made pipe bombs, plotted attacks on Democrats to keep Trump in power, prosecutors aHege Reader View
WWW. wash ingtonpost. com !natlona!-security!ian-benjamin-rogers-trump-pipe-bombs-democrats/2021101 /27 /c9e2964e ..
California man made pipe bombs, plotted attacks on
Democrats to keep Trump in power, prosecutors allege
Matt Zapotosky, Shayna Jacobs
5-6 minutes
Federal prosecutors alleged in charges made public Wednesday that a California man who wrongly
believed Donald Trump had won the election built pipe bombs and planned to go to "war" against
Democrats and others to keep him in power.
Ian Benjamin Rogers had been taken into custody earlier this month on state charges alter Napa County
authorities and the FBI searched his home and business and found 49 guns and five pipe bombs,
according to an FBI affidavit in the case,
While Rogers, 44, who owns an auto repair shop specializing in British vehicles, told investigators the
bombs were for entertainment, investigators came to believe otherwise. According to the affidavit,
authorities recovered text messages on Rogers's phone showing "his belief that Donald Trump won the
2020 presidential election, and his intent to attack Democrats and places associated with Democrats in
an effort to ensure Trump remained in office."
"Let's see what happens, if nothing does I'm going to war," he wrote in one, authorities said.
"We can attack Twitter or the democrats you pick," he said in another.
In other messages, he made reference to Soros - an apparent allusion to liberal billionaire George
Soros - and said he was 'thinking sac office first target," which investigators interpreted as a reference
to the Sacramento offices of California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D).
Rogers already was being held on $5 million bail on state charges when prosecutors filed the federal
case. He was charged federally with unlawful possession of unregistered destructive devices. Jess
Raphael, his attorney, said Rogers's comments represented a "bunch of hyperbole and pro-Trump
histrionics that follow in line with, I guess, tens of millions of other people who supported Mr. Trump."
"There is nothing that I have seen that supports any conclusion that he was actually planning any kind of
organized action," Raphael said, adding later: "He's one of these people who loves Donald Trump. I
don't get it. But I don't have to get it to defend him."
According to the FBI affidavit, investigators also recovered in the Jan. 15 searches two manuals that
seemed to suggest Rogers was researching war: a U.S. Army Special Forces Guide to Unconventional
Warfare, and a U.S. Army Guerrilla Warfare Handbook. On his vehicle, they found a sticker associated
with the Three Percenters, a group that ascribes to anti-government and pro-gun beliefs and whose
name is a reference to American colonists who fought against the British during the American
Revolution. They also found a gag "White Privilege Card," with allusions to Trump.
Raphael said the extent of Rogers's affiliation with the Three Percenters was that he once attended a
barbecue hosted by the group. He said that, according to discovery he has reviewed, the FBI was first
tipped to the case in September by a letter from someone using the pseudonym "Mr. X," but initially
deemed it not worthy of investigation. The case was picked up later by local authorities, Raphael said.
Raphael said he understood that Mr. X was an employee of Rogers's auto repair shop who had been
fired, but he declined to provide a name.
An FBI spokeswoman said the bureau cannot comment on tips it receives or investigative methods, but
the bureau and the Napa County Sheriff's Office "have been investigating this matter together for a few
months."
On Tuesday, federal prosecutors in New York had made public a case similar to that of Rogers, charging
Robert Lemke, 35, for allegedly threatening the brother of Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.), who chairs the
House Democratic Caucus, on Jan. 6, the day the U.S. Capitol was stormed by rioters.
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1/2712021 California man made pipe bombs, plotted attacks on Democrats to keep Trump in power, prosecutors allege Reader View
Lemke appeared before a federal judge in California at a virtual court conference Wednesday afternoon,
where he was ordered detained until his bail hearing next week.
Lemke allegedly sent menacing text messages to Jeffries's brother about being "armed and nearby your
house," adding, 'We are not far from [Jeffries's house] either."
He also sent alarming texts to Jeffries's sister-in-law along the same lines, authorities said, adding that
similar messages went to the relative of a journalist in New York, where Lemke's case is pending.
"You are putting your family at risk. We have armed members near your home," Lemke said to the
congressman's brother, according to a criminal complaint in his case.
Lemke said he and his cohorts "are not white supremacists" but "active/retired law enforcement or
military," the complaint says, noting that on Facebook, Lemke purported to be a captain in the Air Force
and a retired ranking officer in the Alameda County Sheriff's Office.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Jeffries's office thanked law enforcement, including the FBI, the U.S.
Capitol Police and the New York Police Department "for their commitment to protecting the safety and
well-being of his family and all Members of the United States Congress."
Jacobs reported from New York.
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112712021 National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin - January 27, 2021 I Homeland Security
~ Official Department of Homeland Secunty
U.S. Department of
Homeland Security
Date Issued: Wednesday, January 27, 202111:00 am ET
View as PDF: National Terrorism Advisory....System Bulletin - January 27, 2021
l/sitesldefaultlfiles/ntas/alerts/21 0127 ntas-bulletin.QdfL(pdf, 1 page, 292.01KB)
The Acting Secretary of Homeland Security has issued a National Terrorism Advisory System
(NTAS) Bulletin due to a heightened threat environment across the United States, which DHS
believes will persist in the weeks following the successful Presidential Inauguration.
Information suggests that some ideologically-motivated violent extremists with objections to
the exercise of governmental authority and the presidential transition, as well as other
perceived grievances fueled by false narratives, could continue to mobilize to incite or commit
violence.
Issued: January 27, 2O2111:OO am
Expires: April 30, 2021 01:00 pm
• Throughout 2020, Domestic Violent Extremists (DVEs) targeted individuals with
opposing views engaged in First Amendment-protected, non-violent protest activity.
DVEs motivated by a range of issues, including anger over COVI D-19 restrictions, the
2020 election results, and police use of force have plotted and on occasion carried out
attacks against government facilities.
• Long-standing racial and ethnic tension-including opposition to immigration-has
driven DVE attacks, including a 2019 shooting in El Paso, Texas that killed 23 people.
https://www.dhs.gov/ntasfadvisory/national-terrorism-advisory-system-bu!letin-january-27-2021 113
45
112712021 National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin - January 27, 2021 j Homeland Security
• DHS is concerned these same drivers to violence will remain through early 2021 and
some DVEs may be emboldened by the January 6, 2021 breach of the U.S. Capitol
Building in Washington, D.C. to target elected officials and government facilities.
• DHS remains concerned that Homegrown Violent Extremists (HVEs) inspired by foreign
terrorist groups, who committed three attacks targeting government officials in 2020,
remain a threat.
• Threats of violence against critical infrastructure, including the electric,
telecommunications and healthcare sectors, increased in 2020 with violent extremists
citing misinformation and conspiracy theories about COVID-19 for their actions.
• DHS, as well as other Federal agencies and law enforcement partners will continue to
take precautions to protect people and infrastructure across the United States.
• DHS remains committed to preventing violence and threats meant to intimidate or
coerce specific populations on the basis of their religion, race, ethnicity, identity or
political views.
• DHS encourages state, local, tribal, and territorial homeland security partners to
continue prioritizing physical security measures, particularly around government
facilities, to protect people and critical infrastructure.
HowYouCan
• We ask the public to report SUSP-icious activityJ!illps://www.dhs.gov/see-something;gy..:
something)_ and threats of violence, including online activity, to local law
enforcement, FBI Field Offices (!illP-s:/!www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices)_, or their
local Fusion Center (httQs://www.dhs.gov/fusion-center-locations-and-contact-information)_.
• Your choice can make a difference. Choose non-violent ways to make your voice heard
and support friends and family in doing the same.
• Communities are strongest when they are not divided: Strengthen your community by
standing together against violence.
Be
• Avoiding large crowds, including protests, is safest due to ongoing pandemic
conditions. However, if taking part in protests do so peacefully, safely, and wear masks.
• Be responsible for your personal safety. Make note of your surroundings and security
personnel. Carry emergency contact as well as medical and other needs information
with you.
https://www.dhs.gov/ntas/acMsory/national-terrorism-advisory-system-bulletin-january-27-2021 213
46
1/2712021 National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin - January 27, 2021 I Homeland Security
• Connect, Plan, Train, and Re1::1ort (!illr.s://www.cisa.gov/connect-glan-train-rer.ort)_to prepare
businesses & employees.
Stay Informed
• Local, state and federal agencies will provide specific information about emerging
threats as additional information is identified. The public is encouraged to listen to
local law enforcement and public safety officials.
• Last year, DHS released a Homeland Threat Assessment
.(!illr.s://www.dhs.gov 1sites/default/files/r.ublications/2020 10 06 homeland-threat-assessment.r.df)_ to
the public examining the threat environment through 2021.
• The DHS Lexicon on terrorism (httgs://www.dhs.gQYLr.ublication/dhs-lexicon)_includes
terminology for DVEs and HVEs.
Types of Advisories
Bulletin
Describes current developments or general trends regarding threats of terrorism.
Elevated Alert
Warns of a credible terrorism threat against the United States.
Imminent Alert
Warns of a credible, specific and impending terrorism threat against the United States.
If You See Something, Say Something™. Report suspicious activity to local law enforcement
or call 911.
https://www.dhs.gov/ntas/advisory/national"terrorism-advisory-system-bu!letin-january-27-2021 3/3
47
Mattis: Trump 'fomented' Jan. 6 Capitol assault
Yahoo News
Sean D. Na:x:lor
·National Security Correspondent
January 28, 2021, 8:33 PM
Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis. (Gary He/ Reuters)
Former Defense Secretary James Mattis said Thursday the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol was
"fomented" by former President Donald Trump, and exemplified the "internal threats" faced
by the U.S. that should be viewed "with every bit as much gravity as the external problems,
and perhaps more so."
Speaking during an online event, Mattis walked through a list of national security threats
such as North Korea, Russia, China and international terrorism, but then turned his
attention to the U.S.
1/12
48
"There are also internal threats right now," he said, citing "the lack of unity on the consensual
underpinnings of our democracy, and what we saw on Jan. 6, fomented by a sitting
president."
But Mattis also identified globalism as a root cause of the divisions that led to the pro-Trump
mob's attack on Jan. 6. "Globalism hasn't been altogether good in large parts of our country,"
he said, adding that "certain trade deals" had had "second- and third-order effects inside our
own country," hurting some Americans economically and leaving them without hope for the
future.
"People are much more inclined to listen to conspiracy theories and other things when
they're losing hope," Mattis said.
Mattis was referring to the assault on the Capitol by hundreds of Trump supporters seeking
to prevent Congress from formalizing Trump's loss to Joe Biden in the November
presidential election.
Pro-Trump protesters gather in front of the Capitol on Jan. 6. (Brent Stirton/Getty Images)
After forcing their way through police lines, the attackers rampaged through the building,
stealing numerous items from the House chamber and congressional offices as then-Vice
President Mike Pence and members of both the House and the Senate were quickly
evacuated to safe rooms.
2/12
49
One of the rioters, Ashli Babbitt, was shot and killed by a Capitol Police officer as she tried to
break through a door to get closer to the House chamber. Three others, including a Capitol
Police officer, died during the assault.
Mattis, a Marine four-star general who retired in 2013 after a three-year tour as head of U.S.
Central Command, served as Trump's first defense secretary from January 2017 to December
2018.
He made the comments in the webcast conversation with former Under Secretary of Defense
for Intelligence Michael Vickers, who said that the country faced a "growing threat from
white nationalists and other domestic extremists."
Noting that "our oath to the Constitution requires us to defend it against all enemies, foreign
and domestic," Vickers, a former Special Forces officer, said that "never in our worst
nightmares did we imagine that we would witness an insurrection against our government
incited by some of our top leaders."
Their conversation was webcast by the OSS Society, which seeks to highlight the legacy of the
World War II-era Office of Strategic Services.
Read more from Yahoo News:
• New video shows Trumiually crowd cheering call to 'storm the Capitol'
• How can far-right violence be stopped?
• More contagious U.K. COVID strain is also deadlier, Boris Johnson warns
• Biden acts on COVID relief while awaiting action in Congi:::e.s§
• .why Black Americans aren't being vaccinated for COVID-19 at the same rate as whites
Latest Stories
•
The Independent
Marjorie TaY.lor Greene suggested Ruth Bader Ginsburg had been rei;ilaced by-1t
body double
According to QAnon lore, the Supreme Court justice had died years earlier but her
death was hidden as part of a conspiracy
3/12
50
•
The Week
McConnell misguotes Biden in an attemgt to criticize his rush of executive
orders
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) seemed to think he had a slam dunk
argument against President Biden's rush of executive orders. But in an attempt to spin
Biden's own words against him on Thursday, McConnell ended up replacing Biden's
quote with a misleading version that has been circulating online. Biden has signed
more than 30 executive orders since he took office last week, taking aim at former
President Donald Trump's immigration crackdowns, loosened environmental policies,
and more. McConnell on Thursday claimed the flurry of orders flew in the face of what
Biden said in an October town hall: That "you can't legislate by executive action unless
you are a dictator." But as CNN's Daniel Dale points out, Biden actually said "there are
some things you can't do by executive order unless you're a dictator," with no reference
to legislation. Oh, didn't see until now that Mitch McConnell took Biden's quote way
out of context in the same way Hannity did. https://t.co/5rK6VojEPR Daniel Dale
(@ddale8) January 28, 2021 Fox News host Sean Hannity similarly tweeted out the
false quote as a "flashback" just a few hours prior. Hannity got it from a tweet by Tom
Elliott, who shares news clips with a conservative spin and misleadingly paraphrased
Biden as saying "you can't [legislate] by executive order unless you're a dictator."
.@JoeBiden in October: "I have this strange notion, we are a democracy ... if you can't
get the votes ... you can't [legislate] by executive order unless you're a dictator. We're a
democracy. We need consensus." pic.twitter.com/7UotJCXSm3 -Tom Elliott
(@tomselliott) January 26, 2021 White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked
about the quote on Thursday, and told reporters it was taken out of context. More
stories from theweek.com5 irrationally funny cartoons about the GameStop stock
market madnessThe Capitol insurrection isn't moderating the GOP. It's making them
more extreme.5 brutally funny cartoons about the GO P's Trump problem
•
Tog Doctor: "This Fruit Is A Weight Gain Stogger"
America's Top Dietician, Dr. Kellyann, explains the connection between this one fruit
and your battle against weight gain
4/12
51
•
Associated Press
United Arab Emirates saY.S it will offer citizenshiP- to some
The United Arab Emirates on Saturday announced plans to grant some foreigners
citizenship to this oil-rich nation home to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, part of efforts to
stimulate its economy amid the coronavirus pandemic. The UAE previously gave
citizenship to Palestinians and others who helped form the country's government after
its formation in 1971. Saturday's announcement by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al
Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai who also serves as the autocratic nation's prime minister
and vice president, said the offer could apply to artists, authors, doctors, engineers and
scientists, as well as their families .
•
The Telegraph
Two 9~Y. men in Indonesia gubliclY. caned 77 times each after vigilantes broke
into their flat
Two men in Indonesia's conservative Aceh province have been publicly lashed 77 times
each after neighbourhood vigilantes burst into their apartment last November and
reported them to Islamic religious police for allegedly having sex with each other. The
caning is the third time people have been punished for practicing homosexuality since
Aceh banned it under Shariah law in 2015. The consumption of alcohol, gambling, tight
clothing for women, and extramarital sex have also been outlawed under Shariah
ordinances. The men, aged 27 and 29, were whipped on Thursday with a rattan stick in
front of dozens of people by a team of five enforcers wearing long brown robes and
hoods. The pair reportedly winced as they were struck and the punishment was briefly
halted to allow them to drink water. The mother of one man fainted at the scene. A
Shariah court last month sentenced each man to So strokes, but they received 77 to
compensate for time spent in prison. Morality offenses including gay sex can be
punished by up to 100 lashes. On the same day, a woman and man were each given 20
lashes for being caught in close proximity to each other, and two men were given 40
lashes each for drinking alcohol.
5/12
52
•
Reuters
Philiggines' Duterte tightens anti-money: laundering rules to avoid ·gnw list'
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte signed a law on Friday to strengthen anti-money
laundering and terrorist financing regulations ahead of a Feb. 1 deadline set by a global
financial watchdog. The Southeast Asian nation was at risk of returning to a Financial
Action Task Force "grey list" which could delay foreign investment and make
remittances from millions of Filipinos overseas, which powers domestic consumer
spending, subject to stricter scrutiny and monitoring. The new law expands the powers
of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), allowing it to impose targeted financial
sanctions against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and its financing .
•
Council Bluffs: Peogle May: Be Floored By: Pressure Washing
You may be surprised by how pressure washing can transform your home. See for
yourself. Look for nearby pressure washing services .
•
NBC News
Married Texas golice chief accused of cheating resigns after arrest
Jason Collier allegedly showed a fake marriage annulment document to a girlfriend.
•
The Independent
White House says Bi den won't release 'gracious' letter from Trumg unless they:
.!meak to each other
Press Secretary Jen Psaki says she has 'no calls to report on' between the president and
his predecessor
•
NextShark
Filigino American Father, Daughter Electrocuted by: Downed Power Lines in LA
A Filipino American father and daughter were electrocuted in the backyard of their
home in Panorama City, California, on Monday. The victims were identified as
Ferdinand Tejada, 53, and Janine Reyn Tejada, 20, according to the Los Angeles
County Coroner's Office via CBS Los Angeles. Ferdinand was reportedly trying to move
a downed electrical wire outside his home when the fatal accident occurred.
6/12
53
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Most wine drinkers in the US don't know these 5 simple Dos and Don'ts .... How many
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7/12
54
•
The Telegraph
Psychiatrists fear children are being 'coached' into accessing_guberty blockers,
Court of Aggeal hears
Psychiatrists fear that transgender children are being "coached" into giving rehearsed
answers when trying to access puberty blockers, the Court of Appeal has heard. Dr
David Bell, a former governor at a gender identity NHS trust, expressed concern that
children may be pressured by parents, friends or websites when trying to address
feelings of gender dysphoria. Dr Bell, who was a psychiatrist at the Tavistock and
Portman NHS Foundation Trust from 1996 until earlier this month, was granted
permission on Friday by two senior judges to intervene in a landmark case examining
whether transgender children can legally take puberty blockers. In November, the High
Court ruled that children should not receive the controversial drugs unless they
understand the "long-term risks and consequences" of them. The NHS was forced to
change its guidance overnight, preventing children from accessing the hormonal
treatment without a court order. The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust
has since launched an appeal against the ruling. In a preliminary hearing on Friday,
la,vyers on behalf of Dr Bell told the court that he wishes to intervene in the appeal as
he has since retired from the NHS Trust and feels he can speak more freely. In legal
papers lodged before the Court, Dr Bell is described as a "high profile whistleblower"
after he published a report in August 2018 which "investigated serious concerns" raised
by ten clinicians working at the Tavistock. The report found that the Tavistock's gender
identity clinic, GIDS, "is not fit for purpose" and some young patients "will live on with
the damaging consequences." Dr Bell said he felt "victimised for whistleblowing" by the
Trust in the wake of the report and as a result "did not feel able to participate" in the
initial High Court dispute. However, Dr Bell retired from the Trust earlier this month
on January 15 and "is no longer subject to the same constraints," the legal documents
said. "There is evidence that staff members may be frightened of coming forwards," the
documents continued. "Dr Bell, a highly eminent psychiatrist who until recently
occupied a senior position with the Appellant, is now free from his employment and
able to describe the concerns, which he investigated in some detail." Lady Justice King
and Lord Justice Dingemans granted his application to intervene in the appeal, which
will be heard over two days in April, while other groups, including the LGBT charity
Stonewall, had their application denied. Lawyers for Dr Bell said he wants to tell the
court about concerns that were raised to him by gender identity practitioners, including
that "children may be 'coached', whether from parents, peers, or online resources, to
provide rehearsed answers in response to particular questions." The practitioners were
also concerned that "highly complex factors" - including historic child abuse and family
bereavement - can influence children's attitudes towards gender, meaning puberty
blockers is not always the best course of treatment. The landmark case on puberty
blockers was first launched against the Trust by Keira Bell, a 23-year-old woman who
began taking puberty blockers before deciding to reverse the process of changing
8/12
55
gender. Ms Bell said the clinic should have challenged her more over her decision to
transition to a male when she was 16. It was also brought by a woman who can only
legally be identified as "Mrs A", the mother of a 15-year-old autistic girl who is currently
on the waiting list for treatment. At the initial High Court hearing in October, their
lawyers said that children going through puberty are "not capable of properly
understanding the nature and effects of hormone blockers". They argued there is "a
very high likelihood" that children who start taking hormone blockers will later begin
taking cross-sex hormones, which they say cause "irreversible changes", and that the
NHS Trust offers "fairytale" promises to children because they are unable to give their
consent to the sex-change process.
BBC
Japanese woman 'kept mother's body in freezer for 10 years'
The Japanese woman reportedly hid the body a decade ago because she "didn't want to
move out".
NBC News
Grieving families in China offer stark warning for visiting WHO scientists: Don't
be fooled
"If the science is allowed to speak, it will help heal this wound and help us move on,"
scientist Peter Daszak told NBC News .
•
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Search for 2021 Toyota Tundra. The affordable price makes this truck hard to resist.
9/12
56
• Reuters
Biden administration to review TrumP-.P-OlicY. on Cuba: White House
The Biden administration will review U.S. policy on Cuba, the White House said on
Thursday, after former President Donald Trump rolled back a historic Obama-era
detente with Havana. Second is Americans, especially Cuban Americans, are the best
ambassadors for freedom in Cuba. Trump, a Republican, clamped down on Cuba after
taking office in 2017, tightening restrictions on U.S. travel and remittances to Cuba, and
imposing sanctions on shipments of Venezuelan oil to the island.
·Ill
Architectural Digest
More Inside the BeverlY. Hills Estate of House of Bijan's Heir
Nicolas Bijan and his wife, interior designer Roxy Bijan, took a youthful, vibrant
approach to redecorating Taylor S·wift's former homeOriginally Appeared on
Architectural Digest
•
The Independent
AOC tells Ted Cruz she doesn't want to work with him on Robinhood J;!robe
because he 'almost had me murdered' during CaP-itol riot
Ms Ocasio-Cortez again called for Mr Cruz to resign
Heart Surgeon Boils Weight Loss Down To One Thing
Celebrated surgeon and author of the New York Times best seller "The Plant Paradox"
reveals what many have suspected for a long time.
10/12
57
•
The Telegraph
Archaeologists to excavate ancient beach at Herculaneum, Roman town
destroy:ed by: Vesuvius eruP-tion
Archaeologists are to excavate an ancient beach at Herculaneum, the ancient Roman
town that along with Pompeii was partially destroyed and entombed by the eruption of
Mt Vesuvius nearly 2,000 years ago. Experts hope the dig will yield important
discoveries, 40 years after the last excavation at the site revealed the skeletons of
dozens of Romans who had were killed as they tried to flee the catastrophe. Discoveries
made in the past include the skeletons of Romans trying to escape the town, collapsed
buildings complete with preserved wooden ceilings and bags of money and jewels,
which desperate people grabbed as they fled their homes. The impending project, which
will last more than two years, was announced by Francesco Sirano, the director of the
archeological site south of Naples. "The excavation will allow us to reach the level of the
beach as it was at the moment of the volcanic eruption," he said. "It will provide an
extraordinary opportunity to acquire useful information about life in the city, about the
situation at the time of the eruption and the dynamics of the destruction, adding to our
knowledge of the Roman cities on the Gulf of Naples."
•
Associated Press
Venezuela hired Democratic Party: donor for $6 million
Newly filed lobbying records show Venezuela's socialist government previously hired a
longtime Democratic Party donor for $6 million at the same time it was lobbying to
discourage the U.S. from imposing sanctions on the oil-rich nation. The documents,
which were disclosed Thursday, show a U.S. subsidiary of Venezuela's state oil giant
PDVSA agreed to hire Marcia Wiss' Washington law firm in March 2017. Wiss, an
international trade lawyer with a history of donations to the Democratic Party,
including a S1,500 contribution to Joe Eiden last year, denies she did any lobbying
work.
•
NBC News
A mostly: Latino Chicago neighborhood P-UShes back after inheriting_P-lant from
affluent neighbors
"They're thinking, 'This place is already contaminated, so what's a little more?"' one
longtime resident said. "But we're not going to accept it anymore like we did for so
long."
11/12
58
•
Army Dad SnaQs Pie Of Woman's Cart, It Goes Viral
½'hen he saw this on another shopper's grocery cart, he knew he had to take a photo.
Soon after it went viral.
. ►
Yahoo News Video
Teen charged in fatal shooting of 5 at lndianaQolis home
A 17-year-old Indianapolis boy was charged 11v1th murder for allegedly fatally shooting
his father, stepmother, two teenage relatives and a 19-year-old pregnant woman in the
family's home.
Politico
'For Christ's sake, watch yourself': Biden warns familY. over business dealing§.
Still, one brother discussed new venture with major donor before Eiden entered the
White House.
NextShark
Former BC Student Accused of Talking BOY.friend Into Suicide Before Graduation
Will Face Trial
Inyoung You, the former Boston College student who allegedly encouraged her then-
boyfriend Alexander Urtula to commit suicide in May 2019, will now face trial. Court
decision: Suffolk Superior Court Judge Christine Roach denied the motion to dismiss
the charges against You, according to Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins ,'ia the
Boston Herald. "Judge Roach denied the motion dismiss on the theory of
'manslaughter by commission,' finding that Ms. You's words could have caused Mr.
Urtula to take his own life," Rollins said.
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1/2912021 Body Camera Footage Shows Capitol Rioters Trampling Over Woman Reader View
WWW, nytimes. com /2021 /01 /28/us/capltol-riot~woman-trampled.html
Body Camera Footage Shows Capitol Rioters Trampling
Over Woman
Evan Hill, Arielle Ray
5-6 minutes
Visual Investigations
Video obtained by The limes provides a police officer's view of the deadly battle to defend a key
entryway from the surging mob.
Credit...The New York limes/U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan
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1/2912021 Body Camera Footage Shows Capitol Rioters Trampling Over Woman Reader View
• Jan. 28, 2021
As 34-year-old Rosanne Boyland lay dying on the steps of the Capitol on Jan. 6 after being crushed by
a mob, fellow rioters were charging over her to attack police officers with crutches, a hockey stick and
pepper spray, new police body camera footage shows.
Video obtained by The Times provides a previously unpublished view of the brutal fight between rioters
and officers at a central ent,yway on the west side of the Capitol - the same one that President Bid en
used to descend to his inauguration ceremony two weeks later.
The footage shows how rioters, in their effort to attack the police, trampled on Ms. Boyland even as her
friend, Justin Winchell, shouted that she was dying and needed help.
Federal prosecutors in Detroit played the video at a Jan. 25 court hearing in the case of Michael Joseph
Foy, a Michigan man accused of attacking the officers with a hockey stick. The U.S. attorney's office in
Detroit provided the one minute and 20 second clip to The Times.
The footage appears to come from the body camera worn by one of four Metropolitan Police officers
of the by rioters during the hourslong battle. It begins at 4:26 p.m., just
as have managed push the mob out of the doorway. Inside, rioters had packed together in a
dangerous crush in their attempt to force their way through the police and into the Capitol.
Seconds into the video, as rioters tumble over one another, a voice can be heard shouting, "Save her!"
Video
CreditCredit...The New York Times/U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of
Michigan
As rioters fall out of the doorway, Ms. Boyland is briefly visible in the video, and Mr. Winchell begins to
scream, "She's gonna die! She's dead!"
The Morning: Make sense of the day's news and ideas. David Leonhardt and Times journalists guide
you through what's happening - and why it matters.
"I need somebody!" Mr. Winchell shouts, turning to the crowd. Instead, a rioter behind him sprays a
chemical irritant over his head toward the police.
A bearded rioter wearing a hat, brown jacket and University of Michigan sweatshirt then begins to move
up the stairs toward the police.
"Knock their masks off!" another rioter in a cowboy hat tells him.
Video
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1/2912021
CreditCredit...The New York T!mes/U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of
Michigan
The bearded rioter charges over Ms. Boyland and begins to grapple with the officer, grabbing his baton.
At the same time, another rioter jabs the officer with a crutch. The officer is driven to the ground as the
crowd cheers the attack.
A man in a hooded winter jacket, whom prosecutors say is Mr. Foy, is seen on the body camera footage
advancing with his hockey stick and repeatedly swinging it down at the officers. Prosecutors allege in
court documents that Mr. Foy, a former Marine, struck officers at least 10 times in 16 seconds.
"No! No!" Mr. Winchell screams, as the rioters swing at the police over Boyland's body.
"I'll kill you," a rioter says to an officer, using an expletive, before grabbing the officer by his helmet and
dragging him out of the dooiway.
Mr. Winchell can again be heard screaming "Rosanne! Rosanne!"
Video
CreditCredit...The New York T!mes/U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of
Michigan
After the first officer is dragged away, another rioter can be seen grabbing onto the leg of the fallen
officer wearing the body camera. Then the footage ends. Other videos reviewed by The Times showed
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112912021 Body Camera Footage Shows Capitol Rioters Trampling Over Woman Reader View
that rioters dragged the officer down the steps seconds later.
At around the same time, rioters dragged Ms, Boyland from the door and attempted but failed to
resuscitate her. They then carried her back to the police battling rioters at the doorway, who moved her
into the Capitol Rotunda, where paramedics eventually reached her, She was pronounced dead at a
local hospital at 6:09 p,m,, around an hour and a half later.
Mr. Foy faces multiple federal charges, including assaulting a police officer, and has been transferred
from Detroit to Washington to face prosecution,
The official cause and manner of Ms, Boyland's death are still pending, according to Washington's chief
medical examiner.
Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs contributed reporting,
Tell us about yourself, Take our survey.
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1/29/2021 Pipe bombs found near Capito! on Jan. 6 are believed to have been placed the night before Reader View
www.washingtonpost.com/lnvestlgations12021101129;p1pe~bomb-suspect~videoi
Pipe bombs found near Capitol on Jan. 6 are believed to
have been placed the night before
Dalton Bennett, Emma Brown, Sarah Cahlan, Josh Dawsey, Joyce Lee
6-8 minutes
The two pipe bombs that were discovered on Jan. 6 near the U.S. Capitol shortly before a mob stormed
the building are believed to have been planted the night before, according to a law enforcement official
familiar with the investigation and video footage obtained by The Washington Post.
The explosive devices, which were placed blocks from one another at the headquarters of the
Republican and Democratic national committees, have been largely overshadowed by the violent
attempted insurrection at the Capitol. But finding the person suspected of planting both bombs remains
a priority for federal authorities, who last week boosted the reward for tips leading to the person's arrest
from $50,000 to $75,000.
The FBI said its agents are "using every tool in our toolbox" and have interviewed more than 1,000
residents and business owners in the neighborhood where the devices were found. On Friday morning,
the FBI released additional information that confirmed The Post's reporting about the timing of the
placement of the bombs and raised the reward offered io $100.000.
The Post spoke to residents, property managers and business owners to obtain exclusive video of the
suspect in the moments before the individual allegedly placed the bomb in an alley behind the
Republican National Committee, one block from the Capitol grounds.
On Jan. 5 at 8:13 p.m., a security camera captured the suspect carrying a backpack, according to a
resident who reviewed the footage and provided a copy to the FBI. The suspect was walking eastbound
on C Street SE, headed toward an entrance to an alley that curved toward the Republican National
Committee building. The Post did not obtain that footage but confirmed the homeowner's account with a
law enforcement official familiar with the investigation.
Seconds later, in video obtained by The Post, the suspect can be seen in the alley, known as Rumsey
Court. The individual is wearing a light-colored sweatshirt and carrying the backpack near their waist,
matching photographs that have been released by the FBI, and walking west past a row of homes. The
suspect is believed to be walking toward the area behind the Republican National Committee building
and the Capitol Hill Club to place the explosive device, according to the official familiar with the
investigation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.
At 8:13 p.m., a security camera captures the suspect in Rumsey Court wearing a light-
colored sweatshirt. (Obtained by The Washington Post)
Another video shows the suspect carrying a backpack near their waist as they approach the area where
the bomb was discovered on Jan. 6. They appear to be wearing a mask and gloves. According to the
law enforcement official, this is the last known sighting of the suspect before the placement of the bomb.
This video, taken at 8:15 p.m., is the last known sighting of the suspect before they
alleged placed the bomb. (Obtained by The Washington Post)
When federal officials asked tho public for information about the suspect, they circulated still images
drawn from this video. For unknown reasons, the suspect did not immediately leave the area. Another
video obtained by The Post shows the suspect retracing their steps on Rumsey Court at 8:16 p.m.,
again walking westbound toward the RNC building. The individual is moving at a brisk pace and still
carrying a backpack near their waist.
The suspect does not immediately leave the area, instead walking westbound toward the
RNC building. (Obtained by The Washington Post)
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One minute later, the suspect is seen walking eastbound on Rumsey Court- away from the area
where the pipe bomb was discovered. They are wearing the backpack on their back.
At 8:17 p.m., the suspect is seen walking away from the area where the pipe bomb was
discovered near the RNC. (Obtained by The Washington Post)
The same person is suspected of placing the bomb at the Democratic National Committee building,
according to the FBI. It is not clear which bomb was placed first. On Friday, the FBI released an image
of one of the devices. The bureau described the suspect as wearing Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes in
yellow, black and gray and said that the person is believed to have placed both bombs between 7:30
and 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 5.
Barry Black, a retired FBI special agent bomb technician, said photos of the devices suggested that they
were simple and that the visible components were common and easily found. Black said the devices
appeared to incorporate mechanical timers as switches and said he saw no indication in the photos of
any other triggering mechanism.
Black said the individual could have been seeking to kill or injure, or could have simply wanted to "send
a message" by targeting the nation's two largest political parties. Steven Sund, who resigned as chief of
the Capitol Police in the wake of the riot, has said he suspects the bombs were an intentional effort to
draw officers away from the grounds of the Capitol.
The bomb behind the RNC was discovered on Jan. 6 at around 12:45 p.m., about 90 minutes before
rioters entered the Capitol. Resident Karlin Younger was on her way to do laundry when she spotted
something unusual on the ground between a recycling bin and a rat trap. Younger said in an interview
that she bent down to inspect the device, which was attached to what appeared to her to be a kitchen
timer. The timer was set to 20 minutes, she said. She did not hear any ticking and could not tell if the
timer was active. She alerted a nearby security guard, who she said inspected the device and then
notified law enforcement.
The device was considered "live," meaning it contained viable explosive material, according to Steven
Blando, a spokesman for the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
It was disarmed at the site, Blando told The Post.
Around 1:15 p.m., officials have said, the second bomb was discovered several blocks away next to a
bench outside the DNC. It, too, was live and was disarmed on site, Blando said.
Peter Hermann, Elyse Samuels and Matt Viser contributed to this report.
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112912021 Most Capitol Insurrectionists Got To Go Home. Prosecutors Are Now Fighting To Keep Some Behind Bars. Reader View
WWW. buzzfeednews. com /artlc!e/zoeti!lman/capito!-rloters-re!eased-from-jai!-zip-tie-guy
Most Capitol Insurrectionists Got To Go Home. Prosecutors
Are Now Fighting To Keep Some Behind Bars.
Zoe Tillman
16-21 minutes
Shannon Stapleton/ Reuters
WASHINGTON - Eric Munchel was photographed inside the Capitol on Jan. 6 wearing tactical gear
and carrying plastic handcuffs, one of many images that day that raised questions the FBI is
probing about how thoroughly some insurrectionists planned for violence and what they hoped to do. He
was arrested on Jan. 16. A week later, a judge in Tennessee ruled he could go home pending trial.
Prosecutors had argued to keep Munchel - one of the few defendants to face a felony conspiracy
charge so far, along with his mother - in custody. They noted he was also accused of bringing a Taser
into the Capitol and was allegedly recorded talking about stashing other weapons nearby. After the
Tennessee judge ordered home detention, they raced to stop his release, petitioning a federal judge in
Washington, DC, to intervene; they said the FBI found an "arsenal" of 15 firearms at his home and noted
that he told a reporter he was prepared to "fight if necessary." The DC judge agreed to halt Munchel's
release, and he's still in custody pending another hearing.
"[It] is difficult to fathom a more serious danger to the community - to the District of Columbia, to the
country, or to the fabric of American Democracy - than the one posed by armed insurrectionists,
including the defendant, who joined in the occupation of the United States Capitol," prosecutors wrote in
a Jan. 24 brief.
Win Mcnamee/ Getty Images
Prosecutors allege this is Eric Munchel, carrying zip-tie handcuffs in the US Senate
chamber.
Munchel's situation is unusual. Most of the 150-plus people charged in the Capitol insurrection so far
have been allowed to go home after their first court appearance; hundreds more who went into the
building on Jan. 6 and then were able to leave haven't been charged yet. The bar is high for pretrial
detention - people aren't supposed to be punished for crimes they haven't been convicted ofyet-
and prosecutors are only asking for detention in a small number of cases. Meanwhile, hundreds of
people who participated in the assault are going back to their everyday lives as they wait for their day in
court, or to be arrested at all.
Judges have agreed with prosecutors in more than two dozen cases to hold defendants because there
are no release conditions that would ensure the safety of the community. For an even smaller group that
includes Munchel - BuzzFeed News has identified at least seven so far - the government is fighting
release orders after losing the first round. Even when judges have ordered home detention, prosecutors
have argued it's not enough to prevent future violence and interference with ongoing investigations, and
to ensure defendants show up to court going forward.
Prosecutors are appealing an Iowa magistrate judge's decision to order home detention for Douglas
Jensen, who was identified in videos and photographs leading a mob that chased US Capitol Police
Officer Eugene Goodman inside the Capitol. Prosecutors cited evidence that Jensen was carrying a
knife at the time and had a criminal record, as well as his belief in QAnon and his stated desire to
participate in a "revolution" and arrest public officials. Releasing Jensen from custody ''will only reinforce
his belief that his cause is just," prosecutors wrote in a Jan. 22 brief. A judge in DC agreed to hold
Jensen and hasn't scheduled a hearing yet
US Department of Justice / Via nsc;ctcLdc,cumentcloi
Images that prosecutors say show Douglas Jensen in the Capitol and a knife he had in his
pocket
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"Defendant's eagerness to travel more than 1,000 miles in hopes that he would hear President Trump
declare martial law, and his willingness to take martial law into his own hands when no such
pronouncement came, says more about Defendant's characteristics than any criminal history ever
could," prosecutors wrote in Jensen's case.
In another case, a federal magistrate judge in New Jersey denied the government's request to hold
Scott Fairlamb, who is accused of punching a police officer in the head during the riot on the Capitol
grounds. According to charging papers, a tipster sent the FBI a video that Fairlamb allegedly recorded
and posted on Facebook showing him holding a collapsible baton outside the Capitol and saying, "What
patriots do? We fuckin' disarm them and then we storm fuckin' the Capitol"; Fairlamb deleted other
videos he'd posted going into the Capitol, according to the witness.
The New Jersey judge ordered home detention, which would allow him to only leave his house for work,
court, and a few other reasons. Prosecutors immediately appealed to a judge in DC, who agreed to
keep Fairlamb in custody and hasn't set a hearing date yet.
The government won the first of these cases to go before a judge in Washington. Following nearly five
hours of witness testimony on Jan. 15, a judge in Arkansas ruled that Richard Barnett, the man
photographed in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's chair who later bragged about leaving a note that read,
"Nancy, Bigo was here, you " could free. Prosecutors immediately petitioned a judge in DC to
intervene, and the judge on Thursday, saying that his "entitled" behavior showed a
"total disregard for the US Constitution."
Magistrate judges typically handle first court appearances for anyone arrested on federal charges and
make decisions every day about whether defendants should be kept in custody. Those decisions can be
reviewed, and reversed, by a US district judge. Because police allowed most people to leave the Capitol
on Jan. 6, they're being arrested in their home states and making their first appearances in their local
federal court. When prosecutors have wanted to fight a release order, they've taken it to a district judge
in Washington, where all of these cases ultimately are being prosecuted.
Court records show that being accused of descending on the Capitol to stop Congress from certifying
the results of the election isn't enough on its own for the government to argue that someone should be
held behind bars before trial. Prosecutors have been saving these fights for cases that involve weapons,
assaults on police officers, specific threats of violence against elected officials, previous criminal
convictions, and people who allegedly took a leadership role and urged others to commit violence.
These cases have also forced judges to grapple early on with the thorny question of how much a
person's embrace of online conspiracy theories or even a collective delusion like QAnon makes them
such a danger to society that they should be behind bars. Many defendants touted former president
Donald Trump and Republicans' lie that the election was stolen in explaining why they stormed the
Capitol, but the government isn't asking for all of them to remain in custody.
Robert Nickelsberg / Getty Images
Jacob Chansley at the rally before storming the Capitol
On Jan. 15, US Magistrate Judge Deborah Fine in Phoenix granted the government's request to hold
Jacob Chansley, an Arizona man photographed wearing fur and horns in the Senate chamber and a
QAnon believer. Fine explained from the bench that Chansley's "actions and words demonstrate he's
willing to participate in the violent disruption of the work of our government" and that she had no
confidence he would follow court orders if released. On Jan. 25, US Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui in
\1\/ashington ordered detention for Matthew Miller, a Maryland man accused of deploying a fire
extinguisher at police at the Capitol.
"Mr. Miller's false beliefs regarding the illegitimacy of the current government lead the Court to believe
that there are no conditions ... that could prevent Mr. Miller from behaving in a similar manner or
engaging in another insurrection of this kind," Faruqui wrote in an explaining his decision.
Free to go
The handling of the Capitol insurrection arrests contrasts with how police in Washington and other cities
have responded to demonstrations that led to mass arrests in the past. People who took to the streets
over the summer to protest police brutality and racism often were taken into custody on the spot by the
hundreds; police sometimes used a tactic known as "kettling" to surround large groups to make mass
arrests. That also happened in \1\/ashington during protests against former president Donald Trump
during his inauguration in January 2017; hundreds were arrested.
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In contrast, the Metropolitan Police Department arrested just over a dozen people at the Capitol on Jan.
6. The US Capitol Police announced 14 arrests that day, and dozens of people were arrested in the
evening for violating a curfew order in Washington. That meant the FBI and local law enforcement
agencies around the country spent the days and weeks after the insurrection tracking down people
captured in videos and photographs that day, or who posted online or spoke to reporters about
participating, or who had friends and family members who tipped off investigators.
A common thread running through those earlier mass arrests and the Capitol insurrection cases is that
people charged with misdemeanor crimes are often allowed to go free while their cases are pending.
Judges are supposed to impose the least restrictive conditions that they believe can protect the
community, and in many of the Capitol cases prosecutors have not argued for detention. In most cases,
prosecutors and defense lawyers have agreed on a standard set of release conditions that limit when
defendants can return to Washington, prohibit them from having illegal firearms, require that they check
in with pretrial services every week to make sure they haven't tried to flee, alert the pretrial services
office if they have to leave their state, and need to get the court's permission to travel internationally.
In a few cases, however, the government has asked for different release conditions, often being cagey
about why. The hearings are happening virtually due to the pandemic, meaning anyone with the phone
number can listen in. Providing too much information on a public line, prosecutors say, could jeopardize
their ongoing investigations. Acting US Attorney Michael Sherwin in Washington has said that they have
hundreds of open cases, and that defendants who were already arrested could face additional charges
as those investigations continue. Prosecutors could reopen the detention issue if they find new evidence
that a defendant is dangerous or a flight risk, or that a defendant has violated any of their release
conditions.
For some defendants, the government asked the judge to order the defendant to turn over any firearms
or explosives they possess, and bar them from acquiring any new ones. In other cases - like that of
Matthew Council, a 49-year-old from Florida accused of breaking into Capitol building and pushing an
officer - the judge ordered the defendant to submit to substance abuse testing and any recommended
treatment. In several other cases, the judge required mental health evaluations.
A few released defendants are being tracked using GPS devices, like ankle monitors. A judge ordered
GPS monitoring for Tim Gionet, known online as Baked Alaska (a former BuzzFeed employee who later
became a white supremacist troll), because he had already violated the conditions of release after he
was arrested for pepper-sprayinq a bouncer in Arizona in December. He was barred from traveling
outside of Arizona in that previous case, but he traveled to DC, stormed the Capitol building, and was
arrested in Houston.
Some defendants considered flight risks or a danger to the government's investigations have been put
under house arrest. Riley June Williams, a 22-year-old from Pennsylvania accused of stealing Nancy
Pelosi's computer and attempting to sell it to Russia (her lawyer says these are the fabrications of a
vengeful ex), was released to house an-est with an ankle monitor. According to an FBI affidavit, Williams
tried to flee before turning herself in. The prosecutor said in court that she tried to delete social media
accounts relevant to the investigation, and encouraged others to delete relevant messages. While under
house arrest she is barred from using the internet, except for court-mandated mental health treatment
and meetings with her lawyers. Her mother is tasked with enforcing the court's orders.
Behind bars, for now
In the small but growing number of cases involving detention requests by the government, prosecutors
have argued that there simply aren't any release conditions that would keep the community safe.
Federal magistrate judges in Virginia and Ohio agreed to detain Thomas Caldwell, ,Jess,ca Watkins, and
Donovan Crowl, the three alleged members of the Oath Keepers militia group who are charged with
conspiracy and accus0d of try!ng to carry out~ violent, preplanned altack on the Capitol; a grand jury
returned an indictment against those three defendants on Wednesday.
US Department of Justice /Via assets.documentcloud.org
Prosecutors say this screenshot from police body camera footage shows Michael Foy
attacking an officer with a hockey stick.
Other cases where judges ordered defendants jailed include those charged with violence against law
enforcement, such as Michael Foy, a Michigan man accused of using a hockey stick to assault police
officers, and Peter Stager, an Arkansas man accused of using a flagpole to beat an officer on the
ground. Some defendants who allegedly posted threats online were also detained, including William
Calhoun, a Georgia lawyer whose social media posts included "I have tons of ammo. Gonna use it, too
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at the range and on racist democrat communists," according to court papers, and Garret Miller, a Texas
man who responded to a tweet after the riot from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with "Assassinate
AOC."
US Department of Justice I Via 8ssets.docurnentcloud.org
Prosecutors included these Twitter screenshots in charging papers for Garret Miller.
A few defendants kept in jail so far are using the release of other Capitol arrestees charged with similar
offenses to try to reargue for their own release. A lawyer for Matthew Miller, the Maryland man accused
of discharging a fire extinguisher, had argued that he wasn't accused of assaulting or injuring anyone
and compared his client to Williams, the woman accused of stealing Pelosi's laptop, who was released
to house arrest. The judge was not convinced, writing in the detention order that what Miller was
accused of was "troubling and extremely dangerous."
More detention fights are coming. A hearing is scheduled for Feb. 1 in Washington on the government's
motion to keep Couy Griffin. the founder of "Cowboys for Trump." in custody. In a Jan. 19 court filing,
prosecutors argued Griffin was a flight risk and a danger to the community, citing what they described as
a pattern of posting threats of violence on line and showing a "disdain for law1ul authority," as well as his
participation in the insurrection and vow to come back to DC for President Joe Biden's inauguration. If
Griffin had refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of an election certified by Congress, prosecutors
wrote, "certainly he would deny the authority of the judicial officers appointed by the President and
confirmed by the Senate."
''The defendant's inflammatory conduct, repeated threats, delusional worldview, and access to firearms
makes him a danger to the community," prosecutors wrote.
Griffin's lawyer filed a brief on Jan. 27 arguing that the First Amendment's free speech protections
barred the judge from taking Griffin's speech and political views into account. He noted Griffin wasn't
accused of going inside the Capitol building, but rather being on restricted grounds outside. Griffin had
guns to protect himself and his family, his lawyer argued, and denounced "disrespect for law
enforcement." The brief cited Williams' release, as well as other defendants charged in the insurrection
who were allowed to go free.
In at least one case, the government is already back in court accusing a defendant who was allowed to
go home of violating his release conditions. In the case of John Earle Sullivan, a Utah man who was
released to home detention, a pretrial seivices officer notified the court on Jan. 27 that he'd allegedly
violated a condition limiting his internet use on four occasions; the court filing didn't provide details. The
government had unsuccessfully argued before to keep Sullivan in custody. A hearing is set for Feb. 1 on
whether the judge should send him back to jail.
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The 9 most notable comments Trump has made about
accepting the election results
President Donald Trump's refusal Wednesday to guarantee that he would accept the results
and exit the VVhite House if he is defeated caused an explosion of outrage and_put
£:QI1gressiona) Republicans on the defensive about what would otherwise be a fundamental
assumption of a democratic system.
It also ratcheted up tensions amid a burgeoning Supreme Court fight that is sure to further
embitter both sides of the political spectrum, as Trump has said he wants a successor to
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in place in time to adjudicate possible legal disputes over
contested election results.
But for months Trump has raised doubts about the integrity of this year's elections, accusing
Democrats of going to great lengths to skew results in their favor and making it a recurring
theme in his reelection campaign while providing little evidence to back up his grievous
assertions.
He's also off-handedly mused on a handful of occasions about getting more than the
constitutionally permitted eight years in office because of the time in his first term "stolen"
from him due to former special counsel Robert Muller's investigation - comments that also
raised concerns about Trump's commitment to the limits of presidential terms.
White House press secretary Kaleigh McEnaney on Thursday declared that the president
"will accept the result of a free and fair election," though Trump himself has claimed he will
lose only if he is cheated out of victory.
It's familiar ground for Trump, who in 2016 also took a wait-and-see approach to questions
about whether he would accept the results of the election that ultimately went his way and
has frequently adopted a never-say-never position to legislation, personnel moves and other
decisions.
Here are some of Trump's most notable statements casting doubt on the coming Nov. 3
election.
Sept. 24, from the White House lawn
"We have to be very careful with the ballots," Trump said, when asked whether the election
results are legitimate only if he wins. "The ballots, that's a whole big scam."
"We want to make sure the election is honest, and I am not sure that it can be. I don't know
that it can be with this whole situation of unsolicited ballots."
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Sept. 23, during a White House press briefing
"We're going to have to see what happens," the president said, when asked whether he'd
commit to a peaceful transfer of power, "vvin, lose, or draw." "You know, I've been
complaining about the ballots and the ballots are a disaster."
"And the ballots are out of control," he continued. "You know it. And you know who knows it
better than anybody else? The Democrats."
Earlier in the day, during a meeting with state attorneys general and Republican senators
to discuss looming litigation against major tech companies.
"I think this scam that the Democrats are pulling, it's a scam [and] this scam will be before
the United States Supreme Court," Trump said. "And I think having a 4-4 situation is not a
good situation."
Sept. 13, during a Nevada campaign rally
"The Democrats are trying to rig this election because that's the only way they're going to
win," he said.
Aug. 24, during his Republican National Convention acceptance speech
"The only way they can take this election away from us is if this is a rigged election," Trump
said.
Aug. 2, in a televised interview with Axios journalist Jonathan Swan
"There is no way you can go through a mail-in vote without massive cheating," Trump said,
when asked what it would look like if a sitting president didn't accept the election results.
"You could have a case where this election won't be decided on the evening of November 3rd.
This election could be decided two months later. It could be decided many months later....
You know why? Because lots of things will happen during that period of time, especially when
you have tight margins. Lots of things can happen. There's never been anything like this."
Aug. 17, at a rally in Wisconsin
"The only way we're going to lose this election is if the election is rigged, remember that,"
Trump said. "It's the only way we're going to lose this election. So we have to be careful."
"The only way they're going to win is that way, and we can't let that happen."
July 30 via Twitter
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"With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most
INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history,".In!m~. "It will be a great
embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely
vote???"
Trump tried to clarify his tweet later that day, saying, "Do I want to see a day change? No, but
I don't want to see a crooked election," before doubling down in a tweet hours later.
"Must know Election results on the night of the Election, not days, months, or even years
later!" Trump wrote.
July 19 interview on "Fox News Sunday"
Asked directly_by host Chris Wallace whether he would accept the results of the election,
Trump said he'd "have to see" and "it depends."
'Tm not going to just say yes," Trump said. 'Tm not going to say no."
"Are you suggesting that you might not accept the results of the election?" Wallace asked in a
follow up.
"No. I have to see," Trump said.
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Biden Appears to Hold Edge in the Key Votes left to Be
Counted
November 5, 2020
[Live updates on Eiden and Trum[2.]
Joe Biden looks to be on the cusp of winning the election. Here's a look at where the vote
count stands in the key states.
~y,lvania
President Trump's lead in Pennsylvania has plummeted to two percentage points as of
Thursday morning, as the mail absentee ballot count proceeded briskly across the state.
There is every indication that Mr. Bi den remains on track to 11ull ahead when all of the votes
are in and counted, whenever that may be.
So far, Mr. Biden has been winning absentee votes, 77 percent to 22 percent, according to the
Pennsylvania secretary of state. At that pace, he needs only 288,000 more mail votes before
taking the lead. By my count, there are about 500,000 mail ballots left. The secretary of state
rs:11orted a total of 2.6 million absentee ballots cast as of Tuesday, and so far 2.1 million
absentee votes have been counted. If Mr. Biden won those 500,000 ballots by the same 77-22
pace, he would end vvith a lead of about 100,000 votes in the state. That's a pretty decent
cushion.
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That estimate may also be conservative. For one, the remaining mail ballots are
disproportionately in Democratic counties, so he11 probably do better than 77-22. Another
factor: There are more remaining absentee votes than estimated here; the state tally as of
Tuesday does not include mail ballots postmarked by Election Day that arrived afterward
(and I'm not entirely sure whether it includes mail ballots placed in Election Day drop boxes,
but I'm assuming so out of caution).
To that point, the Pennsylvania election web page says there are 763,000 mail ballots left to
be counted. I think that's mainly because it's out of date, and additional mail ballots have
been counted since the page was last updated. But it may also reflect additional mail ballots.
It might also be both.
And finally, there are still Election Day ballots left in Philadelphia, as well as provisional
ballots - votes cast by people who couldn't initially be verified as eligible voters when they
showed up to cast a ballot, like someone who went to the wrong precinct that will cushion
Mr. Biden.
The provisional count might be especially large here this year, since voters who requested a
mail ballot but decided to vote in person (and didn't surrender their mail ballot in person)
were also forced to vote provisionally, so as to make sure their votes weren't double-counted.
If you want a gut check on the big picture, look at the swing map on our results p_ag~, which
shows how things have changed since 2016 in the counties where we think the vote is done.
In the places where the count has mostly wrapped up, Mr. Bi den is mostly running ahead of
Hillary Clinton's 2016 showing and often by a significant margin.
Now take that logic statewide: If Mr. Biden runs ahead of her 2016 performance by a modest
margin statewide, he carries the state. And that's before the provisional vote count.
If Mr. Biden is the projected v,inner in Pennsylvania, he'll be the president-elect.
Arizona
Joe Biden's lead in Arizona fell to 2.4 points Wednesday night, as late mail ballots broke
toward Mr. Trump by a significant margin. This runs counter to the pattern we've seen
elsewhere in the country, but it was expected, or at least not a surprise.
Why are late mail ballots better for Mr. Trump here? Unlike most other states, Arizona has a
huge number of permanent absentee mail votes, and they're slightly Republican by
registration. This year, the Democratic absentee voters rushed in their ballots, giving
Democrats an unusual lead in the state's early mail vote. As a consequence, the group of
voters who had received but not returned mail ballots was disproportionately Republican
heading into the weekend before the election.
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Over all, Mr. Trump won the ballots counted in Arizona on Wednesday night by about 23
points. It's hard to say whether that pace v,rill be enough for Mr. Trump to win, since it
depends on exactly how many ballots are left (we don't know this with the precision
necessary for a close race). It also depends on what kinds of late mail ballots are left, and
what kinds of votes were counted Wednesday night.
There are two kinds of late mail ballots in Arizona: those that arrived in the mail in the days
ahead of the election, and those that were dropped off at a polling place on Election Day.
These two kinds often lean differently politically, and they can be counted at different times,
too. Without knowing which of these ballots we saw Wednesday night, it's hard to be too sure
whether Mr. Trump's on track for something close to a comeback.
In general, the Election Day drop-off mail ballots are usually better for Democrats. If those
ballots weren't included in Wednesday's count, that's good news for Mr. Eiden.
No matter how you cut the data, it's hard not to arrive at the conclusion that Mr. Biden's lead
will withstand the late vote. But there's also enough uncertainty with the number and kind of
ballots left that it would be a mistake to be too sure about it. Certainly, it is too soon to
project the state for Mr. Eiden.
The president's lead in the state all but vanished overnight. Mr. Trun1p now leads byfour-
tenths of a percentage point - just under 19,000 votes - after heavily Democratic ballots in
the Atlanta area were finally counted. There are still more absentee ballots left for Mr. Eiden.
It's not clear how many ballots there are and where. We received conflicting information this
morning, and things are so close that even modest differences will be decisive.
This morning, the Georgia secretary of state initially said there were 25,000 ballots
remaining. If so, Mr. Biden's push might fall just short of victory, though he'd still have a
chance with provisional ballots. Then, later in the morning, the secretary of state said it was
50,000 ballots. And now, The New York Times is reporting that the state voting system
implementation manager says there are 61,367 remaining ballots. The latter numbers come a
lot closer to our estimates, and that would be enough for Mr. Eiden to be a favorite. But
caution is warranted, given the mixed messaging.
We also don't have a number on the provisional ballot count, but we're in the territory where
those could be a crucial factor. And if you're wondering, our election night forecaster,Jhe
needle, did assume some number of provisional ballots would break heavily for Mr. Eiden,
helping to make him a very narrow favorite to win the state.
Some of you have wondered where our three needles went. They're turned off. We're not
staffed to monitor them 24/7: We depend on hundreds of feeds that we don't control, and if
they did something unexpected it would have big consequences for needle movement in a
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close race.
Nonetheless, the needle lives on internally here at The Times, and Mr. Biden still leads in
Georgia by the same narrow margin that he did when we turned it off. But again, this all
depends on exactly how many ballots are left, including provisionals.
Nevada
We didn't get any new ballots, and Mr. Biden still holds a lead. The remaining vote: mail
ballots received on Election Day and provisionals. There's reason to expect these ,vill pad Mr.
Biden's lead: Democrats were outpacing Republicans by a two-to-one margin in the state's
mail ballot returns, and provisionals lean Democratic just about everywhere. But we11 wait to
be sure. We should get more data today.
North Carolina
We're still waiting to see how many mail ballots arrived after the election, and whether
they're enough to overcome the president's lead. There's not much reason to expect it, but
here again we'll wait to be sure.
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Fox News, first to call Arizona, lags other networks in
tipping presidential race to Joe Biden
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Fox News, first to call Arizona, lags other networks in tipping presidential race to Joe
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Fox News lagged other networks in calling the presidential race Joe Bi den Saturday morning,
after Trump tweeted that he "won."
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Bill KeveneY-, USA TODAY Published 12:13 p.m. ET Nov. 7, 2020 I Updated 11:00 p.m. ET
Nov.8,2020
CLOSE
Joe Eiden won key several battleground states like Michigan and Wisconsin. USA TODAY
An earlier version of this article, citing CNN, misstated the time on Saturday that the
Associated Press called the presidential race for Joe Eiden. It was 11: 26 a. m. EST, the wire
service says.
Four days after the polls closed, the TV news networks finally called the presidential election
for Democratic nominee Joe Eiden on Saturday morning.
Most of the networks made the call for Eiden, which had been expected since late
Wednesday, at about 11:25 a.m. EST. But Fox News, which called Arizona for Biden on
Tuesday night and had credited Bi den with more electoral votes than its competitors before
the call, made its announcement at 11:40, also calling Nevada for the president-elect.
Network representatives declined to comment on the delay.
CNN called the election at 11:24 a.m., NBC and CBS at 11:25, ABC and The Associated Press
at 11:26, according to CNN's Brian Stelter and the AP.
The networks determined Eiden had defeated President Donald Trump after calling
Pennsylvania for the Democrat, giving him 273 electoral votes.
Fox News anchors Bret Baier and Martha Maccallum call Pennsylvania, and the election, for
Joe Eiden about 15 minutes after its rivals (Photo: Fox News Channel)
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Political observers rely on The Associated Press and other news organizations to make the
definitive call, although states must certify their results to make them official. With a roughly
4 million vote lead over Trump in the popular vote, the Eiden campaign had been expecting
to reach the 270 electoral votes needed to win on Friday, scheduling and then postponing
outdoor celebratory speeches. (Eiden is scheduled to give a victory speech Saturday at 8
EST/5 PST).
Camera ready: CNN's Van Jones breaks down in tears over Bi den victozy; Meghan
McCain, more media figures react
The networks were poised for their decision desks to anoint Eiden as the winner early
Saturday, as top anchors and correspondents were on hand and jumped into action
immediately.
Democratic nominee Joe Bi den speaks during the final presidential at Belmont University in
Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo: ,Julio Cortez, AP)
About 10 minutes after CNN and MSNBC called the election for Eiden, Fox anchor Neil
Cavuto reported that other news organizations had made that determination and that Eiden
needed just one more state to hit 270 electoral votes, the number needed to win the
presidency. Moments later, he handed off coverage to the network's top political anchors,
Bret Baier and Martha Maccallum, who said the network was projecting a Eiden victory.
Election reactions: 'A new p.1lge for America': Hillazy Clinton, Kim Kardashian West.
celebs react to Joe Biden's win
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News coverage after the announcement appeared to be a political Rorschach test for viewers.
On Twitter, one person lauded Fox News for balance while another suggested it had
abandoned its right-leaning viewers.
Similarly, singer Martina McBride's attempt at a unifying tweet drew both praise and
criticism on Twitter. She wrote: "The most hopeful and most calming thing for me is the way
both @CNN and @FoxNews are speaking intelligently, compassionately, and focused on
moving this country forward for all Americans. Talking about bringing this country together.
We desperately need that. I'm feeling relieved."
The most hopeful and most calming thing for me is the way both @CNN and
@FoxNews are speaking intelligently, compassionately, and focused on
moving this country forward for all Americans. Talking about bringing this
country together. We desperately need that. I'm feeling relieved
Martina McBride (@martinamcbride) November 7, 2020
Shortly after announcing Biden's victory, CNN anchor Jake Tapper noted the historic
significance of electing Biden's running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, as VP.
"I would like to also take a moment to acknowledge that the United States of America just
elected its first woman and its first woman of color as vice president, Kamala Harris, the
daughter of immigrants, one from India and one from Jamaica. Once again amazing sign of
what this country can do," he said.
CNN Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash commented on Biden's long political career
and how the man who will become the nation's oldest president at 78 rode a topsy-turvy
campaign to victory.
"Let's talk about Joe Eiden. Five decades in public service, three times running for president,
he finally got there," she said. "He's the most conventional of politicians, but in this election
cycle, his path has been so unconventional. Remember, he beat out the biggest, most diverse
field in the Democratic primary. And he is an older white man who did that. ... He lost Iowa,
he lost New Hampshire and it was black Democratic voters who saved him and propelled him
to this point. That started in South Carolina."
A little later, the main force behind Biden's South Carolina revival, U.S. Rep. James Clyburn,
was discussing Biden's victory on CBS.
Before the call, some anchors showed their weariness at the delay, as MSNBC's Joe
Scarborough jokingly offered breaking news that Bob Dole would be the 1996 Republican
presidential nominee. It appeared many TV journalists were anxious for their decision
teams - the groups of statistical and political experts who decide when to call states for
candidates would call one of the few remaining states Eiden needed to hit 270.
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In the end, it was the projection of Pennsylvania, just after an updated vote total pushed
Eiden more than 30,000 votes ahead, moved that state and its 20 electoral votes into Biden's
column and carried him to 273.
"Meet the Press" moderator Chuck Todd explained the detennination on NBC: "Look, we got
just enough vote in, in order to call Pennsylvania, even if it may slip into a recount. We think
it's just mathematically, nearly impossible for the order of finish to change in Pennsylvania."
Before Eiden was projected the winner, a number of TV anchors and pundits noted that
Trump was golfing at his Virginia course on Saturday morning. Just a few hours before the
expected projection of Biden's victory, Trump defiantly and vvTongly tweeted: "I WON IBIS
ELECTION, BYA LOT!"
1 WON THIS ELECTION, BY A LOT!
1 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 7, 2020
Trump's campaign issued a statement rejecting the network projections and alleging a media
conspiracy at odds with reality: "We all know why Joe Eiden is rushing to falsely pose as the
winner, and why his media allies are trying so hard to help him: they don't want the truth to
be exposed. The simple fact is this election is far from over."
While cable news networks continued their marathon coverage, ABC shifted back to regular
programming (a college football game) at 1 p.m. EST, shortly after NBC resumed airing
Premier League soccer. CBS continued its election coverage. All networks were scheduled to
return for Biden's victory speech at 8 p.m. EST.
Contributing: Gary Levin, Kelly Lawler
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President-elect Joe Biden points to his face mask with the word "Vote" printed on it during a
rally outside Center Pare Stadium in Atlanta, Ga, on Jan. 4, 2021. President Donald Trump,
still seeking ways to reverse his election defeat, and President-elect Joe Biden converge on
Georgia on Monday for dueling rallies on the eve of runoff votes that will decide control of
the US Senate. Trump, a day after the release of a bombshell recording in which he pressures
Georgia officials to overturn his November 3 election loss in the southern state, is to hold a
rally in the northwest city of Dalton in support of Republican incumbent senators Kelly
Loeffler and David Perdue. Eiden, who takes over the White House on January 20, is to
campaign in Atlanta, the Georgia capital, for the Democratic challengers, Raphael Warnock
and Jon Ossoff. JIM WATSON, AFP via Getty Images
Fullscreen
President-elect Joe Biden speaks to members of the media as he departs after holding a news
conference to introduce his nominees and appointees to economic policy posts at The Queen
theater, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020, in V\Tilmington, Del. i\.ndrew Harnik, AP
Fullscreen
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President-elect Joe Bi den and Dr. Jill Biden honor military veterans ,vith a stop at the
Philadelphia Korean War Memorial at Penn's Landing on Veterans Day on November 10,
2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mr. Biden continues the process of the presidential
transition as President Donald Trump continues to contest the election. Joe Raedle, Getty
Images
Fullscreen
President-elect Joe Biden and ,Jill Biden on stage after speaking to supporters. Robert
Deutsch, USA TODAY
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Fullscreen
President-elect Joe Biden and vice president-elect Kamala Harris watch fireworks with their
families. Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY
Fullscreen
President-Elect Joe Biden speak to supporters post election night at an event held outside of
the Chase Center. Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY
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Fullscreen
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Eiden speaks Thursday, Nov. 5,
2020, in Wilmington, Del. Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-
Calif., stands at left. Carolyn Kaster, AP
Fullscreen
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Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden visits a neighbor's house after stopping at his
childhood home on Nov. 3, 2020 in Scranton, Pennsylvania. As polls open on Election Day,
nearly 100 million Americans have already cast their ballots through early voting and mail-in
voting. Drew Angerer, Getty Images
Fullscreen
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden speaks at a drive-in get out the vote event at
Burke Lakefront Airport on November 2, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. -The US presidential
campaign enters its final day Monday with a last-minute scramble for votes by Donald
Trump and Joe Biden, drawing to a close an extraordinary race that has put a pandemic-
stricken country on edge. JIM WATSON, AFP via Getty Images
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Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden poses for a picture with a young girl during a
canvassing kick-off event on Nov. 1, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pa. Biden is campaigning in
Philadelphia on Sunday, in the key battleground state of Pennsylvania that President Donald
Trump won narrowly in 2016. Drew Angerer, Getty Images
Fullscreen
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, right, and former
President Barack Obama greet each other at a rally at Northwestern High School in Flint,
Mich., Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020. Andrew Hamik, AP
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Fullscreen
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Eiden leaves St. Joseph On the
Brandywine Roman Catholic Church with his granddaughters Natalie Eiden, center, and
Finnegan Biden, right, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020, in Wilmington. Andrew Harnik, AP
Fullscreen
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Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, arrive at a campaign stop at
Bucks County Community College on Oct. 24 in Bristol, Pa., where the former vice president
faced hecklers chanting, "Four more years." Andrew Harnik, AP
Fullscreen
Former Vice President Joe Biden reacts to a comment by President Donald Trump who is
reflected in the plexiglass divider during the debate at Belmont University on Thursday, Oct.
22, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. Andrew Nelles, The Tennessean
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Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden speaks during a drive-in campaign rally at
Riverside High School on October 18, 2020 in Durham, North Carolina. Biden is
campaigning on Sunday in the battleground state that President Donald Trump won in 2016.
Drew Angerer, Getty Images
Fullscreen
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden arrives to talk with supporters in Southfield,
Mich. on October 16, 2020. Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press
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Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is pictured at an ABC News town hall event at
the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. Jim Watson, AFP via Getty Images
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President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate, former Vice President Joe
Eiden appear in the first Presidential debate in the Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion at the
Cleveland Clinic, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, in Cleveland. Meg Vogel, Cincinnati Enquirer-USA
TODAY NETWORK
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Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden arrives to participate in a Hispanic Heritage
Month event at the Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida on Sept. 15, 2020. JIM
WATSON, AFP via Getty Images
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Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden an Jill Biden visited the Flight 93 National
Memorial in Shanksville, Penn. on Sept. 11, 2020 just hours after President Donald Trump
visited and made remarks at the 19th annual September nth Observance at the Flight 93
National Memorial. Jack Gruber-USA TODAY NETWORK
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Fullscreen
Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden has a conversation about school reopening
with local parents and educators during an event in Wauwatosa, v\71, September 3, 2020. -
Joe Biden met Thursday with relatives of Jacob Blake, the black father shot by a white
policeman in Wisconsin, as the presidential hopeful undertakes a mission to help a
community come together after days of violent unrest. JIM WATSON, AFP via Getty Images
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Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Eiden hugs his wife Jill Eiden
after speaking during the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention, Thursday, Aug.
20, 2020, at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Del. Andrew Harnik, AP
Fullscreen
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Eiden speaks during the fourth
day of the Democratic National Convention, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, at the Chase Center in
Wilmington, Del. Andrew Harnik, AP
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Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, and his wife Jill Biden,
join Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and her husband
Doug Emhoff, during the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention, Thursday, Aug.
20, 2020, at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Del. Andrew Harnik, AP
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August 18, 2020; Milwaukee, WI, USA; (Editors Note: Screen grab from Democratic National
Convention video stream) Former Vice President Joe Eiden greets Former Second Lady of
the United States, Dr. Jill Eiden after she delivered a speech for viewers during the
Democratic National Convention at the Wisconsin Center. Mandatory Credit: Democratic
National Convention via USA TODAY NETWORK ORIG FILE ID:
20200818_ajw_usa_209.jpg Democratic National Convention, Democratic National
Convention v
Fullscreen
(Editors Note: Screen grab from Democratic National Convention video stream) Former Vice
President Joe Eiden reacts as he was nominated to be the Democratic candidate for President
during the Democratic National Convention at the Wisconsin Center. Democratic National
Convention, Democratic National Convention
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August 18, 2020; Milwaukee, WI, USA; (Editors Note: Screen grab from Democratic National
Convention video stream) Former Vice President Joe Bi den and Former Second Lady of the
United States, Dr. Jill Biden react after Joe was nominated to be the Democratic candidate
for President during the Democratic National Convention at the Wisconsin Center.
Democratic National Convention, Democratic National Convention
Fullscreen
Democratic presidential nominee, former US Vice President Joe Biden, speaks to the press
after receiving a briefing on COVID-19 in Wilmington, Delaware, on Aug. 13, 2020. MANDEL
NGAN, AFP via Getty Images
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Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and her husband Douglas Emhoff, right, applaud to Democratic
presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden after a
campaign event at Alexis Dupont High School in Wilmington, Del., Wednesday, Aug. 12,
2020. Carolyn Kaster, AP
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Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Bi den retrieves his face mask
from the podium as his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., prepares to speak at a
campaign event at Alexis Dupont High School in Wilmington, Del., Wednesday, Aug. 12,
2020. Carolyn Kaster, AP
Fullscreen
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee former Vice President Joe Biden invites his
running mate Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) to the stage to deliver remarks at the Alexis Dupont
High School on August 12, 2020 in Wilmington, Delaware. Harris is the first Black woman
and the first person of Indian descent to be nominated at the top of the presidential ticket by
a major party in U.S. history. Drew Angerer, Getty Images
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Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee former Vice President Joe Eiden speaks as his
running mate Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) looks on during an event at the Alexis Dupont High
School on August 12, 2020 in Wilmington, Delaware. Harris is the first Black woman and the
first person of Indian descent to be nominated at the top of the presidential ticket by a major
party in U.S. history. Drew Angerer, Getty Images
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Democratic presidential candidate, former Vice President Joe Eiden speaks at Alexis Dupont
High School in Wilmington, Del., Tuesday, June 30, 2020. Patrick Semansky, AP
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Fullscreen
Democratic presidential candidate, former Vice President Joe Eiden speaks during an event,
Thursday, June 25, 2020, in Lancaster, Pa. Matt Slocum, AP
Fullscreen
Former Vice President Joe Eiden, left, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., right, greet one
another before they participate in a Democratic presidential primary debate at CNN Studios
in Washington on March 15, 2020. Evan Vucci, AP
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Fullscreen
Joe Biden speaks about COVID-19, known as the Coronavirus, during a press event in
Wilmington, Delaware on March 12, 2020. Saul Loeb, AFP via Getty Images
Fullscreen
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a
campaign rally at Renaissance High School in Detroit on March 9, 2020. Paul Sancya, AP
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Democratic presidential hopeful former Vice President Joe Biden is seen on screens in the
spin room during the eighth Democratic primary debate of the 2020 presidential campaign
season co-hosted by ABC News, WMUR-1V and Apple News at St. Anselm College in
Manchester, New Hampshire on February 07, 2020. Joseph Prezioso, AFP via Getty Images
Fullscreen
Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the Democratic Presidential Debate at Tyler
Perry Studios November 20, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. Alex Wong, Getty Images
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Fullscreen
Democratic presidential hopefuls Joe Biden speaks as Elizabeth Warren listens during the
fourth Democratic primary debate of the 2020 presidential campaign season at Otterbein
University in Westerville, Ohio on October 15, 2019. Biden and Warren took jabs at each
other during the campaign and on the debate stage. Saul Loeb, AFP via Getty Images
Fullscreen
Former Vice President Joe Biden buys an ice cream Wonder Bar for himself and sisters Grace
and Noelle Beasley, of Urbandale, on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Thursday, Aug. 8,
2019, in Des Moines, Iowa. (Via OlyDrop) Kelsey Kremer/The Register
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July 24, 2019; Detroit, MI, USA; Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the
Presidential Candidates forum hosted by the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People (NAACP) Wednesday, July 24, 2019 at Cobo Center in Detroit. Mandatory
Credit: Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK ORIG FILE ID:
20190724_ajw_usa_151.jpg Mandi Wright, Detroit Free Press-USA TODAY NET
Fullscreen
Former US Vice President Joe Biden leaves a
rally organized by UFCW Union members to
support Stop and Shop employees on strike
throughout the region at the Stop and Shop in
Dorchester, Mass. on April 18, 2019. Joseph
Prezioso, AFP /Getty Images
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Former Vice President Joe Biden delivers remarks at the International Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers Construction and Maintenance Conference at the Washington Hilton in
Washington D.C. on April 5, 2019. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY
Fullscreen
Former US Vice President Joe Biden wipes tears
from his eyes as he speaks about his late son
Beau Biden during the First State Democratic
Dinner in Dover, Del. on March 16, 2019. Saul
Loeb, AFP /Getty Images
Fullscreen
Joe Biden is interviewed on the field after Super
Bowl LII between the Philadelphia Eagles and
the New England Patriots at U.S. Bank Stadium
on Feb 4, 2018. Kirt Dozier, USA TODAY Sports
Fullscreen
Biden poses for a portrait on Nov. 12, 2017, in
New York. Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY
Fullscreen
Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden in
conversation with author George Saunders
during The Miami Book Fair at Adrienne Arsht
Center for the Performing Arts on Nov. 18, 2017 in Miami, Fla. Johnny Louis, Wirelmage
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The Bidens speak onstage during Glamour
Celebrates 2017 Women Of The Year Live
Summit on Nov. 13, 2017, in New York. Craig
Barritt, Getty Images for Glamour
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Biden and Ohio Gov. John Kasich participate in
a discussion on bridging political and partisan
divides at the University of Delaware in Newark,
Del., on Oct. 17, 2017. Patrick Semansky, AP
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Biden takes a selfie with a student after
delivering remarks regarding sexual violence on
college campuses during a visit to Rutgers
University, on Oct. 12, 2017, in New Brunswick,
N.J. Julio Cortez, AP
Fullscreen
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., shakes hands with
Biden after receiving the Liberty Medal in
Philadelphia on Oct. 16, 2017. Matt Rourke, AP
Fullscreen
Biden waves to the crowd as he speaks at a rally
to campaign for Democrat Doug Jones in the
special election to fill Attorney General ,Jeff
Sessions' former Senate seat on Oct. 3, 2017, in
Birmingham, Ala. Brynn Anderson, AP
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The Bidens congratulate the competitors at the
Wheelchair Basketball Finals during the
Invictus Games on Sept. 30, 2017, in Toronto.
Chris Jackson, Getty Images
Fullscreen
Biden speaks onstage during OZ¥ Fest 2017 on
July 22, 2017, in New York City. Bryan Bedder,
Getty Images
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Biden poses for a photo with congressional
pages on Capitol Hill on July 11, 2017. Pablo
Martinez Monsivais, AP
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Eiden reacts to the crowd as he returns to Brown-Burton Winchester Park in Wilmington,
Del., where the pool facility is being dedicated in his honor as the Joseph R. Eiden Jr. Aquatic
Center. Suchat Pederson, The News Journal
Eiden addresses a gathering at campaign event for New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial
candidate Phil Murphy on May 28, 2017, in Lyndhurst, N.J. Mel Evans, AP
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Bi den takes off his sunglasses as he delivers the annual Harvard College Class Day address on
May 24, 2017, in Cambridge, Mass. Steven Senne, AP
Bi den applauds during the first half of the Washington Wizards vs. Atlanta Hawks NBA game
at the Verizon Center in Washington on April 26, 2017. Rob Carr, Getty Images
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Biden speaks during a health care event on the East Front of the Capitol on March 22, 2017.
House Democrats held the event to mark the seventh anniversary of the Affordable Care Act.
Alex Wong, Getty Images
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Bi den tucks notes into his jacket after speaking at an event to formally launch the Biden
Institute, a research and policy center focused on domestic issues, at the University of
Delaware in Newark, Del., on March 13, 2017. Patrick Semansky, AP
Obama and Biden walk through the Capitol for President Trump's inauguration ceremony on
Jan. 20, 2017. J. Scott Applewhite, AFP/Getty Images
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Bi den wipes his eyes as Obama presents him ,Nith the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the
White House on Jan. 12, 2017. Pool, Getty Images
The president and vice president embrace after Obama delivered his farewell speech to the
nation on Jan. 10, 2017, in Chicago. Scott Olson
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Bi den signs the drawer of the vice president's desk in the vice president's ceremonial office at
the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on Jan. 6, 2017. Manuel Balce Ceneta, AP
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Eiden watches President Obama, sitting with Defense Secretary Ash Carter, right, as they
listen to Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford talk about Obama during an Armed
Forces Full Honor Farewell Review on Jan. 4, 2017, at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va.
Susan Walsh, AP
The family of Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., takes a selfie with Biden during a ceremonial
swearing-in on Jan. 3, 2017, in the Old Senate Chamber. Kevin Wolf, AP
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Scarlett Willa Wyden, the daughter of Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., looks at Bi den as he greets
her during a ceremonial swearing-in on Jan. 3, 2017, in the Old Senate Chamber. Alex
Brandon,AP
Bi den speaks about sound financial sector regulation at Georgetown University on Dec. 5,
2016. Manuel Balce Ceneta, AP
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Obama and Biden walk back to the Oval Office on Nov. 9, 2016, after the president spoke
about the election in the Rose Garden. Pablo Martinez Monsivais, AP
Biden shakes hands with Vice President-elect Mike Pence at the Naval Observatory on Nov.
16, 2016, in Washington. Mark Wilson, Getty Images
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Eiden speaks to a crowd of Clinton supporters during a rally at the Museum of Science &
Industry in Tampa on Nov. 2, 2016. Charlie Kaijo, AP
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French President Francois Hollande speaks with Eiden at a press conference on the sidelines
of the 71st session of the U.N. General Assembly at The Met in New York on Sept. 20, 2016.
Stephane De Sakutin, AFP/Getty Images
Hillary Clinton greets Eiden on the tarmac at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport in
Avoca, Pa., on Aug. 15, 2016, before traveling together to a campaign event in Scranton, Pa.
Carolyn Kaster, AP
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Vice President Eiden speaks during the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on
July 27, 2016. Kyle Grantham, The News Journal
Eiden checks out the stage at Wells Fargo Arena before the start of the second day session of
the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 26, 2016. Paul Sancya, AP
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President Obama and Biden arrive at Orlando International Airport on June 16, 2016, to
meet vvith the families of victims of the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub. Craig Rubadoux,
Florida Today
Biden talks with House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin before President Obama delivers the
State of the Union Address on Jan. 12, 2016. Evan Vucci, AP
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Biden speaks in the Rose Garden at the Whlte House on Oct. 21, 2015, to announce he is not
running for president. Jim Watson, AFP /Getty Images
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Bi den jokes with Obama during an event to mark the 25th anniversary of the White House
Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics in the East Room of the White House on
Oct. 15, 2015. Brendan Smialowski, AFP/Getty Images
Eiden and Speaker John Boehner listen as Pope Francis addresses a joint session of Congress
on Sept. 24, 2014. Vincenzo Pinto, AFP/Getty Images
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In this image released by CBS, host Stephen Colbert shakes hands with Biden during a taping
of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" on Sept. 10, 2015 in New York. John Paul Filo, AP
Bi den walks in the annual Allegheny County Labor Day Parade on Sept. 7, 2015, in
Pittsburgh. Jeff Swensen, Getty Images
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Biden attends the Sussex County Democratic Party's annual Jamboree at Cape Henlopen
State Park in Delaware on Aug. 29, 2015. Jason Minto, The News Journal
Biden talks with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power in the Oval Office
on Aug. 4, 2015. Jim Watson, AFP /Getty Images
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Biden speaks at Generation Progress' 10th Annual Make Progress National Summit in
Washington on July 16, 2015. Molly Riley, AP
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Biden walks with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., after attending a House
Democratic Caucus meeting in the Capitol on July 15, 2015. He briefed Democrats on the
Iran nuclear deal and participated in a lengthy question-and-answer session. Shawn Thew,
European Pressphoto Agency
Obama hugs Biden after delivering the eulogy in honor ofBiden's son, former Delaware
Attorney General Beau Biden, on June 6, 2015, at St. Anthony of Padua Church in
Wilmington, Del. Pablo Martinez Monsivais, AP
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Eiden embraces his grandson Hunter before funeral services his son Beau Eiden on June 6,
2015, at St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church in Wilmington, Del. The eldest son of
the vice president, died of brain cancer May 30 at age 46. Patrick Semansky, AP
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A U.S. Na val Academy Midshipmen 1st Class celebrates after receiving his diploma from
Biden during graduation ceremonies at the U.S. Naval Academy on May 22, 2015, in
Annapolis, Md. Biden gave the commencement speech to this year's graduating class. Mark
Wilson, Getty Images
Bi den tours the headquarters of PECO energy company in Philadelphia on April 21, 2015.
Matt Rourke, AP
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Sen. Jeanne Shaheen's grandson, A.J. Bellabona, takes a selfie with Biden in the Old Senate
Chamber at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2015, after Sen. Shaheen participated in her ceremonial
swearing-in with other members of Congress. Eileen Blass, USA TODAY
Biden speaks to the Saban Forum on Dec. 6, 2014, in Washington. Jose Luis Magana, AP
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Bi den poses for a selfie with a member of the audience during a campaign event for
Democrat Seth Moulton, a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, on Oct. 29, 2014,
in Lynn, Mass. Steven Senne, AP
Biden enjoys an ice cream cone after an Oct. 8, 2014, campaign rally for Oregon Sen. Jeff
Merkley in Portland. Don Ryan, AP
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Biden waves on April 21, 2014, after landing at the airport in Boryspil, Ukraine. Yuriy
Maskirnov, European Pressphoto Agency
Biden and his wife, Jill, dance at the Inaugural Ball on Jan. 21, 2013, at the Washington
Convention Center. Carolyn Kaster, AP
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Biden, left, and Republican vice presidential nominee Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., gesture after
the Oct. 11, 2012, vice presidential debate at Centre College in Danville, Ky. Pool photo by
Michael Reynolds
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Biden visits with patrons during lunch at Cruisers Diner on Sept. 9, 2012, in Seaman, Ohio.
Carolyn Kaster, AP
Biden delivers his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention on Sept. 6,
2012, in Charlotte, N.C. H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY
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The vice president serves up a cone at Kopp's Frozen Custard on June 25, 2010, in
Milwaukee. Eiden was in Milwaukee for a fund raiser for Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis. Morry
Gash,AP
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Eiden greets spectators at the men's ski jumping competition on Feb. 13, 2010, at Whistler
Olympic Park in \Vhistler, B.C. Christopher Gannon, USA TODAY
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Biden and his wife, Jill, dance on Jan. 20, 2009, at the Commander in Chiefs Ball on
inauguration night in Washington. Gerald Herbert, AP
Biden and Sarah Palin participate in an Oct. 2, 2008, vice presidential debate at Washington
University in St. Louis, Mo. Pool photo by Rick Wilking
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Bi den and his son, Beau, at the Democratic National Convention in Denver on Aug. 27, 2008.
Matthew Cavanaugh, European Pressphoto Agency
Biden addresses the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 27, 2008, at the Pepsi Center
in Denver, Colo. Rob Curtis, USA TODAY
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Eiden holds up a 1972 "Life" magazine with his picture in it after speaking to the Nashua
Rotary Club in Nashua, N.H., on Aug. 13, 2008. Cheryl Senter, AP
Eiden speaks during a news conference about the agenda and priorities of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 24, 2008. MICHAEL SCHWARTZ, GNS
Fu1lscreen
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Biden rests his head on the shoulder of his wife, Jill, as they wait in a hallway for his
introduction at a Jan. 3, 2008, rally at the United Auto Workers' Hall in Dubuque, Iowa.
Mark Hirsch, AP
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Bi den talks with then-senator Barack Obama before the start of the first Democratic
presidential primary debate on April 26, 2007, at South Carolina State University in
Orangeburg. J. Scott Applewhite, AP
Bi den speaks to law students at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, on April 3, 2007.
KEVIN SANDERS, AP
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TI1en-senators Obama and Eiden confer during a Foreign Relations Committee hearing on
Capitol Hill on April 11, 2005, on John Bolton's nomination to be ambassador to the United
Nations. DENNIS COOK, AP
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Eiden, left, holds up a bottle of Andra Fuel, a type of steroid, during a news conference at the
Department of Health and Human Services in Washington on March 11, 2004. Standing with
Eiden is Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. Susan Walsh, AP
Bi den introduces America Online CEO Steve Case to media and children at the Eastern Boys
& Girls Club in Southeast Washington, D.C., on Feb. 10, 2000. Eiden announced his plan to
put new computers Vvith Internet access in Boys & Girls Clubs across the country. Heather
Martin Morrissey, GNS
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Biden holds up a government booklet on drug and crime issues while questioning Attorney
General Janet Reno during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee to discuss
Justice Department operations on April 30, 1997, on Capitol Hill. Joe Marquette, AP
Then-senator Biden attends a baseball antirust hearing on Feb. 21, 1995, in Washington. Tim
Dillon, USA TODAY
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Biden stands on stage with his wife, ,Till, and sons Hunter, left, and Beau, along with his
father, Joe Biden Sr., during a campaign event in 1988. AP
In this Aug. 1, 1987, file photo, 6-year-old Ashley Bi den gets a taste of campaigning Vvith her
dad, in Des Moines, Iowa. AP
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Bi den waves from his train on June 9, 1987, as he leaves Wilmington, Del., after announcing
his candidacy for president. George Widman, AP
Biden is photographed with his sons Hunter, left, and Beau around 1972. AP
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Eiden is pictured in his official Senate portrait from the mid-197os. AP
Eiden is pictured at age 10. AP
Fullscreen
Interested in this topic? You may also want to view these photo galleries:
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1129/2021 Nearly 80% of Americans say Biden won White House, ignoring Trump's refusal to concede: Reuters/!psos poll Reader View
WWW. reuters. com /article/us-usa-election-poll/nearly--80-of-americans-say-biden-won-white-house-ignoring-trumps-refusa ..
Nearly 80% of Americans say Biden won White House,
ignoring Trump's refusal to concede: Reuters/lpsos poll
Chris Kahn
3-3 minutes
NEW YORK (Reuters) Nearly 80% of Americans, including more than half of Republicans, recognize
President-elect Joe Biden as the winner of the Nov. 3 election after most media organizations called the
race for the Democrat based on his leads in critical battleground states, according to a Reuters/lpsos
poll.
Biden - who needed 270 Electoral College votes to win - had 279 of those votes to 214 for Trump with
results in three states not yet complete, according to Edison Research. In the popular vote, Biden got
76.3 million, or 50.7% of the total, to 71.6 million, or 47.6%, for Trump.
The Reuters/lpsos national opinion survey, which ran from Saturday afternoon to Tuesday, found that
79% of U.S. adults believe Biden won the White House. Another 13% said the election has not yet been
decided, 3% said Trump won and 5% said they do not know.
The results were somewhat split along party lines: about six in 10 Republicans and almost every
Democrat said Biden won.
Edison Research, which conducts exit polling for Reuters and major media outlets, called the race for
Biden on Saturday after he expanded his lead over Trump in Pennsylvania and appeared well on his
way to amassing 270 electoral votes.
Trump has yet to recognize the result of the race. He prematurely declared victory well before the votes
had been counted and has repeatedly complained without evidence that he is the victim of widespread
voter fraud.
His claims have been echoed by members of Trump's cabinet U.S. Attorney General William Barr has
authorized federal investigations of "substantial" allegations of voting irregularities, and Secretary of
State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday said he foresees "a smooth transition to a second Trump
administration."
The Reuters/lpsos poll was part of a broader survey that was conducted Friday to Tuesday and included
responses before the presidential race was called.
It showed that 70% of Americans, including 83% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans, trust their local
election officials to "do their job honestly."
The poll also found that 72% think the loser of the election must concede defeat, and 60% think there
will be a peaceful transition of power when Trump's term ends in January.
The Reuters/lpsos poll was conducted online, in English, throughout the United States. It gathered
responses from 1,363 U.S. adults in all, including 469 respondents who took the poll between Saturday
afternoon and Tuesday. The poll has a credibility interval, a measure of precision, of 5 percentage
points.
Reporting by Chris Kahn, editing by Ross Colvin, Jonathan Oatis and Cynthia Osterman
chrome-extension://ecablfbgmdmgdllomnfinbmae!lmclnh/data/reader/index.html?id=47&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2F artlc!e%2Fus-usa., 1/1
158
Dona.Id Trump Speech on Election Fraud Claims
Transcript December 2
President Donald Trump: (00:00)
Thank you. This may be the most important speech I've ever made. I want to provide an
update on our ongoing efforts to expose the tremendous voter fraud and irregularities which
took place during the ridiculously long November 3rd elections. We used to have what was
called, election day. Now we have election days, weeks, and months, and lots of bad things
happened during this ridiculous period of time, especially when you have to prove almost
nothing to exercise our greatest privilege, the right to vote. As President, I have no higher
duty than to defend the laws and the Constitution of the United States. That is why I am
determined to protect our election system, which is now under coordinated assault and siege.
President Donald Trump: (00:5.4)
For months, leading up to the Presidential election, we were warned that we should not
declare a premature victory. We were told repeatedly that it would take weeks if not, months,
to determine the winner, to count the absentee ballots and to verify the results. My opponent
was told to stay away from the election, don't campaign. "We don't need you. We've got it.
This election is done." In fact, they were acting like they already knew what the outcome was
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159
going to be. They had it covered and perhaps they did, very sadly for our country. It was all
very, very strange. Within days after the election, we witnessed an orchestrated effort to
anoint the winner even while many key states were still being counted.
President Donald Trump: (Q1;__44)
The constitutional process must be allowed to continue. We're going to defend the honesty of
the vote by ensuring that every legal ballot is counted and that no illegal ballot is counted.
This is not just about honoring the votes of 74 million Americans who voted for me, it's about
ensuring that Americans can have faith in this election and in all future elections.
President Donald Trump: (02:12)
Today I will detail some of the shocking irregularities, abuses and fraud that had been
revealed in recent weeks but before laying out just a small portion of the evidence we have
uncovered, and we have so much evidence, I want to explain the corrupt mail-in balloting
scheme that Democrats systematically put into place that allowed voting to be altered,
especially in swing states, which they had to win. They just didn't know that it was going to be
that tough, because we were leading in every swing state by so much, far greater than they
ever thought possible. While it has long been understood that the Democrat political machine
engages in voter fraud from Detroit to Philadelphia, to Milwaukee, Atlanta, so many other
places. What changed this year was the Democrat party's relentless push to print and mail
out tens of millions of ballots sent to unknown recipients with virtually no safeguards of any
kind. This allowed fraud and abuse to occur in a scale never seen before. Using the pandemic
as a pretext, Democrat politicians and judges drastically changed election procedures just
months, and in some cases, weeks before the election on the 3rd of November.
President Donald Trump: (Q3_;_45)
Very rarely were legislatures involved and constitutionally, they had to be involved, but very,
very rarely, and you11 see that as we continue to file our suits, it's constitutionally, absolutely
incorrect what took place, even from a legal standpoint. Many states, such as Nevada and
California sent millions of live ballots to every person on their voter rolls whether those
individuals had requested ballots or not, whether they were dead or alive, they got ballots.
Other states such as Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin, instituted universal absentee
balloting right in the middle of an election year, sending absentee ballot requests forms to all
voters on all rolls. It didn't matter who they were. This colossal expansion of mail-in voting
opened the flood gates to massive fraud. It's a widely known fact that the voting rolls are
packed with people who are not lawfully eligible to vote, including those who are deceased,
have moved out of their state, and even our non-citizens of our country.
President Donald Trump: (Qs;..Q5)
Beyond this, the records are riddled with errors, wrong addresses, duplicate entries, and
many other issues. This is not disputed. It has never been disputed. Dozens of counties in the
key swing states have more registered voters on the rolls than they have voting age citizens,
including 67 counties in Michigan. All of this is evidence. In Wisconsin, the state's Board of
Elections could not confirm the residency of more than 100,000 people, but repeatedly
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160
refused to remove those names from its voter rolls before the election. They knew why,
nobody else did. I knew why. They were illegal voters. It is a travesty that in the year 2020,
we do not have any means of verifying the eligibility of those who cast ballots in an election
and such an important election it is, or determining who they are, whether they live in the
state or whether they're even American citizens. We have no idea.
President Donald Trump: ~
We have an in all swing states major infractions or outright fraud, which is far more in
numbers or votes then we need to overturn the results of a state. In other words, in
Wisconsin, as an example, where we were way up on election night, they ultimately had us
miraculously losing by 20,000 votes. I can show you right here, that Wisconsin, we're leading
by a lot and then at 3:42 in the morning, there was this, it was a massive dump of votes,
mostly Biden, almost all Eiden. To this day, everyone's trying to figure out, "Where did it
come from?" But I went from leading by a lot, to losing by a little and that's right here. That's
at 3:42 in the morning, that's Wisconsin, a terrible thing, terrible, terrible thing.
President Donald Trump: (Qz_;33)
But we will have far more, many times more than the 20,000 votes needed to overturn the
state. If we are right about the fraud, Joe Eiden can't be president. We're talking about
hundreds of thousands of votes. We're talking about numbers like nobody has ever seen
before. Just as an example, in certain states, we'll be down by, let's say, 7,000 votes, but we'll
find later on 20,000, 50,000, 100,00, 200,000 discrepancies or fraudulent votes, and that
includes votes that went through when they were not allowed to be seen by Republican poll
watchers, because the poll watchers were locked out of the building. Or people that
innocently came to vote on November 3rd, who were all excited about their vote, they were
happy. They were proud to be citizens of the United States of America, and they went up and
they said, "I'd like to vote." They were told that they can't vote. 'Tm sorry," they were told,
'Tm sorry. You've already voted by mail-in ballot. Congratulations. We received a ballot, so
you can no longer vote."
President Donald Trump: (Q9:03)
They didn't know what to do. They had no one to complain to, most just left and said, "That's
strange." But many people complained and complained vehemently, and in a lot of cases,
they filled out a provisional ballot, which was almost never used, but in virtually every case
was a vote for Trump. In other words, they went in to vote and they were told that they voted
and they didn't vote. TI1ey left and they felt horror and they lost respect for our system. This
happened tens of thousands of times all over the country. That's how desperate the
Democrats were. They would fill out ballots of people not even knowing if these people were
going to show up. When they did show up, they said, "Sorry, you've already voted."
President Donald Trump: (10:07.)
On top of everything else, we have a company that's very suspect. It's name is Dominion, with
the turn of a dial or the change of a chip, you could press a button for Trump and the vote
goes to Eiden. ½'hat kind of a system is this? We have to go to paper, maybe it takes longer.
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But the only secure system is paper. Not these systems that nobody understands, including in
many cases, the people that run them. Although, unfortunately, I think they understand them
far too well.
President Donald Trump: (10:4.!;i)
In one Michigan County, as an example, that used Dominion systems, they found that nearly
6,000 votes had been wrongly s,vitched from Trump to Biden, and this is just the tip of the
iceberg. This is what we caught. How many didn't we catch? Are there 100s of other examples
throughout the country? Are there 1000s? We just got lucky and they called it a glitch, but we
found numerous glitches that evening. 96% of the company's political donations went to
Democrats, not surprisingly. Frankly, when you look at who's running the company, who's in
charge, who owns it, which we don't know, where are the votes counted? vVhich we think are
counted in foreign countries, not in the United States, Dominion is a disaster. Election
authorities in Texas have repeatedly blocked the deployment of Dominion systems due to
concerns about security vulnerabilities and the potential for errors and outright fraud. Every
district that uses Dominion systems must be carefully monitored and carefully investigated,
but not only for the future.
President Donald Trump: (12:01)
Right now, we're worried about the present, and what went on 1,vith an election that we won
without question. Under my lead, the Republicans won almost every state house in the
United States, which they weren't expected to do. We went up to 16 seats in the house. The
numbers are still being tabulated, because there are nine seats that nobody really knows.
They don't know. Two weeks later, it's still under consideration, because it's a mess.
Republicans were supposed to lose many seats, and instead they won those seats in the
house, and a very important election that's coming up vd.11 determine whether, or not we hold
the Senate.
President Donald Trump: (12:5_9.)
David Perdue and Kelly Leffler are two tremendous people. Unfortunately, in Georgia, they're
using the same horrible dominion system, and it's already been out that, think of it, hundreds
of thousands of absentee ballots have been requested. You check it out who's requesting
those ballots. The difference is, it's one state, and we will have our eyes on it like nobody's
ever watched anything before, because we have to win those two Senate seats. The
tremendous success we had in the House of Representatives, and the tremendous success
we've had so far in the Senate, unexpected success all over the country, and right here in
Washington.
President Donald Trump: (13;55)
It is statistically impossible that the person, me, that led the charge lost. The greatest
pollsters, the real pollsters, not the ones that had us down 17 points in Wisconsin when we
actually won, or the ones that had us down four or five points in Florida, and we won by
many points, or had us even, and down in Texas, and we won by a lot, not those pollsters, but
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real pollsters. Pollsters that are fair, and honest said, "We can't understand a thing like this.
It's never happened before. You led the country to victory, and you were the only one that
was lost. It's not possible."
President Donald Trump: (i.4,;_43)
The speaker of the house of a certain state said, "Sir, I expected to lose my seat, and instead,
because of you, and because of that incredible charge, and all of those rallies, we had a
tremendous victory, and everybody knows it. You are much more popular than me, sir,
except I got many more votes than you did, and it's impossible that that happened. There is
something wrong." I'll tell you what's wrong, voter fraud. Here's an example. This is
Michigan. At 6:31 in the morning, a vote dump of 149,772 votes came in unexpectedly. We
were winning by a lot. That batch was received in horror.
President Donald Trump: (15,;_4.4)
Nobody knows anything about it. By the way, there's your line. This is one of many. Here's
what is normal, and all of a sudden, look at that. This is normal, normal. Look even here,
normal, and then boom, all of a sudden, I go from winning by a lot to losing a tight race. It's
corrupt. Detroit is corrupt. I have a lot of friends in Detroit. They know it, but Detroit is
totally corrupt. Look at this, look at this. That's at 6:31 in the morning, unexpectedly came in.
In the recent recount in Georgia, which means nothing because they don't want to check
signatures, and if you're not going to check signatures in Georgia, it doesn't work, but we
have a secretary of state, and a governor who made it very difficult to check signatures.
President Donald Trump: (16:.41)
Why? You'll have to ask them, but without a signature match, or a check, it doesn't matter.
They found thousands and thousands of votes that were out of whack, all against me. This
was during a recount that I didn't even think mattered. They found many thousands of votes,
and that recount didn't matter. The one that matters is the one that's going on now, that
because of the fact it's so close, they had to by law give another recount, but the recount has
to be a recount where they check the signatures. Otherwise, they're just checking the same
dishonest thing. It won't matter.
President Donald Trump: (17-:22)
In this case, the signatures on envelopes are the only thing that is relevant. We will compare
the signature on the envelope to the signatures from past elections, and we will find that
many thousands of people signed these ballots illegally. The Democrats had this election
rigged right from the beginning. They used the pandemic, sometimes referred to as the China
virus, where it originated as an excuse to mail out tens of millions of ballots, which ultimately
led to a big part of the fraud, a fraud that the whole world is watching, and there is no one
happier right now than China.
President Donald Trump: (18:10)
Many people received two, three and four ballots. They were sent to dead people by the
thousands. In fact, dead people, and we have many examples filled out ballots, made
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applications, and then, voted, which is even worse. In other words, dead people went through
a process. Some have been dead for 25 years. Millions of votes were cast illegally in the swing
states alone, and if that's the case, the results of the individual s,ving states must be
overturned, and overturned immediately. Some people say that's too far out, that's too harsh.
Well, does that mean we take a precedent, and we've just elected a president where the votes
were fraudulent?
President Donald Trump: (19:01)
No, it means you have to turn over the election, and everybody knows without going much
further, and they've seen the evidence, but they don't want to talk about it what a disaster this
election was, a total catastrophe, but we're going to show it, and hopefully, the courts in
particular, the Supreme Court of the United States will see it, and respectfully, hopefully,
they will do what's right for our country, because our country can not live with this kind of an
election. We could say, let's go on to the next one, but no, we have to look also at our past. We
can't let this happen.
President Donald Trump: (19_;_43)
Maybe you'll have a revote, but I don't think that's appropriate. When those votes are
corrupt, when they're irregular, when they get caught, they're terminated, and I very easily
win. In all states, I very easily win, the swing states, just like I won them at 10 o'clock in the
evening, the evening of the election. We're not looking to show you 25 faulty or fraudulent
votes, which don't mean anything, because it doesn't overturn the state, or a fifty, or a
hundred. We're showing you hundreds of thousands far more than we need, far more than
the margin, far more than the law requires. We can show many times what is necessary to
'Nin the state.
President Donald Trump: (20:34.)
The media knows this, but they don't want to report it. In fact, they outright refuse to even
cover it, because they know the result if they do. Even what I'm saying now will be demeaned
and disparaged, but that's okay. I just keep on going forward, because I'm representing 74
million people, and in fact, I'm also representing all of the people that didn't vote for me. The
mail-in voting scam is the latest part of their four year effort to overturn the results of the
2016 election, and it's been like living in hell. Our opponents have proven many times again
and again, that they will say, and do anything to get back into power.
President Donald Trump: (21:28)
The corrupt forces who are registering dead voters and stuffing ballot boxes are the same
people who have perpetrated one phony and fraudulent hoax after another. You've been
watching it now for four years. These entrenched interests oppose our movement, because we
put America first. They don't put America first, and we 're returning power to you the
American people. They don't want America first, they only want power for themselves. They
want to make money, that's why they don't want me as your president. I've been investigated
from soon after I announced I was running for president. When I immediately went to
number one in the Republican primary polls, the investigations never stopped. They went on
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for four years, and I won them all, I beat them all. Russia, Russia, Russia, the impeachment
hoax, and so much more. Robert Mueller spent $48 million of taxpayer money investigating
me for two and a half years, issued over 2,800 subpoenas, executed nearly 500 search
warrants, issued 230 orders for communications records, and conducted 500 witness
interviews, all looking to take me down. There was no collusion in the end, none whatsoever.
Senator Marco Rubio, the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee stated, "The committee
found no evidence that then candidate Donald Trump, or his campaign colluded with the
Russian government." And, I thank Senator Rubio for that statement.
President Donald Trump: (;;3:22)
Now, I hear that these same people that failed to get me in Washington have sent every piece
of information to New York, so that they can try to get me there. It's all been gone over, over
and over again. For $48 million you go through tax returns, you go through everything. The
New York attorney general, who recently ran for office campaigned without knowing me
stating, "We will join with law enforcement and other attorneys general across this nation in
removing this president from office." I never met her.
President Donald Trump: (;;_4..;Q3)
"It's important that everybody understands", she said, "that the days of Donald Trump are
coming to an end." And all it's been is a big investigation in Washington and New York and
any place else that can investigate because that's what they want to do. They want to take not
me, but us down. Then we can never let them do that. Everything has been looked at. A friend
of mine, who's very smart, said, "You've probably seen more than anybody else. You've
probably been investigated more than anybody else. And for you to come out vvith a clean bill
of health makes you probably the cleanest person in this country."
President Donald Trump: (;;_4_;_4_8.)
Some people in this administration, but fortunately not all have been beaten down and
disparaged. They just disappeared. Nobody knows what happened to them. v\lhy aren't they
active? Why aren't they involved? There's so much to be involved in. The corruption is so
rampant. They just couldn't take it anymore. They were threatened by Democrats with
impeachment and horrible things were said about them. And they're good people. Even
recently, the head of the GSA was hounded and harassed as she reported, like she has never
been before. What can I say? We caught Corney cold, we caught McCabe cold. We caught
them all. We're still waiting for a report from a man named Durham, who I have never
spoken to, and I have never met. They can go after me before the election as much as they
want, but unfortunately Mr. Durham didn't want to go after these people, or have anything to
do with going after them before the election. So who knows ifhe is ever going to even do a
report.
President Donald Trump: (26:11)
But if you look at the lies, and the leaks, and the illegal acts of behavior done by so many
people, and their desire to hurt the president of the United States, something should happen.
The hardest thing I have to do is explain why nothing is happening with all of these people
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that got caught spying on my campaign. It's never happened before and it should never
happen again to a president of the United States. All you have to do is watch the hearings and
see for yourself. The evidence is overwhelming. The fraud that we've collected in recent
weeks is overwhelming, having to do with our election. Everyone is saying, "Wow, the
evidence is overwhelming", when they get to see it. But really it's too late to change the course
of an election. It's too late to change the outcome.
President Donald Trump: (g_7.,;,;u)
In fact, there is still plenty of time to certify the correct winner of the election and that's what
we're fighting to do. But no matter when it happens, when they see fraud, when they see false
votes and when those votes number far more than is necessary, you can't let another person
steal that election from you. All over the country, people are together in holding up signs,
"Stop the steal." To understand how we will challenge this fraud, it is important to know the
problems with mail-in balloting. Pennsylvania, Michigan, Nevada, Georgia, Arizona, and
most other states allowed anyone to get an absentee ballot and cast their vote without
showing any ID. The voting took place entirely on the honor system, no identification of any
kind was required.
President Donald Trump: (28:11)
Most Americans would also be shocked to learn that no state in the country verifies United
States citizenship as a condition for voting in federal elections. This is a national disgrace. No
other advanced country conducts elections this way. Many European countries have
instituted major restrictions on mail-in voting, specifically, because they recognize the nearly
unlimited potential for fraud. Out of 42 European nations, all but two prohibit absentee
ballots entirely for people who reside inside the country, or else they require those who need
absentee ballots to show a very, very powerful ID.
President Donald Trump: (gB,;54)
Throughout the Democrat effort to dramatically expand mail-in voting, the Democrat party
leaders were also, feverishly working to block measures, designed to protect against fraud,
such as signature verification, residency verification, or voter ID. And citizenship
confirmation was almost unthought of that we should ask for it. Can you believe this? These
are not the actions of people who want fair elections. These are the actions of people who
want to steal elections, who are willing to create fraud. The only conceivable reason why you
would block common sense measures to verify legal eligibility for voting, is you are trying to
encourage, enable, solicit, or carry out fraud.
President Donald Trump: (g_9_;_4_7-)
It is important for Americans to understand that these destructive changes to our election
laws were not a necessary response to the pandemic. The pandemic simply gave the
Democrats an excuse to do what they have been trying to do for many, many years. In fact,
the very first bill that house Democrats introduced when Nancy Pelosi became speaker, was it
attempt to mandate universal mail-in voting and eliminate measures such as voter ID, which
is so necessary. Dramatically eroding the integrity of our elections was the Democrats
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number one priority for a simple reason, they wanted to steal the 2020 presidential election.
All of the Democrat efforts to expand mail-in balloting laid the groundwork for the
systematic and pervasive fraud that occurred in this election.
President Donald Trump: (30:,u)
In Pennsylvania, large amounts of mail-in and absentee ballots were processed illegally. And
in secret, in Philadelphia, in Allegheny counties, without our observers present. They were
not allowed to be present. In fact, they weren't even allowed in the same room. They were
thrown out of the building and they looked from outside in, but they had no way of even
seeing, because there were no windows. And the windows that were there were boarded up.
Democrats even went to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to block observers from receiving
access. There is only one possible reason that the corrupt Democrat political machine would
oppose transparency during the vote counting. It's because they know they are hiding illegal
activity. It's very simple.
President Donald Trump: (31;_3~)
This is an egregious, inexcusable. And irreversible harm that stains the entire election, yet
this unprecedented practice of excluding our observers, our vote watchers, as some people
call them, occurred in Democrat run cities and key states all across the nation. Here are just
some of the additional facts that we·ve uncovered. Many voters all across Pennsylvania
received two ballots in the mail, and many others received mail-in ballots for which they
never applied. So many get ballots, they didn't even know what they were for. And again, so
many received more than one ballot. In some cases, more than two ballots. And they
happened to be, for the most part, Democrats.
President Donald Trump: (32:22)
In Fayette County, Pennsylvania, multiple voters received ballots that were already filled out.
They didn't know what happened. In Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, a poll watcher,
overheard unregistered voters being told to return later to try to vote under a different name.
Tens of thousands of voters across Pennsylvania were treated differently based on whether
they were Republicans, or Democrats. Voters who submitted floored ballots in some
Democrat precincts were notified and asked to fix their ballots, while Republican precincts,
and in particular Republican voters, were not so notified which plainly violates the Equal
Protection Clause of the United States Constitution."If you are a Democrat, we're going to fix
up your ballot. make sure it's perfect. If you are Republican, don't even talk about it."
President Donald Trump: (33:16)
In Michigan, a career employee of the city of Detroit, with the city workers, coaching voters
to vote straight Democrat, while accompanying them to watch who they were voting for,
violating the law and the sanctity of the secret ballot. You can't do that. The same workers say
she was instructed not to ask for any ID and not to attempt to validate any signatures. She
was also told to illegally backdate ballots, many, many ballots, received after the deadline.
This is something that is so unconstitutional and she estimates that thousands and
thousands of ballots were improperly backdated by her and many others.
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President Donald Trump: (34,;,Q5)
Other vvitnesses in Detroit also saw our election officials counting batches of the same ballots
many times, as well as illegally duplicating ballots. One observer testified to seeing boxes and
boxes of ballots, all bearing the same signature. Another observer in Detroit gave sworn
testimony that he saw cotmtless and valid ballots that did not belong to properly registered
voters and then witnessed election workers in Wayne County entering fake birth dates into
the system, in order to illegally count them. Witnesses of science wore an affidavit, so in
other words, you go to jail if you lie, testifying that after election officials announced the last
absentee votes had been received, a batch of tens of thousands of ballots arrived, many
without envelopes, all voting for Democrats.
President Donald Trump: (35:02)
In vVisconsin, a record number of voters were categorized as indefinitely confined. A status
reserved for severely disabled indhiduals, also for the elderly that allow them to vote without
showing ID. Last year, approximately 70,000 people claimed this status statewide. This year,
the number miraculously was nearly 250,000 voters, after election officials in Milwaukee and
Dane County, a couple of the most corrupt political places in our country, urged citizens to
improperly register under this status. And register they did in levels that don't exist. In
Wisconsin, there are approximately 70,000 absentee ballots that do not have matching ballot
applications as required by law in Georgia, nine observers have testified to seeing countless
irregular ballots without. ..
President Donald Trump: (36:03)
Testified to seeing countless irregular ballots without the creases or typical markings
indicating that the ballots did not arrive in envelopes as required. A poll watcher in Fulton
County estimated that approximately 98% of the large number of unusually pristine ballots
that she witnessed were for Bi.den. Highly unusual number. In addition, thousands of
uncounted ballots were discovered in Floyd, Fayette, and Walton counties weeks after the
election, and these ballots were mostly from Trump voters. They weren't counted. They were
from Trump voters.
President Donald Trump: (36:43)
In Detroit, everybody saw the tremendous conflict and the horrible way that the two
Republican canvassers were treated so horribly because they wouldn't vote when they saw
that 71% of the precincts didn't balance. Also, there were more votes than there were voters.
Think of that. You had more votes than you had voters. That's an easy one to figure, and it's
by the thousands. In Arizona, in-person voters whose balanced produced error messages
from tabulation machines were told to press a button that resulted in their votes not being
counted. Also in Arizona, the attorney general announced that mail-in ballots had been
stolen from mailboxes and hidden under a rock.
President Donald Trump: (37.,.;37.)
In Clark County, Nevada, where most of the state's voters reside, the standards for matching
a signature using the signature verification machine were intentionally lowered to allow large
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numbers of ballots to be counted that otherwise would never have passed muster. This
machine was set at the lowest level. According to one report, in order to test the process, nine
voters in Clark County cast ballots with intentionally incorrect signatures, and eight of the
nine ballots were accepted and counted. They said you could sign your name as Santa Claus,
and it would be accepted. Last week, the Clark County Commission threw out the results of a
local election after the registrar reported finding, quote, "discrepancies that we can't explain."
Also in Nevada, some voters were entered into a raffle for more than a dozen gift cards worth
as much as 8250 if they could prove they had voted.
President Donald Trump: (38:4_g)
This took place on Indian reservations. One of the most significant indications of widespread
fraud is the extraordinarily low rejection rates for mail-in ballots in many key states. These
are the states that I had to win. In swing state after swing state, the number of ballots
rejected has been dramatically lower than what would have been expected based on prior
experience. That means years and years of voting. In Georgia, just 0.2%, that's substantially
less than 1%, of mail-in ballots have been rejected. In other words, almost none have been
rejected. They took everything. Nothing was rejected, practically, compared to 6-4% in 2016.
There are those that think that 6.4 was a low number.
President Donald Trump: (39_;_3{i)
Think of it. Almost none were rejected. The previous election, 6.4% were rejected. We have
seen similar declines in Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Michigan. Ballots weren't rejected,
especially if they happen to be in Democrat areas. These irregularities are inexplicable tmless
there is a deliberate effort to accept ineligible ballots or fraudulent ballots.
President Donald Trump: l4.Q;_Q_Q)
In Pennsylvania, the secretary of state and the state supreme court in essence abolished
signature verification requirements just weeks prior to the election, in violation of state law.
You're not allowed to do that. It has to be approved by the legislature. A judge can't do it. A
state can't do it. An official can't do it. The only one that can do it is the legislature.
President Donald Trump: (4.Q.;33)
The reason for this is clear. They were not verifying signatures because they know the ballots
have not been filled out by the voters in whose names they were cast. In other words, people
filled them out that had nothing to do Vvith the names on the ballot. A simple recount of the
ballots under these circumstances only compounds the fraud. The only way to determine
whether there was an honest vote is to conduct a full review of the envelopes in the relevant
states. You will find that many of them, tens of thousands, have fraudulent signatures. A full
forensic audit is required to ensure that only legal ballots from lawfully registered voters that
were properly cast are included in the final count.
President Donald Trump: (41:25)
This election is about great voter fraud, fraud that has never been seen like this before. It's
about poll watchers who were not allowed to watch. So illegal. It's about ballots that poured
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in, and nobody but a few knew where they came from. TI1ey were counted, and they weren't
for me. It's about big leads on election night, tremendous leads, leads where I was being
congratulated for a decisive easy victory. All of a sudden, by morning or a couple of days
later, those leads rapidly evaporated. It's about numbers of ballots that were sent that nobody
know where they came from. It's about machinery that was defective, machinery that was
stopped during certain parts of the evening, miraculously to open vvith more votes.
President Donald Trump: l42:24)
It was about many other things, but above all, it was about fraud. This election was rigged.
Everybody knows it. I don't mind if I lose an election, but I want to lose an election fair and
square. What I don't want to do is have it stolen from the American people. That's what we're
fighting for. We have no choice to be doing that. We already have the proof. We already have
the evidence, and it's very clear. Many people in the media and even judges so far have
refused to accept it. They know it's true. They know it's there. They know who won the
election, but they refuse to say, "You're right." Our country needs somebody to say, "You're
right."
President Donald Trump: (43;_;t_;;D
illtimately, I am prepared to accept any accurate election result, and I hope that Joe Biden is
as well. We already have the proof. We already have tens of thousands of ballots more than
we need to overturn all of these states that we're talking about. This is an election for the
highest office in the greatest country in the history of the world. Every reasonable American
should be able to agree, based on what we have already documented, that we need a
systematic analysis of the mail-in ballots to review the envelopes. It's about the signature. If
they're on the envelopes, we can only review the envelopes, and that will tell us everything.
President Donald Trump: (44:01)
This is the absolute minimum we should expect. This is not just about my campaign,
although it has a lot to do with who's going to be your next president. This is about restoring
faith and confidence in American elections. This is about our democracy and the sacred
rights that generations of Americans have fought, bled, and died to secure. Nothing is more
urgent or more important. The only ballots that should count in this election are those cast
by eligible voters who are citizens of our country, residents of the states in which they voted,
and who cast their ballots in a la¼ful manner before the legal deadline.
President Donald Trump: (44_;_43)
Moreover, we must never again have an election in which there is not a reliable and
transparent system to verify the eligibility, identity, and residency of every single person who
casts a ballot, a very, very cherished ballot. Many very smart people have congratulated me
on all we've done: the biggest tax cuts in history, regulation cuts, the biggest in history. We
rebuilt our military. We took care of our vets like never before, Space Force, and so much
more. Then they went on to say, as big and as important as these events were, the single
greatest achievement in your presidency will be exactly what you're doing right now: voter
integrity for our nation. It's more important than any of the things that we discussed.
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President Donald Trump: (45;_4Q)
If we don't root out the fraud, the tremendous and horrible fraud that's taken place in our
2020 election, we don't have a country anymore. With the resolve and support of the
American people, we will restore honesty and integrity to our elections. We will restore trust
in our system of government. Thank you. God bless you. God bless America.
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Trump, in Taped Call, Pressured Georgia Official to 'Find'
Votes to Overturn Election
January 3, 2021
WASHINGTON - President Trump_ pressured Georgia's Republican secretary of state to
"find" him enough votes to overturn the presidential election and vaguely threatened him
with "a criminal offense" during an hilllrllIDg__tclephone call on Saturday, according to an
audio recording of the conversation.
Mr. Trump, who has spent almost nine weeks making false conspiracy claims about his loss
to President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr., told Brad Raffenspergtl, the state's top elections
official, that he should recalculate the vote count so Mr. Trump, not Mr. Eiden, would end up
vvinning the state's 16 electoral votes.
"I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have," Mr. Trump said during the
conversation, according to a recording first obtained bY. The Washington Post, which
published it online Sunday. The New York Times also acquired a recording of Mr. Trump's
call.
The president, who will be in charge of the Justice Department for the 17 days left in his
administration, hinted that Mr. Raffensperger and Ryan Germany, the chieflawyer for
secretary of state's office, could be prosecuted criminally if they did not do his bidding.
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"You know what they did and you're not reporting it," the president said during the call, "You
know, that's a criminal - that's a criminal offense, And you know, you can't let that happen,
That's a big risk to you and to Ryan, your lawyer, That's a big risk,"
Listen to Excerpts From Trump's Call
The president pressured Georgia's secretary of state to overturn the state's election results.
The effort to cajole and bully elected officials in his own party - which some legal experts
said could be prosecuted under Georgia law - was a remarkable act by a defeated president
to crash through legal and ethical boundaries as he seeks to remain in power.
By any standard measure, the election has long been over. Every state in the country has
certified its vote, and a legal campaign by Mr. Trump to challenge the results has been met
almost uniformly with quick dismissals by judges across the country, including a Supreme
Court with a conservative majority.
By trying to bend Mr. Raffensperger to his will, Mr. Trump was asserting the power of his
office in ways that recalled his ..illl9_phone call to Ukraine's president, during which Mr.
Trump pressured President Volodymyr Zelensky to begin a bogus investigation into Mr.
Bi den by withholding vital military aid to the country. That call was the centerpiece of the
scheme for which Mr. Trump became the third American president to be...iir\peached for
committing high crimes and misdemeanors.
As he did when he urged Mr. ZelenskY-tO "do us a favor," Mr. Trump on Saturday pleaded
with Mr. Raffensperger to help him politically. The results of the 2020 race are expected to
be certified by Congress during a session on Wednesday despite efforts by some of Mr.
Trump's allies in the House and the Senate, who have said they will challenge the results in
several states, including Georgia.
Mr. Trump said he hoped Mr. Raffensperger's office could address his claimed discrepancies
before Tuesday's Senate runoff election in Georgia, one that will decide the balance of power
in the Senate. The president is slated to campaign on Monday night in Georgia for the two
Republican incumbents, Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler.
"I think we should come to a resolution of this before the election," Mr. Trump said.
Otherwise, he said, "you're going to have people just not voting."
"They don't want to vote," he said. "They hate the state. They hate the governor and they hate
the secretary of state."
He added: "The people of Georgia are angry, the people of the country are angry. And there's
nothing wrong with saying that, you know, um, that you've recalculated."
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Mr. Raffensperger politely but firmly rejected the president's entreaties, standing by the
election results in his state and repeatedly insisting that Mr. Trump and his allies had been
given false information about voter fraud.
"Well, Mr. President, the challenge that you have is the data you have is wrong," he said.
Legal experts said Mr. Trump might have violated Georgia state laws against solicitation of
voter fraud and extortion by seeking to exert pressure on Mr. Raffensperger.
One state law makes it a felony to "solicit, request, command, importune or othenvise
attempt to cause another person to engage in election fraud." By urging election officials to
"find" votes that were not legally cast for him, Mr. Trump could be prosecuted under that
law, said Ryan C. Locke, a criminal defense lawyer and former public defender in Atlanta.
"He's telling the secretary of state to 'find votes so that I can win votes that are not due to
me,"' Mr. Locke said. "The recording alone is certainly enough to launch an investigation. It's
likely probable cause to issue an indictment."
He said Mr. Trump could also be in violation oflaws prohibiting extortion. But he and other
legal experts said it was unlikely that prosecutors would pursue a case against Mr. Trump in
the waning days of his administration.
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris - at a drive-in rally for Georgia's Democratic Senate
candidates in Garden City, Ga. - referred on Sunday to Mr. Trump's call, saying it was "the
voice of desperation - most certainly that."
"And it was a bald, baldfaced, bold abuse of power by the president of the United States," she
added.
Senator Richard J. Durbin, Democrat of Illinois and one of the leaders in the Senate, said the
call was "more than a pathetic, rambling, delusional rant," calling the president "unhinged
and dangerous" and saying that Mr. Trump's Republican allies "are putting the orderly and
peaceful transition of power in our nation at risk."
Former Speaker Paul D. Ryan, a Republican who has largely stayed silent in recent weeks,
urged his former colleagues on Sunday to abandon their challenge to the results, calling it the
most "anti-democratic and anti-conservative act" he could think of.
"The Trump campaign had ample opportunity to challenge election results, and those efforts
failed from lack of evidence," he said. "If states wish to reform their processes for future
elections, that is their prerogative. But Joe Biden's victory is entirely legitimate."
The 10 living former secretaries of defense, from both parties, echoed that sentiment in an
Qpinion article on SundaY. in The Post. They said the military should not be used in any way
to alter the outcome of the election, saying: "Governors have certified the results. And the
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Electoral College has voted. The time for questioning the results has passed."
The call from the White House to Mr. Raffensperger's office came on Saturday afternoon at
2:41, after 18 other calls by the White House switchboard to the office during the past two
months, according to a person familiar with the conversation. Saturday's call was the first
time Mr. Raffensperger had talked with Mr. Trump directly despite the president's repeated
tweets disparaging him.
Officials in the secretary of state's office recorded Saturday's call, and Mr. Raffensperger told
his advisers that he did not want to release a transcrip..1 or a recording unless the president
attacked state officials or misrepresented what had been discussed, according to a person
familiar with his direction.
As expected, that attack came in a tweet on Sunday morning, in which Mr. Trump claimed
that Mr. Raffensperger "was unwilling, or unable, to answer questions such as the 'ballots
under table' scam, ballot destruction, out of state 'voters', dead voters, and more. He has no
clue!"
In a response on Twitter, Mr. Raffens12erger wrote: "Respectfully, President Trump: What
you're saying is not true. The truth will come out." The recording of the call was made public
several hours later.
David Shafer, the chairman of the Republican Party in Georgia, tweeted that the decision to
release the audio was "lawlessness."
During the call, the president again embraced several conspiracy theories, including
debunked charges that ballots in Fulton County, Ga., were shredded and that voting
machines operated by Dominion Voting Systems were tampered with and replaced. Mr.
Germany can be heard telling the president that such charges are flatly untrue, even as Mr.
Trump insists otherwise.
"You should want to have an accurate election. And you're a Republican," Mr. Trump told
Mr. Raffensperger, who replied that "we believe that we do have an accurate election."
Mr. Trump responded: "No, no, no, you don't, you don't have, you don't have, not even close.
You guys, you're off by hundreds of thousands of votes."
In addition to Mr. Trump and Mr. Raffensperger, others on the call from the Georgia
secretary of state's office included Mr. Germany and Jordan Fuchs, Mr. Raffensperger's
deputy. On the line as well were Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff, and Cleta
Mitchell and Kurt Hilbert, lawyers working for Mr. Trump.
Ms. Mitchell and Mr. Meadows repeatedly sought to challenge the voting in Georgia and
pressed Mr. Raffensperger to reveal confidential voter data in an effort to back up their
claims. They were rebuffed by Georgia's election officials. Ms. Mitchell, a partner at the firm
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175
Foley & Lardner, was on the call with Mr. Trump despite the fact that nearly all lawyers with
top-tier firms have refused to represent the president in his attempts to overturn the election.
The firm said in a statement early Monday that it had not been retained by Mr. Trump and
"any involvement from a Foley attorney in this matter is solely in his or her capacity as a
private citizen."
But the tape is dominated by the president, who spoke for the bulk of the call, at times
interrupting Mr. Raffensperger. At one point, when Mr. Trump alleged that 5,000 dead
people voted in Georgia, Mr. Raffensperger said the president was mistaken.
"The actual number were two," Mr. Raffensperger said. "Two. Two people that were dead that
voted. And so that's wrong."
At another point, when Mr. Trump claimed that a video of the vote-counting at State Farm
Arena in Atlanta revealed that one employee was guilty of flagrant ballot stuffing, Mr.
Raffensperger responded that the video was selectly edited by Mr. Trump's lawyer, Rudolph
W. Giuliani and other lawyers.
"They sliced and diced that video and took it out of context," Mr. Raffensperger said. "The
events that transpired are nowhere near what was projected."
When Mr. Germany told the president that some of the accusations had been looked into and
deemed untrue by both the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the F.B.I., Mr. Trump
responded that the agents were wrong.
"Then they're incompetent," he said. "There's only two answers - dishonesty or
incompetence."
Mr. Raffensperger said Mr. Trump's accusation that ballots were scanned three times was
incorrect. "We did an audit of that and we proved conclusively that they were not scanned
three times," he told the president.
The president appeared unable to conceive of a reality in which he lost Georgia, repeatedly
reeling off statistics that he said proved he had won the state by "hundreds of thousands of
votes."
"You even see it by rally size, frankly," Mr. Trump said, adding that he wanted to go over
some of the numbers. He alleged that 250,000 to 300,000 ballots were "dropped
mysteriously into the rolls," a problem he said occurred in Fulton County.
"We think that if you check the signatures, a real check of the signatures going back in Fulton
County, you'll find at least a couple of hundred thousand of forged signatures," the president
said, citing one conspiracy theory after another.
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"People have been saying that it was the highest vote ever," he told Mr. Raffensperger,
alleging that the cases of fraud were "many, many times" more than Mr. Biden's margin of
victory. "The political people said that there's no way they beat me."
Michael D. Shear reported from Washington, and Stephanie Saul from New York. Michael S.
Schmidt contributed reporting from Washington.
6/6
177
Georgia secretary of state: My family voted for Trump. He
threw us under the bus anyway.
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Georgia secretary of state: My family voted for Trump. He threw us under the bus
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OPINION
Brad Raffensperger, Opinion contributor Published 3:15 a.m. ET Nov. 25, 2020 I Updated
7:33 p.m. ET Nov. 29, 2020
I have fought to uphold the integrity of elections in Georgia. It
doesn't matter if the attacks come from the guy I voted for or not.
The past few weeks have been difficult for the voters of the Peach State.
As the nation and the world watched, Georgia took center stage in a battle that will define our
country in a very practical sense for the next four years. But also, in a larger sense, how this
country will move forward into the future.
Like Americans in every other state, Georgians went to the ballot box on and in the weeks
leading up to Nov. 3; to cast their vote for president, for senator, or maybe just the local town
council.
A record 1,3 million voters cast ballots absentee b,Y- mail here. Another 2. 7 million cast ballots
in-person during Georgia's gold-standard three weeks of early voting. Around 1 million
waited on lines averaging a minuscule 3 minutes on Election Day.
By all accounts, Georgia had a wildly successful and smooth election. We finally defeated
voting lines and put behind us Fulton County's now notorious reputation for disastrous
elections. This should be something for Georgians to celebrate, whether their favored
presidential candidate won or lost. For those wondering, mine lost my family voted for
him, donated to him and are now being thrown under the bus by him.
Elections are American - not partisan
Elections are the bedrock of our democracy. They need to be run fairly and, perhaps more
important, impartially. That's not partisan. That's just American. Yet some don't seem to see
it that way.
When I took office, I committed to running elections in Georgia with integrity. After any
election, half of the voters will be happy and the other half \,.,,jl] be disappointed. But I wanted
to make sure everyone felt confident in the process and confident in the outcome.
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Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger speaks during a news conference on, Nov. 11,
2020, in Atlanta. (Photo: Brynn Anderson, AP)
And as Nov. 3 came to a close, Georgia's voters had every reason to be. Again, short lines on
Election Day. Record turnout. Record early voting and record absentee by mail voting.
In the days that followed, a losing presidential campaign refused to accept the facts, following
a playbook written by a fuikd_gubernatorial candidate two years before. A failed senate
candidate with nothing to do tried to undermine the integri:t.v. of Georgia's elections. A self-
described "attorne.v. for the damned" took up the cause. An onslaught of fake news and
unrepentant disinformation threatened to tear the fabric of our country apart. People on both
sides of the aisle generated controversies out of nowhere to stir up trouble.
Incompatible bedfellows: I saw identitY-P-Olitics tear the Occupy movement apart.
Economic leftists must ditch wokeness.
Even as Georgia embarked on its first statewide audit, a process that was only possible
because of the state's new printed paper-ballot system, those who_.r_equested the full hand
recount triggered by the audit of such a close race lined up to undermine its credibility. Those
who had so long been beneficiaries of the electoral process sought to tear it apart at its very
foundations.
But still, integrity matters.
Leaders of integrity
vVhen the nation is caught in turmoil, as it has been through several presidential terms, the
people of Georgia and their fellow Americans will look to leaders with integrity for guidance.
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A Biden administration: Biden's National Security_ team reveals he has learned.from the
mistakes o.f.J2!J.fil..presidents
Throughout my two years as secretary of state, I have fought repeatedly to uphold the
integrity of elections in Georgia. We worked vvith the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to
strengthen signature matching for absentee ballot voters. We outlawed ballot harvesting and
implemented a new voting system v,;th printed p_aper-ballots that voters could hold and
re\1ew before casting for the first time in nearly 20 years. We fought frivolous lawsuits from
fringe groups and a failed gubernatorial candidate seeking to undermine laws passed by state
kgislators who were actually elected by the voters.
In times of uncertainty, when the integrity of our political system is most at risk, the integrity
of our politicians is paramount.
Many of my fellow Republicans are men and women of integrity. They demonstrate it each
and every day: fighting for their constituents, fighting for liberty, and fighting for fair and
reliable elections.
In times like these, we need leaders of integrity to guide us through.
Brad Raffensperger is the secretmy of state of Georgia.
You can read diverse opinions from our Board oJ.Contributors and other writers on the
Qpim,mJr..ontpsJg~, on Twitter @llfill1J2Jk!y12[lini.Qn and in our dm]y_Opinion newsletter. To
respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com.
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BROKEN UNBROKEN
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TO WATCH THE INAUGURATION
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!S_ MR. PRESIDENT... IPROMISE THIS TIME NOT TO
tt\.ORD YOUR CALL ABOUT THE GEORGIA ELECTIONS
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