House Select Committee on 1/6

[goldenvalley]

I'm guessing this is an occurrence that can partially be attributed to the Hutchinson testimony.

Former White House counsel Pat Cipollone will testify Friday morning after receiving a subpoena from the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol by a pro-Trump mob, according to people familiar with the matter.

It’s unclear what limits there may be on his closed-door testimony, which is scheduled for about half a day, according to one person familiar with the matter. The session will be videotaped, but there will be some limits on what he will testify to regarding direct conversations with former president Donald Trump.

Cipollone had been reluctant to testify to the committee, citing presidential privilege, but he has been regularly mentioned in the hearings and is key to a number of episodes being plumbed by the committee.

I continue to wonder when we're going to learn what Cipollone's predecessor Don McGahn had to say to the Mueller Investigation.

[LFC]

Bannon's contempt of Congress trial is scheduled to start next week and he's looking at possibly 2 years in jail. Remember that by accepting Trump's pardon for his part in the "We Build the Wall" scam he's now a convicted felon.

Now in a desperate, last minute ploy he's claiming he's willing to testify. Nobody's buying it, the DOJ is pressing on, and the committee dismissed his mention of public testimony, exactly the thing Bannon needs to create a stupid side show of bullshit, obfuscation, and pleading the Fifth. It doesn't help that he hasn't produced any of the documents that were subpoenaed or that Trump's own attorney said executive privilege was never claimed.

Bannon signalled in an email to the select committee, first obtained by the Guardian, that he was prepared to initiate discussions about a time and place for an interview, after Trump said in a letter he would waive executive privilege if he reached an agreement to testify.

The email broadly reiterated Bannon’s legal defense that he was previously unable to comply with a subpoena from the panel because at the time, in a claim that has been disputed, the former president had asserted executive privilege over his testimony.

But with Trump now willing to waive executive privilege if Bannon and the select committee could secure an arrangement, Bannon was in a position to initiate negotiations about a potential interview, the email said, citing the letter from the former president.

The email specifically said it was Bannon’s preference to testify at a public hearing, but it is understood that Bannon would consider a closed-door, transcribed interview and that he also intends to comply with the document requests in his subpoena from last year.

The executive privilege arguments advanced by Bannon and his lawyers have been suspect, principally because at least some of what the select committee demanded in his subpoena were for matters not related to Trump and therefore not covered by the protection.

And while Bannon has pointed to a letter from Trump attorney Justin Clark as proof that the former president asserted executive privilege, a follow-up email from Clakr showed Trump’s legal team expressly did not think Bannon had “immunity” from the investigation.

Bannon’s lawyer, Robert Costello, also said in an interview with the FBI and the US attorney’s office for Washington DC that he believed ten of the 17 items requested in the subpoena were subject to executive privilege, leaving seven that were not.

The seven remaining items identified by Costello as not protected included discussions he said were protected by attorney-client privilege – though that privilege would have been “broken” since non-lawyers participated and because of things in the public domain, including podcasts.

Since the subpoena compelled Bannon to produce what Costello believed to be both privileged and non-privileged items, Bannon should have produced at the very least the non-privileged materials instead of simply ignoring his subpoena in its entirety.

Bannon has nonetheless argued that executive privilege was at the heart of his original subpoena non-compliance, saying he did not have to be a White House employee – which he was not for January 6 – to be a “close presidential advisor” subject to executive privilege.

Also Trump wrote him an excuse note that is pure Trump. In other words it sounds like it was written by a 10 year old boy in the midst of throwing a temper tantrum. Here's the opening paragraph.

I write about the Subpoena that you received in September 2021 from the illegally constituted Unselect Committee, the same group of people who created the Russia Russia Russia scam, Impeachment hoax #1, Impeachment hoax #2, the Mueller 'Witch-Hunt (which ended in no “Collusion™), and other fake and never-ending yarns and tales.

[LFC]

Another desperate asshole saying they want to testify.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) on Sunday dismissed Oath Keeper founder Stewart Rhodes’ offer to testify before the Jan. 6 Select Committee as a “pitch to be released” from jail.

Rhodes, who is currently behind bars while awaiting trial on seditious conspiracy charges for his role in the deadly Capitol insurrection, on Friday said he wants the panel to work with the U.S. Marshals Service to allow him to appear in person at the Capitol complex instead of testifying from jail, Rhodes’ attorney James Bright told Politico. Rhodes also asks that his legal counsel accompany him for his testimony.

Lofgren brushed off the possibility of Rhodes’ public testimony during an interview on CNN on Sunday. Lofgren said she views Rhodes’ offer as a “pitch to be released.”

Lofgren added that the panel already has information from Rhodes, but wouldn’t confirm whether he has testified before panel behind closed doors. Rhodes reportedly previously interviewed with the committee, but largely invoked his Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination.

“Well, I don’t want to go into all the details. But I think this is a pitch to get out of — get-out-of-jail-free card for Mr. Rhodes,” Lofgren said, referring to Rhodes’ push to testify publicly.

Ahead of the committee’s public hearing scheduled on Tuesday, Lofgren said the public can expect the panel to “connect the dots” between extremist groups and those in government circles who sought to overturn the election.

Asked whether Trump was aware that far-right militia groups were in the mob he urged to go to the Capitol hours before the insurrection, Lofgren replied said that “would be a logical conclusion” based on the events leading up to Jan. 6.

Rhodes’ offer to the committee was issued hours before the Justice Department leveled new accusations on Friday against Rhodes and other members of the Oath Keepers who have been charged with seditious conspiracy in connection to the Capitol insurrection.

[goldenvalley]

No way would I let Rhodes or Bannon out into a televised hearing.  It serves no useful fact finding purpose to give them a platform that they would just use it to spew more of their BS especially Bannon.  They want some publicity to help them fundraise for their legal defense funds.

[jackd]

Trump's waiving executive privilege for Bannon suggests Bannon's reason to want to testify.

[LFC]

Nice to see that the House Committee is done with the Trumpies' bullshit. They're desperate to muddy the waters and the committee isn't giving them an inch.

Bannon, who once promised to muddy the waters for news consumers by “flood[ing] the zone with shit,” is the most recent example of a Trump associate flinging these offers at the Committee.

The faux cooperation offers come amid reporting that Trump himself is furious that Republicans have been unable or unwilling to respond to the message that the committee is putting out, leaving it the dominant narrator.

“The Republicans don’t have a voice,” Trump told Punchbowl News last month, complaining that House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) didn’t appoint anyone. “They don’t even have anything to say.”

In that light, Bannon’s and others’ attempts to testify before the panel seem more like a tactic to muddy the waters once again, to get Trump’s ‘Republican voices’ back on the panel.

Rep. Brooks made a similar offer the same day that Trump made his comment to Punchbowl, demanding that the committee receive his testimony on his terms: live, in public, with limited areas of questioning.

For a series of hearings that have been marked by the tightness of their production and clearness in narrative, it’s a ridiculous stunt to pull. And that’s not even to mention the position that Brooks, Bannon, and Rhodes assume for themselves: that they’re even in a position to dictate terms to the Committee. Two out of three of them are under criminal indictment; the other, Brooks, lost his political career to a Trumpian whim.

[LFC]

Judge to Bannon effectively says "nice try." The comment by Bannon's lawyer is remarkably stupid.

Judge Shoots Down Bannon Bid To Delay Trial

Steve Bannon’s trial in his criminal contempt case will proceed as scheduled on July 18, a judge ruled on Monday, after the ex-White House adviser’s gambit with a last-minute offer to testify to the Jan. 6 committee proved to be a flop with the Justice Department.

• It was a bad day for Bannon overall yesterday. The judge rejected several explanations the former Trump official gave for flouting the House Jan. 6 Committee’s subpoena, leading Bannon’s frustrated lawyer to gift us with this amazing complaint:

“What is the point of going to trial here if there are no defenses?”
– The lawyer of a very innocent guy

[LFC]

Concerning today's public hearing and Cassidy Hutchinson's testimony...

Ex-Trump lawyer Pat Cipollone’s taped testimony to the Jan. 6 committee is expected to be aired publicly on Tuesday, and a member of the committee said that it will back up some of the biggest bombshells from the hearings so far. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) told NBC News that Cipollone hasn’t disagreed with other witnesses. “Cipollone has corroborated almost everything that we’ve learned from the prior hearings,” Raskin said. “I certainly did not hear him contradict Cassidy Hutchinson…He had the opportunity to say whatever he wanted to say, so I didn’t see any contradiction there.”

[pnwguy]

Jul 12, 2022 16:00:41 GMT LFC said:

Concerning today's public hearing and Cassidy Hutchinson's testimony...

Ex-Trump lawyer Pat Cipollone’s taped testimony to the Jan. 6 committee is expected to be aired publicly on Tuesday, and a member of the committee said that it will back up some of the biggest bombshells from the hearings so far. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) told NBC News that Cipollone hasn’t disagreed with other witnesses. “Cipollone has corroborated almost everything that we’ve learned from the prior hearings,” Raskin said. “I certainly did not hear him contradict Cassidy Hutchinson…He had the opportunity to say whatever he wanted to say, so I didn’t see any contradiction there.”

In other words, Mark Meadows is a cowardly piece of sh*t (as are most of the defending GOMafia thugs).

[goldenvalley]

I stupidly turned the tv on to see what's up in the hearing while working on a relatively mundane administrative task.  Still sitting and watching.  For those who wonder what's taken the Select Committee so long I suggest watching this.  They pulled together all the social media that followed Trump's "will be wild" tweet in December.  I had no idea of the whole social media world out there that supported Jan. 6 activity.

[LFC]

TPM is live blogging the hearing if you can't watch or can't stomach to watch. Here's a beaut:

Sidney Powell Would’ve Been ‘Special Counsel’ To Oversee Voting Machine Seize Scheme

We already knew some of this, but: Raskin presented a draft of Sidney Powell and Michael Flynn’s batshit plan showing that after having the Defense Department seize voting machines, their plan was to have Powell would be appointed as the “special counsel” to “oversee this operation and institute all criminal and civil proceedings as appropriate.”

Powell would’ve been provided “all resources necessary to carry out her duties,” including charging people with crimes, according to the draft of the plan.

Sidney. Powell.

Michael Flynn. GENERAL Michael Flynn. We allowed a traitor to serve in the armed forces for 30 years and rise to the highest levels. This guy can't be trusted with a nerf gun and we allowed him to be in charge of troops. Scary.

[LFC]

This link shows how the MAGAts responded on social media when Trump called them to arms and said it would be "wild."

[LFC]

Flynn and Stone both have right-wing domestic terrorist ties. They should be tried for treason.

Raskin Highlights Michael Flynn And Roger Stone’s Ties To Far-Right Extremists

We’re at the part of the hearing now where the committee is connecting top Trump goons’ connections with the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, including photos of Michael Flynn with now-indicted Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes and records of Roger Stone’s group chat with Rhodes, Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and “Stop the Steal” activist Ali Alexander. The chat was called “FOS” (Friends of Stone).

[LFC]

More info on the right-wing domestic terrorist groups involved in the coup attempt.

Head Of Florida Oath Keepers Reached Out To Proud Boys Leader After Trump Tweet

Committee member Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) said the panel has collected the phone records of Kelly Meggs, Florida leader of the Oath Keepers who is facing seditious conspiracy charges. Shortly after Trump’s Dec. 19 tweet, Meggs called Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio.

Meggs also wrote in a group message on Dec. 19 on Facebook: “We have decided to work together and shut this shit down.”

[LFC]

F***ing Twitter KNEW! They should have shut Trump down years before for violating their rules but they just couldn't give up that sweet, sweet right-wing revenue. And this is why you NEVER depend upon a company doing the right thing on their own.

Murphy: Committee Learned About ‘Serious Concerns’ At Twitter About ‘Anticipated Violence’

Committee member Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) said the panel found that Twitter employees had “serious concerns” about “anticipated violence” in the lead up to Jan. 6.

An unnamed former Twitter employee testified that they told the committee that they realized if the social media giant “made no intervention” into what they were seeing on the platform, “people were going to die.”

“On Jan. 5, I realized no intervention was coming,” the former Twitter employee testified.

[LFC]

Yes, they understood Trump's rhetoric as a call to arms.

Insurrectionist Says He Didn’t Originally Plan To Go To the Capitol Until Trump ‘Got Everybody Riled Up’

Capitol insurrectionist Stephen Ayres testified that although he didn’t originally plan to go to the Capitol, Trump “got everybody riled up” and told his supporters to “head on down.”

“So we basically were following what he said,” Ayres said, adding that he and other insurrectionists were under the impression that Trump was also going to the Capitol because he mentioned in his speech at the “Stop the Steal” rally that he would “be there with us.”

Ayres said he regrets his participation that day. He lost his job and had to sell his house as a result.

Participating in the insurrection “changed my life, not for the good, definitely not for the better,” he said, before adding that it makes him angry that Trump is still pushing lies about a stolen election.

[LFC]

Now THAT's a pathetic right-wing defense if I ever heard one. This guy is a tool.

[LFC]

Today's hearing has now ended. What's coming next?

Raskin: Next Week’s Hearing Will Be ‘A Moment Of Reckoning’ For the Country

Committee member Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) said the public can expect next week’s hearing to prompt “a moment of reckoning” for the country. The next hearing is expected to focus on Trump’s inaction as the Capitol insurrection unfolded.

“The Watergate break-in was like a Cub Scout meeting compared to this assault on our people and institutions,” Raskin said.

So we now have how Trump clearly tried to incite it. Next week it will be about how he clearly wanted the insurrection since he refused to stop it. I'm sure the actual details will be nauseating.

[LFC]

As an aside, Trump attempted witness tampering after the last hearing.

Cheney Reveals Trump Tried To Call A Witness After Last Hearing

This is pretty wild from Cheney just now:

“After our last hearing, President Trump tried to call a witness in our investigation, a witness you have not yet seen in these hearings. That person declined to answer or respond to President Trump’s call and instead alerted their lawyer to the call. Their lawyer alerted us and this committee has supplied that information to the Department of Justice,” she said.

“Let me say one more time, we will take any effort to influence witness testimony very seriously,” she concluded.

C'mon, DOJ. This is serious.

[LFC]

This is why you keep pushing the truth on every form of media you can.

A new poll released just hours before the U.S. House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack hearing finds that nearly six in ten registered voters say then-President Donald Trump "misled" them about the results of the 2020 election, and that same number, 59%, say the former president is to blame for the January 6 attack.

Two out of three (67%) also say Trump attempted to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Almost as many, (65%) say Trump claimed that the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent without evidence.

There's still a long way to go, though, with the deplorables holding firm.

Despite those findings, the Morning Consult/Politico poll reveals that just half of Americans (50%) say Trump should be prosecuted. 35% say what he did was not a crime. Six percent say it was a crime he should not be prosecuted for.

The poll also found that among Republicans, 52% would vote for Donald Trump if the GOP primary were held today. Coming in a distant second is former Vice President Mike Pence, at just eight percent.

[AnBr]

[goldenvalley]

That meeting in the Yellow Oval in the Residence sounded like quite a zoo, almost funny in a way.  Why or why did Cipollone and the campaign lawyer not talk to the 2nd impeachment committee?  Did they really think no foul, no harm?  Were they so concerned about getting another job with a Republican Party member or organization?

And poor ole Mr. Ayers, the normie who was summoned to provide cover for the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers along a bunch of other normies, stumbled into the Capitol and ended up paying for it with a guilty plea, losing his job, and having to sell his house.  It took all that to open his eyes to the BS that was Trump.  I think he said he had been wearing "horse blinkers" until then. Walk away from the crazy dude.

[LFC]

Here's a look into how Trump edited his speech to target Pence for not following through with the coup. It's pretty loony, just as you'd expect.

[LFC]

More on the infamous coup meeting. Flynn and Powell should spend the rest of their days in prison.

In a recorded interview, Powell told the Jan. 6 committee through swigs of Diet Dr. Pepper that she and her entourage – including Flynn, a former general advocating for military intervention to keep Trump in power – only had around 10 or 15 minutes alone with Trump before Cipollone showed up.

“He set a new land speed record,” Powell deadpanned.

Powell began to lay out her argument: Trump needed to seize the voting machines, and he had the authority to do it. A 2018 executive order about sanctioning foreign actors for election interference would fit the purpose – all Trump needed to do was assert his authority, and, perhaps, appoint Powell herself special counsel.

It was Cipollone, Trump adviser Derek Lyons, and Herschmann, who recalled asking Powell whether she was “claiming the Democrats are working with Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelans, whoever else?”

“At one point, Gen. Flynn took out a diagram that supposedly showed IP addresses all over the world, who was communicating with who over the machines, and some comment about Nest thermostats over the internet,” Herschmann added in his interview with the committee.

That particular conspiracy theory – that the enemies of the United States threw the election for Biden via hacking Nest thermostats – burrowed its way into the DOJ via Jeffrey Clark, the Trump flunkie who mounted a failed attempt to enlist federal law enforcement in Trump’s attempt to stay in power.

From there, the meeting devolved into shouting and screaming.

“You’re quitting! You’re a quitter! You’re not fighting!” Flynn screamed at Herschmann, per Axios, before adding to Trump: “Sir, we need fighters.”

And by "fighters" he meant traitors.

[LFC]

Pass the popcorn, please.

Jan. 6 Hearing Postponed Due To New Info From Cipollone Testimony

House Jan. 6 Committee member Jamie Raskin (D-MD) told Axios on Tuesday that the panel decided to move its hearing that was initially scheduled for tomorrow to next Thursday due to receiving “an infusion of new testimony.”

• More specifically, new testimony from ex-White House chief counsel Pat Cipollone, which has “opened up a number of different avenues,” according to Raskin.