Republicans continue opposing a commission to investigate the January 6 insurrection against the government by claiming it was not an insurrection. But in doing so they are aiding Trump in inciting the MAGA cult to further violence according to Justice Department officials and no small number of Federal Judges.
After the November presidential election if Trump had conceded defeat his supporters may have been disappointed, but they would not have attacked the seat of American democracy in January in an attempted coup d’état to keep Trump in power.
However, not only has Trump never conceded defeat, he, fascist media outlets, and his Republican facilitators continue unabated inciting the MAGA base to “take up arms” against the government.
That was the opinion of a Federal Judge during a proceeding to determine if one of Trump’s fascist acolytes who transported arms to the Capitol on January 6 should be released from custody.
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The Federal Judge for the D.C. District Court, Amy Bergman Jackson, issued a “blunt assessment” of the dangerous state of affairs resulting from Trump’s “Big Lie” that he was cheated out of a second term in November. Judge Jackson wrote:
“The steady drumbeat that inspired defendant to take up arms has not faded away; six months later, the canard that the election was stolen is being repeated daily on major news outlets and from the corridors of power in state and federal government, not to mention in the near-daily fulminations of former President Trump.”
Judge Jackson’s opinion was enough to keep the enemy of state in custody “because he could endanger the public if released.”
The Justice Department has rightly argued that it is in the interest of public safety to keep Trump’s insurrectionists in jail. They assert that it is especially crucial when Trump supporters are affiliated with extremist groups like the Proud Boys who, the DOJ contends, could attempt another insurrection. This author contends that many of Trump loyalists will try another insurrection unless the incitement by Trump, right-wing media, and Republicans is brought to a screeching halt.
In a different case, another Federal Judge, Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, kept another traitor in jail just this past week. The Vietnam veteran in custody was inspired by the same “Big Lie” that Trump, right-wing media, and Republicans still propagate on a daily basis. The man “allegedly” parked a cooler full of Mason jar bombs on Capitol Hill on January 6 to “help save America” like Trump directed the rest of the insurrectionists to do during his order to march on the Capitol..
The Trump loyalist had attempted to contact Ted “Kremlin” Cruz, as well as Trump propagandist Sean Hannity and others, according to federal prosecutors. A Cruz staffer told police that Coffman seemed “to be coming from the ‘friend’ angle in wanting to … help with the election fraud he saw.”
In yet another case, Judge Emmet Sullivan wrote in April that it was necessary to keep a violent man “accused of dragging and beating Capitol police officers in jail.” Judge Sullivan wrote:
“The Court is not convinced that dissatisfaction and concern about the legitimacy of the election results has dissipated for all Americans. Former President Donald J. Trump continues to make forceful public comments about the ‘stolen election,’ chastising individuals who did not reject the supposedly illegitimate results that put the current administration in place.”
In a different case, Judge Paul Friedman was considering the release of a man who drove cross-country with firearms and then allegedly assaulted police at the Capitol. Judge Friedman considered federal prosecutors’ contention that the defendant, Nathaniel DeGrave, could still be a threat.
Even after the attempted coup, DeGrave “still idolized Trump” and believed all of his, the fascist media, and Republican lies about election fraud that cheated his idol out of a second term. Judge Friedman wrote:
“Of course, Mr. DeGrave has a First Amendment right to express his views on politics, the 2020 election, and the government. The Court need not consider Mr. DeGrave’s political preferences to conclude that he poses a serious risk of committing acts of violence in the future. His conduct speaks for itself, Mr. DeGrave was not carried away in the excitement of the moment; rather, his statements show that he planned to confront and perpetrate violence at the Capitol.”
All of these dire warnings are exactly why the nation needs a commission to investigate the January 6 insurrection; an investigation that Republicans oppose like plague. Of course they are terrified that a thorough investigation will expose Republican participation in inciting the attempted coup even though many congressional Republicans were intended targets of the insurrectionists. But at least the people would understand who stoked the anger that led up to an attack on the Capitol that has the potential of happening again according to several Federal Judges the dirty fascist Republicans would love to see silenced.
Audio engineer and instructor for SAE. Writes op/ed commentary supporting Secular Humanist causes, and exposing suppression of women, the poor, and minorities. An advocate for freedom of religion and particularly, freedom of NO religion.
Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn’t look good.
Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.
