Trump May Have Been Dumb Enough To Have A Photographer With Him During His Coup

ABC’s Jon Karl noted that Trump kept a White House photographer with him at all times, and there is interest in seeing what is on the photographer’s camera on 1/6.

Video:

Karl said while promoting his book on Deadline: White House:

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I think one way to look at this is look at the preparation that the House managers made in the impeachment trial. It was powerful. It was searing. It clearly had an impact on those that watched it on the Senate floor. They played that video showing minute by minute what happened on January 6th. The January 6th Committee has much more than the impeachment managers could ever hope to have. They have testimony. If they win this battle over executive privilege, they will have detailed documents, memorandums. They will have the call logs. They will have the e-mails. They will be able to see who was in touch with Donald Trump.

They will have photographic evidence. Trump always had a photographer around him in the White House. I want to know what is on that photographer’s camera from January 6th. I want to see the outtakes of the video he released that evening where he said, we love you, to the people that had just stormed the Capitol. That was the acceptable version. What was on the unacceptable versions? So I think there is a lot that this Committee will be able to do. I think what they, by the way, I think we are only seeing a bit of their work right now. They’ve interviewed over 100 witnesses. They’re doing this methodically and behind closed doors, building up to public hearings that should happen sometime late summer and a very compelling report. But the fight over executive privilege will determine how effective it is. 

If Trump Kept A Photographer Around To Document His Coup, It Could Provide Damning Evidence

Let’s say that Mark Meadows tries to deny a face-to-face meeting with Trump on 1/6, but the Committee is able to pull out a photograph showing Meadows chatting with Trump while the Capitol was under attack.

It is common sense that if one is going to try to overthrow the government, they shouldn’t bring someone along to capture the crimes against democracy on film.

Donald Trump is a lot of things, but smart isn’t one of them.

The pictures may be worth more than a thousand words. The photos could equal a criminal referral.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association