Committee hearings should mean a great deal to every American regardless of whether one lives in Woodstock, NY or Woodstock, GA. This hearing is important, if not more so than Watergate, because the crimes associated with the Capitol rioters as well as the former presidential administration are not merely serious but attacks upon the foundation of our democracy. What we are talking about here is not your garden variety conspiracy, rather it is insurrection — as in treason. And, while Nixon’s conduct threatened democracy, Trump’s threatened the overthrow of our system of government.
The evidence flowing from the Committee describes state actors, including Donald J. Trump, who believe they may engage in any conduct they chose, and do so, with impunity and complete immunity. There mien reminds of a demeanor associated with men who batter significant others; essentially above the law and, more importantly, the law does not apply to them.
We now know Trump was aware folks inside the Ellipse, listening to his call to arms, were in fact armed with automatic and semi-automatic firearms. The rioters also carried flag poles topped with knives and of course crafted the gallows with the noose marked for Pence.
We also learned the Capitol was cased, inside and out, to gather information regarding entry and exit as well as the location of the Speaker and Vice Presidential suite of offices. The synod of white nationalists, represented by the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, engaged with Trump supporters, quite possibly members of Congress as well as the Trump administration, to plan the attack on the Capitol and Congress. Thus, storming the steps, attacking police and burglarizing the Capitol was neither coincidence nor happenstance; the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers did indeed, “stand back, stand by” and storm the People’s House.
Following the Biden/Trump debate, Proud Boys organizer Joe Biggs posted he was “standing by.” He opined, “basically[ Trump] said to go f— them up,…because someone needs to deal with ANTIFA… well sir! we’re ready!!” Except, as we all know, there was no Antifa at the Capitol, and the Boys and Keepers knew this.
The question you and I should be asking is whether Trump gets away with a plethora of crimes, including — treason, conspiracy to commit insurrection, obstruction of governmental processes and intimidation of witnesses. If you or I engaged in similar behavior, we would be housed in a federal prison with all due deliberate speed. And, Donald John Trump — does he get a pass?
Trump has received so many passes in his life, from the Senate’s refusal to hold him liable following two impeachments, to repeatedly and unabashedly lying to the American people, refusing to pay workers at his building sites and engaging in racial discrimination in rentals owned by his father and himself. Yet, this event is too big to “let it go.” Trump needs to be hauled before courts in DC (federal) as well as GA and NYC. In the state and federal criminal cases, if Trump is found criminally liable, he should spend the next decade or two behind bars. Anything less sends the message, misanthropic authoritarians may do as they wish because WE shall not hold them to account.
It is however time.
It is time to hold the Trump cabal [Bannon, Meadows, Navarro] to account for the damage caused by the 2020/2021 attempted coup d’etat — unless we truly are a nation of men — very bad men — not a nation of laws. Giving Trump a “Get out of Jail Free” card is an assault upon the legacy of our founders — men and women who died to give us an opportunity to “do” democracy. January 6, was the ultimate betrayal of the promise and potential of America. Perhaps, my Politics professor was correct, indifference is acquiescence and failure to account gives US the government we deserve;” one which defiles the law and destroys principles foundational to this experiment we call America.
Supporters of Trump, the militias which back them and congressional functionaries who give voice to this mob, must be held to account. Accountability demands indictment, prosecution of the conspirators and impeachment of congressional members who abetted the conspiracy. Nothing less is acceptable.
Kris McDaniel-Miccio is a legal scholar, an emerita professor of law and a Woodstock resident.
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