Merciless Republican Traitors Beg for Mercy While Many Still At-Large

Thom plus logo Don't give it to them: the moment demands justice

For many Americans, it's just now starting to seriously sink in that on January 6th Donald Trump's allies killed five people in an attempt to violently overthrow the government of the United States and replace it with an strongman oligarchic dictatorship.

Their violence was so severe that additional dozens were hospitalized and the Vice President, members of Congress and their staffers spent hours hiding in terror. One policeman was murdered, a second committed suicide, and dozens of others were viciously beaten. The traitors brought into our Capitol building the battle flag of the insurrection of 1861, smeared feces on carpets and walls, stole classified documents, and trashed government offices.

They rampaged from office to office, smashed windows and doors, all the while chanting "Hang Mike Pence" and "Where's Nancy?" as a sturdy gallows awaited just outside the building.

And it was entirely the effort of elected officials and partisan enthusiasts of a single political party: Republicans. (Yes, some Fox News propagandists say there were "Democrat infiltrators" in the crowd; it's a lie, and there's no evidence to support the charge.)

It was Republicans. And now they're wanting "mercy," "compassion" and "understanding."

That's the Republican Party whose members, for 50 years, relentlessly promoted and waged a brutal "War On Drugs" that Richard Nixon's former Domestic Policy Chief explicitly said was designed to criminalize being antiwar or Black and left thousands to rot in prison for years.

They're members of the same Republican Party that waged a "no mercy" campaign of imprisoning refugees and tearing their children away from them, having "lost" over 600 of those children after keeping many of them in cages for months.

This is the same "no exceptions" Republican Party that delights in the death penalty, having executed more people in the last few months than the last 56 years combined.

It's the same "no compassion" Republican Party that says people who've fallen on hard times shouldn't get government-funded housing, food stamps or extended unemployment benefits; the Republican Party that's worked for decades to gut Social Security and eliminate Medicare/Medicaid, even during a pandemic.

These are boosters of a Republican Party that's spent the last 40 years glorifying guns so enthusiastically that America stands alone in the world as the international home of school shootings. When first graders were gunned down at Sandy Hook, this is the Republican Party that refused to even discuss taking weapons of war off our streets.

This is the same Republican "total war" Party that cheered on George W. Bush as he illegally kidnapped thousands of Iraqis and Afghanis and sent them to be tortured and murdered in "black sites," people who never had any access to any court, with many of them - clearly innocent - dying from our violence or imprisoned in Guantánamo without charges.

These Republicans gave literally trillions of your tax dollars to their billionaire donors, but now say it's "too expensive" to help out struggling working class Americans during a pandemic. Help for the needy? "Screw them" is the GOP mantra when it comes to working people in crisis.

Trump was helped in his effort to overthrow the US Government by almost 150 Republican members of the House of Representatives and a dozen Republican members of the Senate, as well as one of the top Republican figures in the Department of Justice. Several of those Republican members of Congress continue to justify their seditious complicity in the January 6th act of treason.

Hundreds of members, active and retired, of the US military, police and sheriff's departments, and elected officials from multiple states participated in this nearly-successful effort to kidnap and murder the Vice President of the United States and the Speaker of the US House of Representatives to install Donald Trump as dictator for life and end the American Experiment.

And now, the Washington Post reports that the Biden administration is debating letting some of the conspirators and traitors who stormed the US Capitol and killed five people get way with their murderous crime.

Perhaps, the Justice Department is apparently thinking, there should be bleeding heart exceptions for these Republicans who were just swept up in the moment. They need compassion and understanding.

And, unlike the Republican administration's 2020 actions federalizing police in Portland and Seattle and then charging small-time vandals with major, decades-long felonies, it's just too much work to track them down and prosecute all the people who tried to turn America into a dictatorship.

After all, the Post notes, these are "lesser offenders" and "most of those arrested so far have no criminal records."

Not to mention, the Post article adds, "There is also a question over whether charging all of the rioters could swamp the federal court system."

This is, frankly, bullshit.

There's clear American precedent for dealing with murderous traitors.

In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in a successful coup that put pro-slavery Vice President Andrew Johnson, himself the owner of several enslaved humans, in charge of the federal government.

Our government searched for and arrested the people who'd participated in the conspiracy for that coup, which set the stage for withdrawing Union soldiers from the South and the establishment of 100 years of white supremacist Jim Crow laws nationwide.

Four of the participants, Mary Surratt, Lewis Powell, George Atzerodt and David Herold, were hanged.

Samuel Arnold, Dr. Samuel Mudd and Michael O'Laughlen received life sentences of "hard labor," and Edman Spangler received a six-year prison sentence. John Wilkes Booth, the man who fulfilled the conspiracy's goal, was shot to death while hiding like a coward in a burning barn.

America has historically dealt harshly with those who would assassinate elected officials or work to overthrow our republic. Republican operative and Trump lawyer Roy Cohn enthusiastically sent Julius and Ethel Rosenberg to the electric chair for collaborating with the Soviet Union.

America has dealt with insurrections before. George Washington led a military charge against insurrectionist "protesters" and Abraham Lincoln fought a bloody war against them.

These Republican traitors must be treated with the same compassion they'd offer refugee children in cages, protesters who've smashed windows, or Black teenagers caught with a gram of cocaine.

Their collaborators in Congress, by and large, have not yet even apologized, much less display any evidence of contrition. To the contrary, they continue to promote the Big Lie of "voter fraud" that Trump used as a rallying cry to whip up the crowd.

As Mayor Rudy Giuliani will tell you about his "broken windows" policy, if you don't catch criminals, prosecute them, and incarcerate them for as long as legally possible, they'll simply come back later and perpetrate more crimes.

It's time for justice.

-Thom

Originally posted on thomhartmann.medium.com

Comments

frankliemydear's picture
frankliemydear 2 years 19 weeks ago
#1

There's a kind of interesting article on the SacBee today about a ProudBoy who is now on the California Republican Central Committee. "

Newest member of Sacramento’s GOP leadership is member of far-right Proud Boys group. https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article248698770.html

Read more here: https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article248698770.html#storylink=cpy

Legend 2 years 19 weeks ago
#2

#1, cannot read without subscription. You can cut and paste.

Legend 2 years 19 weeks ago
#3

All of it was based on lies that were repeated and repeated until people believed them to be true. Repeated by Trump, Giuliani and his evangelical law team, A majority of Republican Congressmen and Senators, Right Wing media (in other words the mainstream media). They all knew that they were lies but continued to repeat the lies. they continue to repeat the lies weeks after.

The lies were laughed out of court in 61 cases. The election was not close. The corruption and lies were documented in a phone call by Trump and his lawyer to the Secretary of State of Georgia. You can bet that other phone calls took place. Ted Cruz and Josh Holly both know that they are lies. Ron Paul knows that they are lies. But Republicans wanted to throw out the votes of the people of 5 states that happen to be close for electing Biden. No mention of the states that were close for Trump. Still the lies continue. Immediately after the insurrection the Republicans said it was Antifa dressed as Proud Boys. The lies just continue.

norgotoad's picture
norgotoad 2 years 19 weeks ago
#5

Law enforcement against these little "dears" was non existent. It was a total failure. But since the offenders were white and conservative, everything is OK. So far about 130 total arrests out of the thousand or so who showed up to overtake the capitol, assault peace officers, and assassinations of elected officials plus espionage by the little dear who stole the speaker of the house's laptop and was intending to sell it to the Russians. So what will happen to them? They should all get 20 years to life. If they were black, they would have been looking at life without possibility of federal probation. If the march was BLM, all would have been surrounded and there would have been huge mass arrests. But since they were white conservatives? Yeah, we'll get 'em real soon... like in 3 years or so... maybe. And charge them with jaywalking...

alis volat's picture
alis volat 2 years 19 weeks ago
#6

Politico is putting out there that Trump is staunchly sticking to the Republicans like the fungus that he is, and folks can forget any talk about third parties. Damn!

Since they followed him to hell, don't expect that to change. Many think it may be the end of the month before the actual vote. That's too long, because the Republicans who were incensed on January 7th will have had time to think more about their political future than their obligation to justice for the dead. So we must; the Democrats have no choice.

If you want to know how these folks think, visit this website for a podcast that is of a KWRO conservative radio show in Oregon. Go to the one for Jan 11th. It has the leader of the Proud Boys at the beginning. The last hour is two men speaking about being on the Capitol portico outside. One was busted for curfew.

I hope SUE will pass this on to Thom.

Podcasts — Rob Taylor Report

cuz's picture
cuz 2 years 19 weeks ago
#7

Amazing that one party wins total and complete control of Congress and the WH yet members of that same party still spend their days filled with hate for the opposition.

Thom, will you dare comment on the racist Biden Travel ban? Probably not.

Thom -Talk 2 years 19 weeks ago
#8

The failure to punish the guilty, will only build a lawless country

From the Lincoln poject - The House should immediately impeach Donald Trump for directing and provoking this attack. The United States Senate should immediately vote to convict and remove him from office. Any Member of Congress who refuses to do so should be considered a co-conspirator.”

Even Romney weighed in - If isurrection (and treason) is not a reason to be convicted, what is? (not direct quote)

Those who gave the insurrectionist a tour, should meet the same end as those who attacked the Capitol.

I will not accept the lack of punishment for All involved. Why should any citizen follow the laws, if others, who are more dangerous, are allowed to go free?

The guilty who hold higher a higher and more important, who many have sensitive information for the security of our country, should recieve the harshes sentences. NONE of the perpetrators should be allowed to leave the country, for secutiy reasons.

Thom -Talk 2 years 19 weeks ago
#9

Confusing hate with justice is missplaced. We cannot contiune to let insurrectionest go free. Washing the guilty in lies does not make them Snow White.

deepspace's picture
deepspace 2 years 19 weeks ago
#10

Right on! Great response, Thom - Talk! Just imagine the sledgehammer of justice if the attempted coup was predominately populated by Black protesters or (Shudder!) Muslims?!

The past is prologue.

It's amazing that laughably ignorant Republican trolls and cultish Trump apologists are so ashamed of their "basket of deplorables" that they desperately want everyone to forget about the contemptible history of the Republican Party -- especially their own personal culpability in furthering the destruction of democracy.

While the fake patriots purposely looked the other way when it suited them and excused Trump's round-the-clock self-serving dishonesty, overt racism, and truly despicable crimes, which predictably culminated in a violent, traitorous, white-supremacist insurrection against our government, they are now gleefully pushing malicious lies about Biden and Democrats in a transparent and shameless hypocritical attempt to change the subject.

Riiight -- "The sun is up, life is good." Don't worry, be happy. FU!

Unlike Trump, the flaming Muslim bigot, Biden's travel bans are NOT based on racism and self-serving pandering to a xenophobic base of voters lost in Lie Lie Land, but on the solid science of a pandemic raging across the globe and on the highly qualified recommendations of medical experts.

Trump is a mass murderer whose deliberate criminal negligence will have led to the unnecessary deaths of well over a half-million fellow Americans before it's finally over, rivaling the 1918 H1N1-virus pandemic.

"Top U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci called Biden’s decision to reinstate the travel restrictions—and add South Africa to the list— “prudent” in a round of television interviews Monday."

America's national healing depends on Donald Trump facing real punishment
Trump is out of power, but his shadow lingers and his enablers are everywhere. To heal, we must have justice.

SueN's picture
SueN 2 years 19 weeks ago
#11

I just hope the violent aspects of Trumpism don't spread over here. Bad enough that we have Boris Johnson making many of the mistakes (from a progressive point of view).

deepspace's picture
deepspace 2 years 19 weeks ago
#12

Ha! 1776! Three Percenters, fightin' the Brits! (from a bat-guano crazy point of view).

};--))

norgotoad's picture
norgotoad 2 years 19 weeks ago
#13

Right... the Republicans would never spend time prosecuting somebody no longer in office... right? The Republican led Benghazi hearings went on over 2 years after Hillary Clinton was no longer the Secretary of State and concluded she did no wrong doing. There were 7 Republican house investigations that concluded the same as the 2012 investigation concluded: "The unclassified version of an independent 2012 report, headed by Thomas R. Pickering, a former diplomat, concluded that “there simply was not enough time, given the speed of the attacks, for armed U.S. military assets to have made a difference.”

On the other hand, how about the attack on the US CAPITOL by the lovely Republican Trump loving party??? And Trump enjoying the show while watching it live in the White House. And some Republcan congressional members contacting the insurrectionists in order to inform them as to where members of the Democratic party were located so they could target assassinations? Doesn't that require at least the same level of rigor as the Benghazi investigations? Of course, to a Republican, it does not. Hypocrisy does not deserve respect or any acknowledgement. Those who stormed the Capitol deserve prison as the president who helped organize it. In most countries, they would have been executed for treason. Republithugs are nothing more than sociopaths and psychopaths with the added value of being traitors. Something to be proud of.

Thom -Talk 2 years 19 weeks ago
#14

Thank you for your encouragement Deepspace. I thoought your comments were spot on as well.

It seems that being a true Country loving, Patriot is somehow being miss-construed, with being an insurrectionist?

What is more dangerous to the country? -

A seditious, treasonous president Trump, or a college admissions scam defendant, who was denied his appeal to serve rest of sentence at home! Not right - and not as dangerous!

What is wrong with the idea of “let the punishment fit the crime"?? While the Republicans in congress, side step responsibility, to avoid the conviction AGAIN of a President, and his followers, who pose the greatest danger to our democracy since the inception of this country!!!

Is there no reasonable justice for us, who are law abiding, country loving voters? We do not even have the freedom to elect who we chose without being attack as "haters" or wose?

Trump never won the vote by the majority. He won the Electoral College vote. This method allows the rule by a minority. It even makes the majority vote, inconsequential.

I have had my miss-giving about the EC, from the time I took a Political Science Course in high school. My father had to smooth my "ruffled feathers" as I strongly felt it was unfair! That was a few decades ago!!!

Legend 2 years 19 weeks ago
#15

With witnesses under oath in a Senate Trial more and more connections will be made to the insurrection and members of the Republican Party. At least 2 Senataors.

Thom -Talk 2 years 18 weeks ago
#16

Trump's Insurrectionists did not show up when the National Guard was in DC, but they sure do not hesitate sticking a gun in anyone who is unarmed!

Personally, I do not think this is being smart, or strong.

Freedom without responsibility is tyranny.

I also believe, that my freedoms should not infringe on other's freedoms

Thom -Talk 2 years 18 weeks ago
#17

I agree. Treason is a serious crime that is levied against everyone in this country. The punishment should fit the crime. What would make anyone think that they could attack the Capital, threaten those in Congress with death, and directly or indirectly, due to their actions, cause the deaths of others, and not be punished? Because Trump has been excused of his treason, bribery, and all the other high crimes, and misdemeanors, they may have felt they would be treated similarly.

I know they keep letting Trump off the hook and making up excuses. He was acquitted by the Senate in the first impeachment trial, and probably will be this time too. The Supreme Court even threw out the Emoluments case twice, when it was obvious that he was funneling our tax money into his private businesses, because he is no longer in office.

It is as if a person worked at a bank, and has been told that this is their last day. They can stuff their pockets with money, and can use the “Trump Defense”. They no longer work there, so they cannot be convicted – even if they were caught on security cameras!

More excuses have been made for Trump, legally, theft, lies, his association with murderous dictators, tax fraud, and more, than any Mafia boss in history.

This can lead to a lawless country, and can indicate we are well on our way to an autocracy, or a dictatorship.

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