On January 6th, Trump and his supporters held a rally in Washington, DC, to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 Election. Many attendees traveled to the Capitol Building following the rally to protest visibly. Soon, the Capitol Police were overwhelmed, and the protestors breached the Capitol, and chaos ensued. Why, how, and who was to blame have been debated reductio ad absurdum. By the time the Commission reports its findings, there will be few, if any, convincible people left to sway.
For the Committee, time is the enemy. Key witnesses have decided to hide behind Executive Privilege, forcing the House to battle in the courts for a decision that will ultimately end up in the Supreme Court. While they have cooperative witnesses, no one can be sure whether those witnesses only send them further into a rabbit hole or provide conclusive evidence of a conspiracy to overthrow the government.
The question is not what they expect to find, but what is the end game? The Committee and House Leadership refer to legislative and investigative outcomes, which is fine for a court of law, but they ignore the court of public opinion at their peril. Some observers hint at criminal charges that could go as high as the former president. It’s possible new legislation could arise from the investigation, but the Committee’s scope does not include elections. Congress is actively pushing voting rights legislation, but without eliminating the filibuster, it’s unlikely to pass.
Political advantage? While Democrats spend time in Washington debating the girth of a social spending bill shrinking by the day, Republicans are mobilizing everywhere else in the country. Thanks to a “sacrifice the queen” election where the GOP lost the White House, they gained a strategic advantage in state capitals across the country. The GOP controls redistricting for 187 congressional seats while Democrats have control of just 75. The 2022 mid-term elections already favor the GOP, and Biden’s weak poll numbers and several policy failures make prospects even dimmer. If the Democrats are banking on less experienced, more Trump-friendly candidates to implode in the general election cycle, it’s a Hail Mary of Doug Flutie proportion.
The Committee needs to decide what they plan to accomplish with a report to have any meaning or impact. The probability is, the Committee better have a report by the summer, or it will be done in by a political campaign season and a new House majority in 2023. The reality is they will provide more narrative for both sides to believe what they already believe.
One final prediction, look for the 2020 Election Integrity Committee in Congress in January 2023.
How the Trump Saved Christmas
Former Arkansas Governor and TV funnyman Mike Huckabee sat down with a probing interview with former President Trump. Just kidding, the father of Trump’s former press secretary played a serious game of softball in a Newsmax interview. One segment was particularly spectacular where Trump talks about making it safe to say, “Merry Christmas” again. Watch for yourself.
If you’re curious how things were going before, here’s a montage of former President Obama.
There was one comment that sounded like a familiar quote from Bart Simpson.
The Rundown
Everyone should want the Electoral Count Act of 1876 reformed.
There was voter fraud in the 2020 election by Republicans, Part VI.
Merry Mariah Menu at McDonald’s to those who celebrate.
Move over Sidney Powell; there’s a new Kraken in town.
Renay Corren lived a helluva life. Maybe. Rest in Peace.
From the Blog
How I was enlisted to protect the Sanford brand, even from Mark Sanford himself. Read The Man v. The Brand.
Even though the latest Spider-Man movie is now in theaters, I share the story of my Marvel Superhero, Don Marvel, who changed the course of my life. Read My Favorite Marvel Superhero.
Welcome and Thank you
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