860 Comments

The "man in the bull costume" is identified as:

The horned man in question is none other than 32-year-old Jake Angeli, a familiar face at pro-Trump rallies and a purported QAnon conspiracy theorist sometimes referred to as the “QAnon Shaman,” according to the Arizona Republic’s website.

In the past year, Angeli has been spotted — often in costume — at various demonstrations across the country, including a Washington D.C. protest after Joe Biden’s presidential win in November.

A man seen in a viral photo in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office with his feet on her desk is Richard Barnett of Gravette, Arkansas, a long time right wing activist and QAnon supporter.

We have the tools to deal with these scum. 52 years ago, interstate travel to conspire to riot became a federal crime (used against the Chicago Seven). Angeli has been photographed at several violent protests in different states, making him a prime target for use of this law. The sentence is 20 years. Barnett will "get his" by the end of the week, Pelosi won't diddle around on that. Interviewed, the inbred Arkansas evolutionary U-turn (i.e., southern white trash) claimed he was "looking for a bathroom."

They have photographs of many of them, easy to ID since they weren't wearing masks. Arrest them all on interstate conspiracy to riot. Start putting them in prison and the rest of the mouthbreathers will get the message and go back to East Asswipe, where they belong.

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What I want to known is who is funding these people that enables them to travel all over the country to these numerous events?

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Follow the money trail and catch more than the small fry

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Yep. Always follow the $$$. I hardly think they are supporting themselves with family Walmart gift cards from Christmas. /snark

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Tell Comcast, Microsoft, AT&T: Stop bankrolling hate!

https://actions.sumofus.org/pages/tell-comcast-microsoft-at-t-stop-bankrolling-hate/

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Done. Thanks for posting the link. I’m an AT&T user and was disappointed to learn of their support, but not suprised.

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We have Cricket - which is an AT&T subsidiary. How disappointing. That on top of having lousy reception where I live.

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Signed, thanks for the link

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*surprised

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There is tremendous power here...if only we all connected and moved as one. Ripples become Tsunamis

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Charles Koch, Robert and Rebecca Mercer, Dick and Betsy Devos....

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“The odd American idea that giving money to political campaigns is free speech means that the very rich have far more free speech, and so in effect far more voting power, than other citizens.”-Dr. Tim Snyder

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I’ve been wondering that too.

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good point!

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Crowdfunding.

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You're funny!

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Absolutely agree, TC. In fact, as I watched the early footage, my first thought, after the outrage, that is, was, "What would have happened in 1968 if the Yippies had done this? Let alone the Black Panthers!! " I think we who lived through those years know full well.

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One of the famous attorneys here in Florida is John Morgan, (you have probably heard of him) tweeted a picture of Barnett in Pelosi’s office, saying “he doesn’t know it yet, but he will be spending many years in prison”.

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Oh that is good news. I hope he is right and that that applies to every single one of those defilers!

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I agree it is time to put an end to this. But we can do it peacefully by calling our Senators and representatives and demanding DJT's immediate impeachment. Some of us have posted lists of phone numbers to call. If you still have access to those lists or links to those lists; Please, Please post them.

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Impeachment would take too long. He needs to be dismantled immediately from all power. He needs to be escorted out in a paddy wagon. This is very serious sedition and inciting destruction and possibly harm to elected officials including the Vice President of the United States who will replace him for two weeks—if my dreams finally come true. And luckily, I seriously doubt Pence will pardon trump or his comrades now.

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Impeachment need take no time at all, it's a piece of legislation and the pace is in the hands of the House. Trial can be commenced as soon as the bill is passed and the evidence is ready to hand. The theatrics that attended and delayed previous impeachments are just that, not a required part of the process. The added impact of impeachment is that it would render the guilty party effectively ineligible for future office.

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I do not trust republicans to stand up.

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Nor should you, but a few already have and, by taking immediate action, the emotional response to the violence should carry the day.

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I may be a traumatized product of four years of watching repubs do nothing but kowtow. I want action. Now.

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Agreed. The House could vote a bill in a day. Then any Senators who delayed or obfuscated--and of course some would--would be publicly exposed. Not just as advocating wink-wink sedition, but as equivocating about flat-out insurrection. It doesn't matter if they convict or not. DJT richly deserves to be the only twice-impeached president.

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Do you think there are enough Republican senators who would be willing to find him guilty? What are the chances that McConnell would wreck the process?

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With McConnell still in charge, there's not a chance.

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An impeachment can be completed. Whether he’s convicted or not is a different story. The house can impeach him

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That was my point - impeached but not convicted - again.

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Doesn't matter. Failure to actively oppose what happened is complicity and, if the House even gets a few Republican votes to impeach, McConnell's opposition becomes problematic for him.

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I'd love to see him go down in flames, but there are so few Republicans who can be counted on to put country above party. I hope you're right.

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Even if it takes too long, isn't it worth doing, for the record? Isn't the same true with 25th amendment? How about elephant tranquilizers?

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I would go for the elephant tranquilizer immediately and arrest. Not sure what impeachment would do at this point. Arrest for sedition. Impeachment is meaningless from what we have experienced. It has to be removal. Immediate.

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Impeachment with prompt trial and conviction, if it happens, would remove Tя☭mp from office immediately and forever. It could be done in 24 hours, if the Senate Republicans are sufficiently motivated after being forced out of their Senate chamber and offices by Tя☭mp's mob.

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After yesterday though the removal has to be pointedly legal.

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He was not removed last time he was impeached. You have to depend on Republicans. I don't.

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Why both impeachment *and* a 25th Amendment remedies need to start today: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/07/opinion/trump-25th-amendment-impeachment.html

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I heard on NPR this morning that both actions have been initiated by separate members in Congress. Can't give you a link because I heard it on the radio. I don't think they'll go anywhere, though. Romney was heard to say that there wasn't enough time for an impeachment, although the prospect of one is appealing if it means trump can never hold public office again or run for/be president. Frankly, I doubt that Pence has the courage or the skill to bring the Cabinet along for a 25.

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And I think the ones that are jumping ship are doing so not from conscience, but to avoid being put in the position of deciding on the 25th amendment issue.

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Pence might be angry enough to do it, having Tя☭mp turn on him after 5 years of loyal groveling.

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You'd think so, wouldn't you? But it isn't looking likely at this point. Considering how he's always strategically disappeared from the stage at key moments, I'm betting he won't do any different now. I'm thinking his political career might be over no matter which way he jumps.

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Makes sense, thanks Kathleen.

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Removal by 25th Amendment is the preferred action, but seems like a long shot in that it requires those closest to trump politically to publically turn against him.

Impeachment, on the other hand, can be done in the House. They just need to draw up the articles and vote on them. Easy peasy, as they say. I imagine someone has articles laying on their desk as I write. It may be tight, but Dems still have the majority.

Conviction and removal would not happen before his term expired, but he can be impeached. My only dismay about that is it would actually give trump another superlative, as the most impeached president.

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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar have both said they have articles drawn up. I'd rather see a bi-partisan effort because it's more likely to succeed but it has to start somewhere or it will surely fail. The process could go as quickly or as slowly as Congress wants it to but, given the events of yesterday, best 'twere done quickly.

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When do Warnock and Ossoff take the oath of office? Should be soon, yes? Then it might be doable if at least one Republican will sign on in the Senate (in addition to all the Dems).

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Not for another week or two. It depends on how fast Georgia goes through its process. Tomorrow (Friday) is the last day for military ballots to be received and counted. Then each of the 159 counties has to certify their results, and send them to the Governor to certify the total. It has to be done by January 22.

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Nancy Pelosi just said in a press conference that she expects a yes or no answer today from Pence on invoking the 25th. My impression is that she is holding off vigorous House action on impeachment until heaing from Pence. The question, of course, is whether there are enough reality-based Senators after yesterday to convict promptly.

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I heard Pence refuses.

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What has to be done with the President must be done TODAY. If there is a way to impeach, convict or invoke the 25th Amendment within 24 hours, it must be done. Otherwise, he should simply be arrested for inciting a riot and held for a bail hearing until after Biden's inauguration. There is no time to waste.

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Thank you, David. Key word here is "peacefully."

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Nancy Pelosi just said her phone is ringing off the hook with people demanding impeach impeach impeach. That’s the way to go. He’s unfit for office and proved it yesterday so that impression is fresh. Swift action to neutralize him and remove him from power for he can still cause havoc and will.

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On one of the news channels they reported that just because the arrest was not made at the time, they have the evidence to pick these scum up later for these FELONIES.

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Yeah Rob! Bunch of dipshit Trumppets! As if cameras aren’t everywhere already, they post incriminating evidence and bragging video confessions on their SM. “The best & brightest” yep.

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TC, the authorities may need your intel on these guys?

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It's even on french radio...names, descriptions, all!

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Wow.

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Tres Bien!

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C'est fantastique!!

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I got it from Raw Story, so I'm pretty sure it's "out there" for anyone who looks.

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TC thank you so much for your mention of Raw Story. This is the news source I have been looking for, for months. Really appreciate the mention.

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You can sign up for notifications - you get a little box on your computer screen every time they drop a story.

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I watched a bit on news yesterday that many known white supremest groups and their members have easily been identified already by ADL. That they actually exposed their faces and tattoos just shows how ignorant they are. Also the man who was carrying the podium and the woman with a piece of Pelosi’s door sign.

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Well, look who they follow...the brightest, orangest star in the history of the universe.

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What I worry about is Trump giving them all blanket pardons!!!

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I suspect that any one of the state lines they crossed gives jurisdiction to different states. Again, Trump needs to be removed to make sure his pardoning days are over.

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Think of a pardon, that could have placed BLM there or close. Keep that in mind these next few weeks.

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“Evolutionarily U-turn”...love it.

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The arrests should be made after January 21 so Tя☭mp can't pardon them.

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"Tя☭mp" cool label

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I copied it from someone whose name I don't recall, when it first appeared in these Letters some time ago.

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Excellent thought

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Thank you for this detail. Saves me a lot of surfing around online...

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East Asswipe—yes

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Let the authorities wait to deal with them until after January 21 so Tя☭mp can't pardon them.

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Impeaching of invoking the 25th immediately would prevent him from exercising any pardon powers. Waiting to arrest these guys/gals would be dereliction.

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You have posted some absolutely brilliant things yesterday and today.

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Oh that's a beautiful thought Jan

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Oh Mim I LOVE LOVE LOVE that little script of Shit-for-Brains's name

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I copied it into my Journal, and it transferred perfectly. With your permission, I am going to use it. If you email me at Roland and my initials RLJ at Google Mail with your permission, I would like to make use of it. Not commercially of course, just privately. But just in case, if it ever has a commercial use, I would have your contact info on file.

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One year later… Merrick’s Justice Dept’s MO has been to hunt the bottom feeders and work their way up the food chain. The chemo to their cancer will be incarceration. We must not accept anything less.

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Yup, you need to get this info to DC metro police

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I think Angeli has fantasies that DT will create a reality show for him.

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So it took extreme violence and fear for their lives to change the minds of many (but not all) of the Sedition Caucus ...

As Heather has reminded us many times, the question is what WE are going to do for our country. I feel like, all things considered, with the elections of Ossoff and Warnock driven by the enormous voter turnout in Georgia that even the Traitor himself couldn’t prevent, and Mitch’s unchecked power now checked, we have a real opportunity to enact legislation. I for one would like to see strong voting rights, and anti-gerrymandering and civil rights legislation, along with health care legislation. I want to see trump prosecuted for what he has done since November 3 (not to exclude what he did before, of course). I look forward to hearing what the DOJ under Merrick Garland will look like.

Peace to all of you here, and thanks to Heather from the bottom of my heart. We keep each other afloat emotionally and now let’s channel our outrage into positive activism for America.

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All of what you said and deep campaign finance reform, no loopholes, reverse Citizens United, and go the route of other " developed" nations that have very short campaigns and limited publicity. More policy details and debate instead of vague promises that go nowhere. Kind of like.......Elizabeth Warren who had a detailed plan for everything.

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And thankfully Sen. Warren is still where she can have a major impact. She would be a great Majority Leader.

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Go Liz!!! Seeing her as Senate Majority Leader would assuage my pain at our failure to get her the nomination. Joe now has his chance, with Kamala and the most diverse (and talented, experienced) administration in history. I almost feel optimistic!

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Yeah, I agree with the "almost." My heart is still too riven, I'm still heart-broken and grieving about yesterday.

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Agreed! I'm from NY and like and respect Charles Schumer, but a great orator he is not. I give him the benefit of the doubt that he's a cagey tactician, what do I know? But I like a leader who is inspirational and can move people with their expression of progressive ideas.

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I like a leader who knows the background ins and outs well enough to ensure things get done. The main job of Majority leader is not giving speeches. We never see the majority of what it takes to get bills written and herded through the process. Keep that in mind.

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You are absolutely right. McConnell had an iron grip on his caucus, but watching him speak makes drying paint seem fascinating.

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Especially reverse Citizens United! The Lincoln Project is posting names of CEO’s of many companies/banks who have supported Fake 45. Bless them! Two such companies are Walmart and ATT.

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Thank you, Marcy, for this call for us to act while remembering this day. And your warm and heartfelt thanks to Heather and the rest of this group for keeping us all "afloat."

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Yours, Beth's, and Fairness Doctrine

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Garland gave such a heartfelt speech today! I trust him. Could you not feel the genuine passion and discipline in his voice and expressions? God I miss this that so much in public officials. He is the antithesis of Barr! My faith in Democracy has a few more bricks replaced. This leaves Sally Yates in play as a Special Counsel, the mortar necessary to put the last nail in 45’s political career’s coffin.

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What about the Senate banking committee?

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“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, …” (Charles Dickens describing London and Paris during the French Revolution in A Tale of Two Cities)

The domestic terrorist thugs who disrupted Congress in session and invaded the Capitol were only the noisily destructive henchmen thrill seekers fronting the ongoing threats posed by trump, his enablers, the Sedition Caucus in Congress, and the PACs that finance them.

They are not to overshadow the amazing work of Stacey Abrams and her crew that rallied support to not only turn Georgia blue, but to propel Warnock and Ossoff to win their run off election for the 2 Senate seats to neutralize McConnell's death grip on progressive legislation. Now Biden has a chance to lead this country in plugging the loopholes exploited by trump and McConnell, and building on the energy swells of BLM, #MeToo, environmentalists, anti-gun violence, Indigenous people's rights, and our various efforts to make this a more humane world for all of us.

Thank you, Heather, for another of your amazing compilations that pulls the essential events of a day fraught with chaos and puts them together in a way that coherently helps us to remember what matters.

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Yes! The amazing work of Stacey Abrams, and the stalwart steadfastness of African-American voters, especially the women. I love that Stacey Abrams has persisted, and persisted, and continued on to victory for Georgia and for the nation. She has blazed a trail.

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Love the phrase "yet she persisted" - ala Elizabeth Warren, and now Stacy Abrams (plus many many others who took the chance and their right to VOTE!)

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I shared on Facebook a comment I read somewhere:

They tried to bury Stacey Abrams.

They didn't know she was a seed.

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Rahm Emanuel was interviewed on PBS last night with Judy and he gave several examples of what persons who have lost elections have gone on to do. He said that Stacey decided to build. And boy has she! She took the lessons she learned, the good bad and ugly, and flipped an entire state. Just wow.

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Entire state? Are you kidding? Tricia, Stacey flipped an entire nation. She and her partners (Voto Latino, the Asian group, etc.) turned the Senate 50-50 and gave Biden and Kamala the reins to legislate. No Mitch McConnell, he just got relegated to the history books. And like you said, "Just wow!"

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YES! The nation. Presidential Medal of Freedom!

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I'm concerned about what one very dangerous person who has recently lost an election might go on to do.

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You and a lot of other people

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That’s fabulous!

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Thank you, Ellie. Need to celebrate our win in Georgia being a win for all...

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Spot on, Ellie.

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Good morning everyone--I hope everyone is okay. It has been some helluva week so far. As an old Tom Lehrer fan I am reminded of one of his lines introducing a song, slightly paraphrased: "America feels a little like a Christian Scientist with pneumonia . . ." I also have to admit that when I saw the photo of Hawley--to whom I sent an email screed calling him a traitor and demanding that he remove himself from office, which I sent hours before he promoted insurrection and treason on a larger scale--I cracked up. He clearly practiced in front of a mirror because he looked like a dork who thinks he is "hip" by appropriating gestures and language that the Cool Kids use. It was the essence of white male idiocy. I haven't seen any memes showing up but I am sure there will be all kinds of photoshopped versions of Hawley as a Moronic Fascist.

Someone a couple days ago pointed out that Hawley has supposedly been well educated but I reiterate that he is deeply, deeply stupid. His degrees are legacy-based as his family has been in Missouri politics for generations. He has no moral center; he is as cynical as Murderous Mitch but without the sense to know when to shut up. Someone said they were really worried about him because he was "smarter" than Trump. But the Cheeto's supporters focus on his celebrity not on his absence of mental acuity (remember he is also supposedly an Ivy League alum, so the notion that the Ivys confer some particular status on people is patently false: Bush II was a Yalie after all). Hawley looks like what he is: an awkward white boy with fantasies of power. He is a skinnier and equally deluded Ted Cruz. And Cruz is possibly the most bipartisanly hated person in Congress. The Nazis and racists who form the Cheeto base aren't interested in supporting them.

That said, I wholeheartedly support the immediate removal of Trump from office, per the 25th Amendment, and his arrest for treason and sedition on the basis that he has attempted to incite the overthrow of a legitimately elected government. In addition, all the members of Congress who objected to the EC certification should be removed from office and charged with sedition. The fact that only 50-odd people were arrested yesterday is shameful. Whiteness made it possible for an attempted coup almost to succeed: if they had gotten hold of Pelosi she would be dead. The failure of the security services to protect the Capitol despite the ginning up of potential violence by Trump and his enablers is shameful as well.

But my gleeful moment last night was reading that Biden has nominated Merrick Garland as his attorney general. I would LOVE to see all these f***ers charged and prosecuted by AG Garland. It would be yet another example of Biden's clever use of "payback sucks, doesn't it" tactics.

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Love your characterization of Hawley.

And some consolation, I just listened to an interview with former NYC Police Chief Bratton in which he commented on the gold mine of information available to law enforcement as a result of all the photos published yesterday of the maskless invaders - that, and the fact that they were all over social media bragging. Bratton indicated these folks will be easy to find and prosecute.

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Assuming there is a will to prosecute. Which we must insist on.

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Along with cell phone data too. Between the photos and cell phones, they should be able to track down and arrest most of the thugs.

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Who are the masked among the mob? Notice anything particular about their stature?

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I’m not sure what you mean...? Do you mean white trash on parade?

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Cynthia, I mean who are those in masks? Why do they have masks on while others do not? Does it say something about spontaneity or planning & plotting? What did anticipate about video surveillance? What is different about them? Do they appear to you to look of Civilian build/stature? Do they look out of breath? ( that is a lot of steps to run up after a long march from DT's Speech location). Look closely at the waistlines of the masked. Watch how the masked move in each video, is it sporadic like the majority of the mob? Or is with orderly precision during chaos? Who moves like that? Not to be conspirator and not to encourage conspiracy, but I notice small things about athleticism and grace under pressure.

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Agree with your statement. The masked persons of strong build, swift move, etc. were different than those out-of-shape (my observations) or showing their faces and body tats even. Those who are easily identified did the bidding of the masked ones. Because they are so uneducated and uninformed that your mere presence on the steps is illegal.

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Dictators always rely on Paramilitaries in coup/insurrections. This was not a spontaneous protest. It was well planned and executed.

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The insurgents were interesting to watch--- and I was puzzled by many of them.

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Adam Schiff should be consulting with the FBI Counterterrorism agents. I'd like to know and account for every single one of Eric Prince's mercenaries. Whereabouts, track locations. Communications, etc. Confirm their Alibi's. It only takes a few advisors to edge a mob over boundaries of police orders and public decency. These are former soldiers with insurgency and counter-insurgency training. We need to know their whereabouts.

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Cynthia, you mean, Whiskey Tango Oscar Papa!!! ha ha Congrats! that is WTOP, founded by Cynthia O'Connor, nice!

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Absolutely. We need to immediately clean out all the seditionists in our government starting with DJT. Hold them in Guantanamo until each of their court proceedings. It is the furthest away from us but still in leased territory and where we place terrorists until trial (although there are still a number of terrorists still there who never seem to go on trial...at least...we do not hear about them). That, in itself, is a simply a very delicious thought. Seriously, our country must deal with seditionists swiftly as examples to the radical and fanatical elements rising rapidly in our country, thanks to four years of this coup by trumplicans and hostile foreign entities.

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Talking about sedition was the reason I was kicked off YT. I would like my rights returned or for YT to have competition.

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What is YT?

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YouTube?

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Ah, I see ... thank you Kari.

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You’re kidding!?! What?

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Yes, that is the only thing I had talked about that could have remotely upset someone...a trumping most likely. I was allowed one appeal and asked YT to show me what post violated their guidelines. They never showed me and said they suspended me permanently. I am not a rude person except about this regime. Even then, I temper what I say and use logic, reason and definitions for people to understand what I am saying.

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Whoa! That really sucks... sometimes I hold my breath when I make a snarky comment on Twitter... but this is terrible? I guess it’s ok if you post how to make a bomb on YT !?!...

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Wow! And yet 45 can incite violence and spew destructive lies endlessly and get away with it with but a slap on his wrist for this. That’s really wrong. And you can’t even appeal it which seems arbitrary and authoritarian on the part of YT. Where’s the free speech now?

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What?

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Oh! You have got me so excited!

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Has Betsy DeVos packed her bags yet?

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Yesterday early evening (somewhere 5-7 pm Pacific Time) on MSNBC Rachel was interviewing Claire McCaskill about Hawley, the man who beat her for her Senate seat. In Claire's very warm and loving way, she explained first that she subscribes to the old-fashioned belief that you don't criticize your successor. Then she said that, in light of current events, that her old-fashioned notion seemed quaint and ill-advised. She then proceeded to describe, again in those warm tones, how Hawley is a "craven" political opportunist, and without using the following words, basically said he is amoral and will do whatever it takes to advance. It was a damning characterization, I have to tell you.

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Claire is pretty awesome. It was an honor to be represented by her.

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You're lucky to be that close to her. She is a gem.

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Look who I get: Doug LaMalfa, CA-1, National Embarrassment, one member of the National Shame Caucus.

https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2021-01-06/republicans-in-congress-to-try-long-shot-bid-to-invalidate-biden-victory?_amp=true

Of course one of my Senators was Barbara Boxer, and then briefly we had Kamala Harris, now we have Xavier Becerra, a magnificent man, the former Calif. AG, stepping in for Kamala. I HAVE NO COMPLAINTS.

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Some good people there. Mine are abysmal and embarrassing.

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I saw that! She was fabulous!

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Hawley! Perfect description of him. But I am so depressed today because nothing will happen. As Heather pointed out when Nixon wasn’t at least tried for his crimes, it opened the door to all the criminals following him and here we are. Will someone please tell me that these seditious mongrels are not going to get away with this?! Please!

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I'm with you there Cynthia but I don't hold out a lot of hope.

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I feel the same way.. but let’s keep calling and applying pressure.

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That is where I am as well..... Congress fails us so often.

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So we have to keep calling and writing. I know it feels futile sometimes but if we keep it up and add to our numbers the pressure adds up.

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"if they had gotten hold of Pelosi she would be dead"

Exactly.

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And I am not sure that the adoring, trumpest Pence was a rather direct target.

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I agree with you: Both Pelosi and Pence would not be here this morning if they hadn't been whisked to safety at the right time.

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Well said. Leadership above all else is a moral relationship between leader and followers. I see no moral reason why anyone would be or remain a Republican this morning.

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Me neither. How can they look at themselves in the mirror or sleep at night.

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I love that Tom Lehrer quote!

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Sorry all: as I have been working today on the computer my brain finally clicked in the correct analogy from Tom Lehrer: "like a Christian Scientist with appendicitis." Much more effective!

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Very well said. I agree 100%.

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A grave day, nothing I ever imagined seeing and - to date - the worst thing Trump has wrought. But he isn’t gone yet, so I’m still on edge.

For those keeping track, you can find the names of those Representatives who voted in favor of rejecting the challenged States’ votes here:

https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2021/roll010.xml

https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2021/roll011.xml

The senators are: Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Cynthia Lummis, Roger Marshall, Rick Scott, John Neely Kennedy and Tommy Tuberville.

They all need to go – first home, and then to court to answer for their complicity. None of them should be permitted to hold office again.

As Professor Richardson said, this is just the beginning of the fight to set things right.

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Thank you for posting to the Wall of Shame for us to remember and remind when these seditious politicians seek re-election or any kind of validation through the course of their public lives. If they escape any consequences for their oath-violating conduct, the way to get them fired is through the vote. We will not forget.

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I have written down their names and will remind people over and over again that they have acted against the Constitution and should never hold office.

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Excellent.

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We must not forget!

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Agree!

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Yes I agree that all the treasonous complicity has to be accountable with serious consequences as a prelude to a new administration.

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Thank you. Sadly, my rep is still on the list. If he is not indicted now, HE WILL BE FIRED IN 2022. That is my new mission

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I totally agree. They must be held accountable.

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I called Rick Scott’s office. No one to take my call but I left my message. I wish I could be as cool and composed as Heather.

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In this Alice in Wonderland Tale with the Mad Hatter running riot, i think it's time for Queen Pelosi to shout "Off with His Head"

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I concur with you theoretically, and think it's a great analogy to suggest that what we have witnessed is similar to the Mad Hatter's Tea Party.

However, with great respect Stuart, such a course of action by Speaker Pelosi would be radically undemocratic -- and is too ugly for words.

We have seen far too much raw violence in the past 24 hours.

Instead, let us keep our wits about us. Remove Trump from office immediately through the process outlined in the 25th Amendment.

Then, move quickly by all means available, to charge any of his family members, advisors, followers, etc. with sedition (or, where appropriate, treason).

Do everything legally possible to bar these individuals from seeking elected leadership in future. No one should benefit, profit, or see personal advancement of any kind, or be given any position of responsibility in government, locally or nationally, as a result of association/cooperation with Donald Trump.

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Love your sentiments and logic, but if Trump supporters committed crimes while assaulting Congress and terrorizing our elected representatives, and we have means to identify them, why shouldn’t appropriate legal actions be taken against them? These people knew they were doing something criminal but because they had Trump’s blessing they went ahead and did it anyway..and clearly were enjoying themselves. Shouldn’t such people be subject to whatever laws constrain the rest of us from behaving similarly? We teach our children not to raise their fists or bring weapons to school, on pain of dismissal or expulsion. Should Trump supporters who committed these brazen acts and threw our democracy into chaos be immune? Find them and punish them according to criminal procedure and the law, for all our sakes.

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Yes, and as HCR has said, if these thugs were POC, most of them would have been shot dead yesterday.

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From the social justice angle, the footage from yesterday will be Exhibit A that we need to reform policing in our country.

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I am heartened that Dr. R is not the only one to have pointed that out. All the media, print and otherwise, are saying the same thing.

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Tragically, and disgustingly, that is true.

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"Off with his head" implies violence, and perhaps is not the best phrase to throw in just now. I suspect, though, that posters responding to Stuart are thinking not of violent retribution, but of legal consequences. Which are indeed not only appropriate, but essential to establish the limits of behavior that will be tolerated. That goes for not only the insurrectionists themselves, but also those who abetted them and encouraged them in the acts they committed. I whole-heartedly agree with Rev. Judith that civil acts of sedition should be addressed as well. It is too easy to point to the lowest level as the culprits, and ignore those who deliberately created the conditions in which they operated, and are complicit in what happened.

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I couldn’t copy the link for some reason, but there was an interesting, depressing article that I read on ‘The Conversation’.., about how once there is violence against the country, it will happen again. I will try again to post it.

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Cynthia, Yes! Violence is contagious and Trump is modeling it for other extremists. Apparently, 45% of Republicans approve of what happened in our Congress.

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This is disgusting.

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How can that be??

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How can any of this be!?!

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Should Cruz and Hawley face any consequences?

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Well, I think they qualify as advisors/followers (see text of my comment). But I'm happy to amend my statement to read "charge any of his family members, elected and/or appointed officials" to the list. Cruz and Hawley are complicit and should be removed.

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Trump and his children successfully adopted thousands into the Trump Crime Family. From elected and appointed officials to cosplayers, all must be sanctioned.

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Yes, I guess in my still ‘rattled brain’, I see their images larger than life and can’t stop feeling that they are in a category all by themselves. I will not be satisfied until they are dealt with in the appropriate manner.

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At the very least disbarred.

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I agree!

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Your post was fine, Judith. Some might see the details differently, but your post was great for sparking thought and discussion. I hope the Dept of Justice sorts it out and take the appropriate action, because you are right that there MUST be legal consequences. Bless you.

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Absolutely! No absolution for these two. Senator Cruz is from Texas where I live but he certainly isn't representing me. All about ambition and trying to get the DT base behind them. Need to get TЯ☭💀p out of office before he pardons any of the ... and himself.

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Yes. Unequivocally.

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Absolutely. Will they? If they don’t face serious consequences, we will have surely gone around the bend.

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Of course they should. The question is what consequences, and how soon. At the very least, they have tied themselves to the Tя☭mpsters and cut off ties from whatever is left of the non-Tя☭mp Republican party. They should be expelled from the Senate for abetting the attempted overthrow of the Congress by the Executive. That does not mean it will happen.

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BFHY.

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Ok, I give up... what is BFHY?

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Sorry, I dont like the swear. Bull F*&^ing Hell Yeah!

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Perhaps you could find another way to say what you need to say. Surely you knew someone would ask- otherwise why post it at all? (No, not offended by it- I have some pretty colorful language myself. But why dangle it?

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Thanks! My 27 year old daughter is away so I am cut off from pop culture!

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Exactly....and I think that Alice would agree😁

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Thanks, Stuart. I really wanted to avoid stepping on your toes...! I knew exactly what you meant about the Hatter, the Queen, etc. :-) Your comments and analyses are always excellent.

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My toes are not too sensitive, Judith. I understood perfectly

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Let us meet the passion of this madness with disciplined moral reasoning. But yeah, I am angry and outraged.

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I was up most of the night watching the count, simply because I needed the reassurance that we were moving forward safely. Not normal yet, and that was clear from the foolish "objections" made all the while knowing all it was was a childish stall. While watching, I wrote letters to my Congress critters. Simple and short: 3 lines calling for Trump's removal.

This morning learned that my daughter had been up too, watching and writing. Love knowing I raised at least one political nerd, Probably more.

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We should be angry and outraged.

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Fortunately the Constitution forbids bills of attainder. Let the guilty be punished, but only for their own actions and not because of guilt by association.

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But incitement is closer to complicity than association. Violence resulted from his "suggestion" so...

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