Optics! The so-called security decision makers were worried about the optics if more security personnel were at the Capitol! Optics, what trump has done is criminal and partisan concerns or optics are in the words of the flunky Bill Barr, our b.s.
Optics! The so-called security decision makers were worried about the optics if more security personnel were at the Capitol! Optics, what trump has done is criminal and partisan concerns or optics are in the words of the flunky Bill Barr, our b.s.
This is the conversation I had last week with my good friend who used to live in DC and protest at the Capitol on a regular basis (she was one of the first AIDS protesters in DC in the early 80's). After the debacle of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs appearing with the President and the clearing of the mall by the police during a George Floyd murder protests where TFG made his "Bible Photo-Op" there had to be conversation among the several agencies about "managing the optics". I can certainly understand the premise of that, but in the face of what had to be considerable intel from various agencies about the plans of the insurrection, the utter lack of adequate law enforcement presence and apparent command and control failure is incomprehensible, at least to me.
Yes, the picture is coming into greater and greater focus, isn't it?
Lots of intentionality it seems. So very, very disturbing. People DID die and I am sure that Pence and Pelosi would have been seriously hurt if not killed that day. Hate to think that but nothing is out of realm of possibilty at this point. I hope they gave Cassidy some protection but not sure who is trustworthy anymore.
If optics were the main concern, I donтАЩt understand why the DC National Guard couldnтАЩt have been deployed inside the Capitol building, out of sight from the outside. Since the Capitol was closed to the public, it wouldnтАЩt have been obvious, but they would have been readily available to reinforce the Capitol police. Of course, Jim Jordan, MTG, et al would have been aware of their presence and notified the White House gang. Then there was the unconscionable delay in mobilizing the Guard after the assault began. So it seems like the bottom line is that the people in charge wanted the assault to succeed.
Click on the picture to get an enlarged view of the Ellipse and surrounding land. I can't get an answer to whether the folks hanging out in the trees were on Federal land, but I suspect so. Being Federal land would mean it's the jurisdiction of the Park Service, which would mean the feds were in control of what authority would intervene to de-weaponize those in that space beyond the Ellipse. This would mean, like at the Capitol, local police would not have jurisdiction to intervene. Nor did the DC National Guard have authority to intervene.
From my DC friend, Capitol, Metro, and Park police have concurrent jurisdictions and frequently offer mutual aid to one another. Other Federal agencies (FBI, DHS, ATF, Treasury all have a police function response protocol.
She disagrees that this was a command and control failure, but perhaps simply a badly managed one. I completely disagree.
Agree Ally, why wasn't there more preparation as there were plenty of warnings that she testified to yesterday before the 6th from agencies who would know. It made me think that the lack was deliberate.
Optics! The so-called security decision makers were worried about the optics if more security personnel were at the Capitol! Optics, what trump has done is criminal and partisan concerns or optics are in the words of the flunky Bill Barr, our b.s.
Guys in the trees with AR-15's and that didn't trigger immediate police response??
Ketchup on the wall and that didn't trigger a mental health evaluation?
I think they were on Federal land? Hence no police response; just federal response. And who had power over the "feds"?
Sounds about white
This is the conversation I had last week with my good friend who used to live in DC and protest at the Capitol on a regular basis (she was one of the first AIDS protesters in DC in the early 80's). After the debacle of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs appearing with the President and the clearing of the mall by the police during a George Floyd murder protests where TFG made his "Bible Photo-Op" there had to be conversation among the several agencies about "managing the optics". I can certainly understand the premise of that, but in the face of what had to be considerable intel from various agencies about the plans of the insurrection, the utter lack of adequate law enforcement presence and apparent command and control failure is incomprehensible, at least to me.
While we haven't seen all the evidence yet, it's reasonable to suspect that the lack of preparation was intentional by some federal officials.
As for the Capitol police, it may have been more a case of ineptness.
Yes, the picture is coming into greater and greater focus, isn't it?
Lots of intentionality it seems. So very, very disturbing. People DID die and I am sure that Pence and Pelosi would have been seriously hurt if not killed that day. Hate to think that but nothing is out of realm of possibilty at this point. I hope they gave Cassidy some protection but not sure who is trustworthy anymore.
If optics were the main concern, I donтАЩt understand why the DC National Guard couldnтАЩt have been deployed inside the Capitol building, out of sight from the outside. Since the Capitol was closed to the public, it wouldnтАЩt have been obvious, but they would have been readily available to reinforce the Capitol police. Of course, Jim Jordan, MTG, et al would have been aware of their presence and notified the White House gang. Then there was the unconscionable delay in mobilizing the Guard after the assault began. So it seems like the bottom line is that the people in charge wanted the assault to succeed.
Didn't Michael Flynn's brother play a significant role in refusing to allow the Guard to be present? that's my recollection.
ThatтАЩs what I remember, too.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ellipse
Click on the picture to get an enlarged view of the Ellipse and surrounding land. I can't get an answer to whether the folks hanging out in the trees were on Federal land, but I suspect so. Being Federal land would mean it's the jurisdiction of the Park Service, which would mean the feds were in control of what authority would intervene to de-weaponize those in that space beyond the Ellipse. This would mean, like at the Capitol, local police would not have jurisdiction to intervene. Nor did the DC National Guard have authority to intervene.
From yesterdayтАЩs audio this stuck in my head :тАЬ AR 15тАЩs at 14th and IndependenceтАЭ
Used to be a drive-by for me in my working days!
From my DC friend, Capitol, Metro, and Park police have concurrent jurisdictions and frequently offer mutual aid to one another. Other Federal agencies (FBI, DHS, ATF, Treasury all have a police function response protocol.
She disagrees that this was a command and control failure, but perhaps simply a badly managed one. I completely disagree.
In normal times, I would say your friend is right about mutual aid. I don't think, however, we're dealing with normal times!
Agree Ally, why wasn't there more preparation as there were plenty of warnings that she testified to yesterday before the 6th from agencies who would know. It made me think that the lack was deliberate.
Exactly my question, Ally. If they all knew about it why was everything left to an easily overwhelmed Capitol Police force? Who had to make the call?
I donтАЩt know.