Hello,
So Liz Cheney made about six kinds of news Monday evening at the hearing of the House select January 6 committee at which it voted to hold Mark Meadows in contempt of Congress. Cheney read from text messages that the former White House chief of staff had already turned over to the committee before he decided not to cooperateâcommunications that, she emphasized more than once, Meadows handed over with no attempt to cloak them in any kind of privilege claim. Among the points: Several GOP members of Congress were getting in touch with Meadows while the rioting was going on, begging him to ask Donald Trump to say publicly that the rioters had to stand down. Donald Trump Jr. sent two texts, one pleading with Meadows, about his own father: âHe has to lead now. It has gone too far and gotten out of hand.â Fox News hosts like Laura Ingraham and Sean Hannity begged Meadows to intercede with Trump. Ingraham: âThis is hurting all of us. He is destroying his legacy.â (First of all, âhurting all of usâ is pretty interestingâif someone discovered, oh, Rachel Maddow sending a text to Ron Klain with language implying that they were both members of the same team, the right would go apeshit. Second, Ingraham went on the air that night and said nothing of the sort. She blamed antifa.) Finally, Meadows texted some of these people back that he understood and he was âpushing it hardâ for Trump to speak publicly. And yet, as Cheney stressed, Trump said nothing for 187 minutes. People died. Many were injured. The whole thing was against the law top to bottom, from trying to undo the results of an election to trespassing and damaging federal property. And the president of the United States was sitting there doing nothing, and probably enjoying it. Yes, you could say we knew this, but we know it now in a way we didnât 24 hours ago, because Cheney painted a very vivid and specific picture of those crucial three hours.
We donât yet know who these members of Congress were. The committee knows, and Chairman Bennie Thompson said that in due course, we will know. We can make certain educated guesses, like a certain snarling, sportcoat-eschewing former wrestler from Ohio. But when we find that out, we can start matching specific individuals to specific crimes.
The full house will vote today to hold Meadows in contempt, which will hand the ball to the Justice Department, which will decide whether to prosecute. Eyes on Merrick Garland again.
Million-dollar question, now finally coming into view: Will the Democrats have the guts to put people in jail if need be?
So yeahâa big and significant day on Capitol Hill.
Also on Capitol Hill, the Senate will vote Tuesday to raise the debt limit. This is worth mentioning for one reason: The Senate is suspending the filibuster to do it. This is the second time this month the Senate has done the same. Earlier, Utah Republican Mike Lee asked for a simple up-or-down vote on his amendment opposing Joe Bidenâs vaccine requirements for American businesses, and his colleagues granted it. It lost 48â50, but the point is this: Twice this month, the Senate has passed a filibuster carve-out. So it can be done when it wants to do it.Â
In Covid-19 news, breaking this morning: Pfizer says its new pill reduces risk of hospitalization and death by nearly 90 percent if taken within three days of the onset of symptoms.
Today at NewRepublic.com, Alex Shephard writes that Chris Wallaceâs departure from Fox News pulls away the last remaining fig leaf of newsiness at the network. Tim Noah is impressed with the early phase of the Biden administrationâs moves to crack down on global kleptocrats and make them reveal true sources of corporate ownership and more. And Joanna Robin has a fascinating look inside shaky-seeming Medicare Advantage plans. Are Joe Namath and Jimmie Walker and (God forbid) William Shatner peddling Americans a bill of goods?
Thanks for reading, âMichael Tomasky, editor |
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