Felix Smith on Trump and America

We are always feel honored when Felix Smith sends us another of his thoughtful essays.  Thanks, Felix -- blj

If Trump Walks, Our Democracy could be Doomed

by

Felix E. Smith

If Trump walks after what happened on Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection and follow-up law breaking and failure to preserve, protect and defend the U.S. Constitution, our Democracy could be doomed. At the latest count 874 people,-- little fish – in the scheme of things, have been charged or arrested. Many have been sentenced to prison. However -- no Big Fish --, the politically powerful have yet to be charged or arrested for related crimes. If the – Big Fish – get to swim away, it will be more evidence that in the United States, the wealthy and politically powerful can abuse law and violate the US Constitution with impunity without fear of any consequences. Only ordinary people and those of the Black, Brown and Beige communities have to obey the law. Such evidence would embolden our enemies and frighten our friends about the real future of the United States as a democracy.

Evidence from responsible reporting and Jan. 6 House Select Committee findings, several Republican members of Congress helped plan, knew of, urged and / or supported the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection and associated activities. TV cameras caught the action that Jan. 6, from Mr. Trump’s speech at Ellipse Park with his lackeys making supporting speeches urging them on to go to the Capitol. Mo Brooks urged them on. Josh Hawley of Missouri pumped his fist toward the mob yelling “go to the Capitol.” Michael Flynn urged the Trump followers to go to the Capitol to “raise hell. Rudy Giuliani another Trump toady said “It will be wild.” Mr. Trump said he would be at the Capitol, but he did not show up, because it wasn’t safe to be there. Secret Service agents took him to the White House where he watched TV, reveling over what was happening at the Capitol. He watched the insurrectionist mob battle the US Capitol Police, ransack the Capitol, disrupt the work of Congress that was meeting to certify the Electoral College vote as required by the 12th Amendment to the Constitution. Mr. Trump did nothing to stop it. He ignored his advisor’s advice to have the rioters stand down. Senator Mitt Romney said; “What happened today was an insurrection, incited by the President”. “If that wasn’t an insurrection, I do not know what is.” The Los Angles Times Editorial Board posed the question: “At what point does this (insurrection) get called an attempted coup?”

Congressional members involved in various ways. Some have pleaded to be added to the list for a Presidential pardon. Those involved include Marjorie Taylor Green of Georgia, Mo Brooks of Alabama, Paul Gosar of Arizona, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina, and Andy Biggs of Arizona. Trump acolytes, Senators Jim Jordan of Ohio, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Ted Cruz of Texas and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin were involved. They either helped plan, knew about or were involved in carrying out the plan to disrupt the Electoral College vote and encouraged the “Jan. 6 festivities.” Thomas Friedman called Senators Ron Johnson, Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz the leaders of the coup plotter caucus. Some of these people are known to have questionable ethics and principals. According to the organization “moveon.org”, Ali Alexander, was lead organizer for the “Stop the Steal” rally and other activities of Jan. 6, 2021, and was involved directly with some of these Republicans. The purpose was to put maximum pressure on Vice President Pence and the Congress to prevent them from carrying out their official duties of certifying the Electoral College vote.

The actions of Federal elected and appointed officials are inconsistent with their oath of office. Individual elected or appointed to an office of honor, civil or uniformed services take an oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution from enemies foreign and domestic. This insurrection came from within our government, fomented by the Fascist Wing of the Republican Party. Many are members of the Federalist Society as are several Justices of the Supreme Court. According to Jan. 6 House Select Committee findings and responsible reporting, people in the White House were the instigators of the Jan 6. activities with all evidence pointing to President Trump.

To add more material to the already noxious Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection flames, is the evidence that 7 states submitted fraudulent slates of Electoral College certificates in favor of Donald Trump, to replace the slates of Official Electors for Joe Biden. The signers of those bogus slates of electors should be exposed and held accountable. Such bogus slates of Electors are in your face Federal election fraud. Those who signed the bogus slates of electors did so freely with their eyes wide open.

Over the past 5 to 6 years Mr. Trump has claimed the actions the Democrats were doing was illegal. However what Mr. Trump and his co-conspirators were doing in front of nearly everyone’s watchful eyes was illegal. There is little doubt the bogus slates of electors were coordinated by one or more of Trump’s toadies. The evidence points to Mark Meadows, Trump’s Chief of Staff. This has the look and smell of Federal election fraud. The forged documents were a coordinated effort, are illegal acts that are not consistent with signer’s Oath of Office and the US Constitution.

At latest count, 874 people – little fish -- have been arrested associated with the Capitol break in and ransacking with many have been sentenced to time in prison. However the political powerful – the big fish – have yet to be charged or arrested for their crimes. Some Congressional people – the Big fish -- may be suffering from guilt because some asked to be placed on Pardon list. Yet these same people are still serving in the Congress contrary to the Section 3 of the 14 Amendment.

From the evidence presented in the Mueller Report and evidence collected by House Select Committee to investigate the January 6 Insurrection, the people have learned that;

1. President Trump was intensively involved in the planning and preparation of the January 6, 2021 activities that ended up in the failed insurrection but the mob ransacked the Capitol;

2. President Trump urged his supporters at Ellipse Park to go to the Capitol to raise hell to “stop the steal”.

3. President Trump urged Mo Brooks, Josh Hawley and Rudy Giuliani to rile up Trump supporters and urge them to the Capitol to raise hell;

4. President Trump helped plan the obstruction of an official governmental proceeding – the Electoral College vote. Members of Congress, had to seek shelter from the mob that broke into the Capitol looking for Vice President Pence. The Capitol Police had their hands full battling the riotous mob, suffered more than a 100 injured and several deaths;

5. President Trump participated in Postal and Wire fraud. Trump has taken in over of $200 million to his Election Defense Fund. The problem is there was no actual Election Defense Fund. June 13, 2022, By Steve Benen. MSNBC. The money went into Trump’s pocket. It was a scam.

6. President Trump participated in Witness tampering. Some of this was exposed in the Mueller Report – the questions surrounding the sacking of FBI Directer James Comey; the phone call to the Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger asking for him to search for or change some 10,000 plus votes Trump needed so he could be declared the winner; and harassing phone calls have been received by witnesses coming before the Jan 6 Select Committee as mentioned by Liz Cheney during an opening statement of one of the public hearings;

7. President Trump was an accessory to a crime, ie, before, during and after the committing of a crime. The crime -- failing to preserve, protect and defend the US Constitution – resulted in a insurrection at the Capitol. There is abundance evidence that all points lead to Mr Trump. He was involved in the planning and implementation of the January 6 activities and associated insurrection of the U.S. Capitol. These are singularly and collectively treasonous acts;

8. President Trump failed to preserve, protect and defend the US Constitution. Trump encouraged his supporters that you must act tough or you won’t have a county any more. He knew some of them were armed with automatic weapons, bear spray, brass knuckles, tear gas and other weapons, etc. Trump said they are not going to hurt me according to testimony. The rioters had nearly free rain to attack and ransack the Capitol, seeking Vice President Mike Pence. Summary and Recommendation.

The Department of Justice must enforce the law (Amendment 14, Section 3) against the Public officials who planned, knew about or participated in carrying out any activity that led to the riot / Insurrection of January 6. 2021, and ransacking the U.S. Capitol. By clear and convincing evidence Congressional members involved in any aspect of the Jan. 6 activities are guilty of violating several laws, their oath of office and the U.S. Constitution. No trial is needed, just the sentencing.

To date, not one of the politically powerful – the Big Fish -- have been charged or arrested for any crime associated with the planning or implementing the Jan. 6 activities that ended up with a riotous mob disrupting the official business of Congress; battling the Capitol Police and ransacking the Capitol. If these – Big Fish – swim away with out being charged or arrested, this will lead to further abuses of the law and violations of the US Constitution without fear of any consequences. In the United States – the Big Fish – the politically powerful are above the law.

End End End 7.23.22

US could be doomed722.

References of interest with end notes

Barton Gellman, 2021. Trump’s Next Coup Has Already Begun. In The Atlantic. From the January / February 2022 issue. This is a must read to help understand the Trump mentality.

CNN, Whitney Wild, December 18, 2021. “Stop the Steal” leaders hand over communications with GOP lawmakers to January 6 committee. Stop the Steal leader Ali Alexander has handed over a trove of documents, thousands of text messages and communication records that include contacts with members of Congress.

Constitutional Law Reporter – United States Constitution. The text of Amendment 14, Section 3, and the Travis Translation of Constitution’s Amendment 14, Section 3.

Friedman, Thomas Jan. 6, 2021. Never Forget the Names of These Republicans Attempted a Coup. New York Times http: nyt.ms/38hx1ST.

Henneberger, Melinda, July 17, 2022. If Trump walks after Jan. 6 riot, Democracy is doomed. Sacramento Bee, California Forum. Sunday July 17, 2022.

January 6, Select Committee of the House of Representatives. Various Public Hearings, testimony and related evidence. 2022

January 6, Select Committee of the House of Representatives. Committee subpoenas “alternate electors” in scheme to cast fake Electoral College votes for Trump. Washington Times, January 28, 2022.

Lowell, Hugo. June 12, 2022. Capitol attack pardon revelations could spell doom for trump and allies. In the Guardian of Sunday, June 12, 2022.

Los Angeles Times, Editorial Board. January 6, 2021. Editorial: Trump is responsible for the violent storming of the U.S. Capitol. An insightful commentary on the insurrection and attempted coup.

Matt Gertz. Trump Coup, The National Memo, Nov.22, 2020. His supporter are actively working to over throw the election.

Moveon.org. November 10, 2021. Rolling Stone report claims the organizers of the Jan 6 Insurrection had inside help, numerous meetings and names 7 members of Congress. From reports there are more members of congress involved with the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection.

Robert Reich – Never forget the attempts to overturn election. In San Francisco Chronicle May 11, 2021

Reuters February 1. 2022. Trump directly involved in plans to seize voting machines. Also see New York Times. Attorney General William Barr rejected the idea.

Star Tribune Editorial Board – Opinion – Voting rights bill fails, but the fight goes on. In the Sacramento Bee of January 25, 2022.