Republicans, Wary of Political Fallout, Steer Clear of Rally for Riot Suspects

[brooklynite]

New York Times

“There are a lot of clearly angry people who want to march on the Capitol,” said Senator John Thune of South Dakota, the No. 2 Republican. “I haven’t talked to a single Republican up here in the Senate that has encouraged or enabled anything like that.”

Nevertheless, the “Justice for J6” rally, to be held at noon on Saturday at the foot of Capitol Hill, has created a predicament for Republicans, who are caught between a hard-right base including many voters who consider the rioters righteous and a desire to distance themselves from the attack and its political fallout.

“Anytime the attention is on Joe Biden it’s good for Republicans, and anytime the attention is on Jan. 6 it’s bad for Republicans,” said John Feehery, a Republican strategist and veteran of Capitol Hill. “The only hope Democrats have of keeping the House is to make Jan. 6 the issue of the campaign. They know that, and we know that. The only people who don’t seem to know that are the activists.”

That has left top Republicans in an uncomfortable spot, toiling to distance themselves from an event that is certain to dredge up the subject of the Capitol riot — and that could potentially spiral out of control — but wary of offending voters who sympathize with the cause.

[kentuck]

1. Where's Rudy and Don Jr?

How could they pass up such an opportunity?

[underpants]

4. They found Rudy

Link to tweet

?s=21

[Elessar Zappa]

8. Lmao!

[Irish_Dem]

2. The GOP cannot control the monster they created.

It has never occurred to them that doing good things might help them win elections.

[Beachnutt]

3. Roger, Rudy, Don jr, tfg, oaf keepers

proud lil boys, rethug congress people need to be there...

[The Jungle 1]

5. They are not riot suspects they are treason suspects.

Call it what is was .

[bottomofthehill]

7. 18 U.S. Code § 2385 - Advocating overthrow of Government

18 U.S. Code § 2385 - Advocating overthrow of Government
U.S. Code
Notes
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Whoever knowingly or willfully advocates, abets, advises, or teaches the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying the government of the United States or the government of any State, Territory, District or Possession thereof, or the government of any political subdivision therein, by force or violence, or by the assassination of any officer of any such government; or

Whoever, with intent to cause the overthrow or destruction of any such government, prints, publishes, edits, issues, circulates, sells, distributes, or publicly displays any written or printed matter advocating, advising, or teaching the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying any government in the United States by force or violence, or attempts to do so; or

Whoever organizes or helps or attempts to organize any society, group, or assembly of persons who teach, advocate, or encourage the overthrow or destruction of any such government by force or violence; or becomes or is a member of, or affiliates with, any such society, group, or assembly of persons, knowing the purposes thereof—

Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both, and shall be ineligible for employment by the United States or any department or agency thereof, for the five years next following his conviction.

If two or more persons conspire to commit any offense named in this section, each shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both, and shall be ineligible for employment by the United States or any department or agency thereof, for the five years next following his conviction.

As used in this section, the terms “organizes” and “organize”, with respect to any society, group, or assembly of persons, include the recruiting of new members, the forming of new units, and the regrouping or expansion of existing clubs, classes, and other units of such society, group, or assembly of persons.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 808; July 24, 1956, ch. 678, § 2, 70 Stat. 623; Pub. L. 87–486, June 19, 1962, 76 Stat. 103; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(N), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2148.)

[Lonestarblue]

14. Just the media normalizing an act of domestic terrorism and insurrection as a mere riot.

What is so frustrating about what is happening in this country today is that we have a free press—the very ones who should be upholding democracy—that is aiding and abetting those who want to tear the nation down and turn it into a white supremacist, extremist Christian nation that puts white people (and mostly white men) on pedestals and shoves the rights of everyone else into the gutter to be flushed away. Through headlines and the choice of articles, media sways people to believe one thing and not another. The most recent example is the absolute attack on the Biden administration over the Afghanistan withdrawal. Could it have been better organized? Yes. But few bothered to even report the Trump sabotage or the conditions faced by the Biden team. All they wanted to do was throw flames on the fires of outrage by choosing to quote or invite as cable news guests those who were adamantly opposed to any withdrawal.

And while Fox is blatant in their lies and support for Trump and Republicans, media like the NYT contribute by failing to be fully honest. They use headlines that minimize the damage or equate the stances of the two political parties. Even the FBI has called domestic terrorism by white supremacists and anti-government cabals the biggest threat we face (Covid aside), yet the media often insists on soft pedaling an act of domestic terrorism and insurrection on January 6 as a mere riot. Their silence in calling the attack an insurrection is just as powerful as the Fox lies because both undermine the truth.

But what can we do to overcome a media that is working against truth?

[The Jungle 1]

17. Not to be argumentative but. We agree on all but one point.

I doubt anyone in our military thought the entire Afghan army would stand down in 11 days. I believe that was unforeseeable. Biden used the best advice and information available to him at the time.
I have a lot of negative adjectives to describe the Afghan army. I also now have zero sympathy for the Afghan people.
JOE DID THE RIGHT THING and he did the best he could with the information available. It should have been done years ago.
I am also unhappy with the media coverage that is being given to this administration over this event. I hear nothing about how the Afghan army dropped and ran in 11 days. That is the story which needs to be repeated over and over. We were used and somehow we need to be sure it never happens again.
In fact, the way this whole thing went down proves Joe's decision was the correct decision.

[Champp]

6. Republicans pretending their "innocence"

[empedocles]

9. '' They know that, and we know that. The only people who don't seem to know that "

are the activists''

[brer cat]

10. Surely Madison Cawthorn will be present.

He is hot to protect these "politcal prisoners" even if it means bloodshed. He may even bring his own knife to the fight.

[keithbvadu2]

13. Cawthorn, Hawley, Boebert, Greene

Standing up there with their hands on the gallows trigger.

[NCDem47]

11. Per the usual....

Elected Republicans will denounce/soft talk 1/6 and this upcoming rally, and then go behind the scenes to support the attendees. They likely tell them "I know I say one thing to reporters, but I really stand behind what you're doing."

[ProudMNDemocrat]

12. Tie Congressional Republicans to TFG and the Jan.6th insurrectionists.

172 House Republicans voted AGAINST the certification of Biden's victory by the Electoral College. THAT is an issue for 2022.

Another is many who support the insurrectionists themselves. Make that an issue.

In other words, Democrats need to keep the attention on Republican complicity with TFG and their refusal to uphold the Constitution. Play hardball for once. For Trump/Trumpism is on the ballot in 2022.

[The Unmitigated Gall]

15. Racists and Sore Loser-men on parade.

“Justice for J6”...would have been the handing out of multi-year federal prison sentences.

[Augiedog]

16. These are not "riot suspects". They are domestic terrorists

[hay rick]

18. Such an easy choice for cowards.

They could join the insurrectionists or avoid them like the plague and then complain about the treatment they receive afterwards.

Why risk your career and well-being by joining the enemy troops when you are assured of benefits just by sleeping with the enemy?

[2Gingersnaps]

19. Pretty sad that we keep hearing that "behind the scenes they know better."

But Republicans are so terrified of their radicalized batshit blood thirsty base that they have to tell them what they want to hear. If General Milley had "stood back and stood by," their fascist coup might just well have succeeded.