Impeach. Remove. Bar from Office.

 

For two months, President Donald Trump has promoted increasingly unhinged conspiracy theories and fanned the flames of outrage among his most dedicated supporters. Today, America learned that some people on the fringe took this all too seriously. Following a particularly ugly Trump speech, the crowd tore down barriers surrounding the US Capitol, assaulted police officers, and forced their way in. The following photos are not from Caracas or Minsk, but the capital city of the most powerful nation on earth.

At the Trump rally, Rudy Giuliani called for a “trial by combat.” He got it. Multiple injuries to law enforcement officers have been reported by the Capitol Police.

Shots were reported fired in the Capitol itself. One “protestor” was shot in the neck and carried away on a stretcher.

As the siege intensified, Trump blasted his own vice president on Twitter for refusing to break the law and overturn the election.

Senators, Representatives, and Capitol Hill staff fled the building for safety.

Later, Trump tweeted that his supporters shouldn’t use violence against the police. It was already too late.

Trump finally uploaded a video, spending the vast majority of the time claiming the election was stolen, but adding that the mob ransacking the Capitol should go home.

These are not protestors. They are terrorists. They are insurrectionists.

Just like Antifa over the summer, MAGAtifa needs to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

GOP Senators planning to protest the vote need to stop their grandstanding and accept the results.

Since the sitting president seems unwilling to strenuously condemn the violence he urged on, Vice President Pence should confer with the Cabinet to remove Trump via the 25th Amendment of the Constitution.

Congress should then bar Donald Trump from ever holding a future federal office.

Enough.

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  1. Henry Racette Member
    Henry Racette
    @HenryRacette

    Okay.

    I guess I have a few questions.

    First of all, which Trump tweet is it that you are characterizing as attacking Pence for “refusing to break the law and overturn the election?” I’m not saying that Trump wouldn’t say something like that; goodness knows, he’s often intemperate in his speech. But the only tweet I’ve found that seems likely to be the one to which you’re referring is this one:

    Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. USA demands the truth! – Trump, today

    I don’t know if the Vice President had the authority to delay certification; the President likely doesn’t know either. If he does, then presumably there would be nothing illegal about it. If he doesn’t, it still doesn’t follow that the President believed it was.

    Secondly, how many people actually broke the law, versus the number gathered who did not? If it’s a tiny fringe group who attacked, without the support or, quite possibly, the knowledge of the vast majority, then by all means condemn the fringe. But don’t blow it out of proportion. So how many actually broke the law?

    Thirdly, how on earth did you write “Just like Antifa over the summer, MAGAtifa needs to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” with a straight face? By all means, prosecute these people — but don’t do it “Just like Antifa,” who essentially skated through the summer without consequence. Actually prosecute those who broke the law. Every one of them.

    Lastly, on what basis, specifically, do you call for the impeachment of the President? Aside from being, I believe, a profoundly foolish and hurtful thing to do to a divided country, have we reached the point where a President can be impeached for expressing thoughts about an election that are shared, in varying degrees, by tens of millions of Americans? Or is there some more specific violation of the law or the office that you have in mind? Because it seems unreasonable, to me, that a President can be impeached for expressing an opinion with which I and many others are generally in agreement, broadly if not exactly.


    Jon, I appreciate it when you post breaking news. I don’t appreciate a partisan piling on in the midst of an unfolding event the scope and significance of which is still unknown. We have a press establishment specifically to provide the service of spinning events to make Republicans look bad.

    Ricochet has disappointed me today.

    • #91
  2. Instugator Thatcher
    Instugator
    @Instugator

    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… (View Comment):
    I find the assignment of blame to the President and to Giuliani to be unsupported.

    Hear hear

    • #92
  3. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    It’s all fun and games until the flying monkeys attack.

    • #93
  4. JoshuaFinch Coolidge
    JoshuaFinch
    @JoshuaFinch

    Should Leftism become the ruling ideology in this country (which could happen soon) and the nation as we know it be destroyed, we may look back at this time and regret how we followed meekly along like sheep to the slaughter.

    • #94
  5. Fake John/Jane Galt Coolidge
    Fake John/Jane Galt
    @FakeJohnJaneGalt

    DHMorgan (View Comment):

    Jon Gabriel, Ed.:

    Congress should then bar Donald Trump from ever holding a future federal office.

    Enough.

    Is that possible? Few things would please me more than to see him permanently prohibited from holding future public office.

    Does it matter if possible or legal.  As long as it hurts Trump and his people it should be supported and celebrated.

    • #95
  6. Instugator Thatcher
    Instugator
    @Instugator

    Concretevol (View Comment):
    A pox on both their houses.

    Except that this post is only calling a pox on one house – and that with less evidence than there was of fraud on Nov 4.

    • #96
  7. Viruscop Inactive
    Viruscop
    @Viruscop

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    It’s all fun and games until the flying monkeys attack.

    The terrorists today are lower forms of life than flying monkeys.

    • #97
  8. Annefy Member
    Annefy
    @Annefy

    Seriously. We don’t even need the Left. Enough condemnation from the supposed Right before the smoke has cleared.

    Pathetic.

    • #98
  9. EJHill Podcaster
    EJHill
    @EJHill

    Repdad: EJ, he held a political rally today in Washington, hours before Congress met to certify the electoral votes, at which he told thousands of people “We will never concede.” He tweeted, “Our Country has had enough, they won’t take it anymore!” This is not equivalent to the false blame thrown at Sarah Palin.

    I think all anyone wanted was an investigation. How much easier would it be to answer the questions in a formal way than just waving their hand and saying, “accept it.” 

    From Minneapolis to Portland to the Capitol, this is whole protesting thing has been mishandled.

    • #99
  10. DrewInEastHillQuarantineZone Member
    DrewInEastHillQuarantineZone
    @DrewInWisconsin

    This post is the culmination of four years of shrieking Orange Man Bad. Of course it was going to end like this. It’s the perfect climax to the movie the #Resistance was sure they were living in. Doesn’t matter what’s true, only what makes for the best story. 

    • #100
  11. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon
    @Hoyacon

    I don’t know if this is a heavy lift, but it’s beyond me technically.  And I’m having trouble locating them.

    Could someone find and reproduce Trump’s tweets from about mid-afternoon regarding obeying the law and respecting the orders of the Capitol Police?   That’s my paraphrase, but I think you get the drift.

    • #101
  12. Bryan G. Stephens Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens
    @BryanGStephens

    Funny that you did not call for this for any Democrats who allowed protestors to take over cities.

    Where were those calls, guys? Where were your calls for the Democrats bowing to the mob to be barred from ever serving in office again? 

    Nowhere. 

     

    • #102
  13. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    If Jim Mattis were still in the Cabinet what would be the odds that he would be on the phone with other members of the Cabinet to see if he could organize a majority of the Cabinet to have Trump removed if Pence would agree?  A majority of the Cabinet and the Vice President would be all that would be needed to temporarily remove Trump and install Pence as the Acting President under the 25th Amendment.  Trump could demand a hearing before the House and Senate under Section 4 of the 25th Amendment:

    “Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.”

    We also could then sort out if Antifa infiltrated the MAGA mob.

    • #103
  14. Richard Easton Coolidge
    Richard Easton
    @RichardEaston

    I was at the Washington Monument today. It was a large happy Trump crowd. I left about 1:15 pm so I can’t speak about what happened later this afternoon. I’m very disappointed with Jon and R’s management in general.

    • #104
  15. Vince Guerra Inactive
    Vince Guerra
    @VinceGuerra

    Just sayin.

    • #105
  16. Bryan G. Stephens Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens
    @BryanGStephens

    Obama actually spied on the incoming Trump administration, yet Jon does not think that is worthy of any action at all by Congress. 

    Such measured thoughts. 

     

    • #106
  17. Cow Girl Thatcher
    Cow Girl
    @CowGirl

    Brian Watt (View Comment):

    I saw a video of someone breaking a window at the Capitol and the person used one of those plastic shields that the Antifa guys used during their “peaceful” riots. Who in the Trump supporters own those shields?

    • #107
  18. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Timothy Landon (View Comment):

    Hoyacon (View Comment):

    I’m glad we’ve already figured out the allegiances of all those involved. That saves a lot of trouble.

    I think the fact that they are flying Trump flags is Exhibit A regarding the allegiance of some. I am sure that some have no allegiance and simply favor anarchy.

    Oh yeah, nobody could come up with the idea of having Trump flags to make it look like they’re Trump supporters.

    • #108
  19. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Nancy Pelosi just announced that once the rioters are swept out of the Congress, the House will return and will continue with its business.  If the rioters will not leave peacefully, remove them with whatever level of force is needed.

    • #109
  20. Instugator Thatcher
    Instugator
    @Instugator

    Eugene Kriegsmann (View Comment):
    If you think that the behaviors being demonstrated in the Capital today is the way you fix the irregularities, or get someone to look more deeply into the problem, you have lost your sense of reality

    Um, no. I don’t think that what happened today is part of a “fix” of irregularities. In fact, I have posted numerous times since the Nov 4 election what the various constitutional circuit breakers were. There were 5 in total, today’s congressional session being the last of the 5.

    Had any of the officers of the states involved, or of the branches of government properly petitioned done their duty, today would not have happened.

    • #110
  21. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Concretevol (View Comment):
    I totally expect and agree that the coverage of the 2 events would be completely unbalanced and ridiculous. I also agree that the way some cities and law enforcement, including DC, treated BLM and Antifa rioters was both shameful and counterproductive. That said, not only is that not an excuse for this crap today I don’t even buy that it is a cause or motivation of it. “They got away with it” is a childish and ridiculous excuse for imitating riotous behavior. A pox on both their houses.

    That is assuming this violence isn’t actually BLM/Antifa, which is far from impossible.

    • #111
  22. Poindexter Inactive
    Poindexter
    @Poindexter

    Instugator (View Comment):

    Concretevol (View Comment):
    A pox on both their houses.

    Except that this post is only calling a pox on one house – and that with less evidence than there was of fraud on Nov 4.

    Just because the other house is not in order is no reason we should keep ours in order.

    • #112
  23. Instugator Thatcher
    Instugator
    @Instugator

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    It’s all fun and games until the flying monkeys attack.

    You would know.

    • #113
  24. Tyrion Lannister Inactive
    Tyrion Lannister
    @TyrionLannister

    I want to know who’s been paying for the (unnamed  poster) to create division here for years?  Was it a never-Trump conservative organization, or a left-wing organization?  A foreign entity?  I’m not even angry; it’s worked so well to undermine unity on this site we should start a fund to do the same on left wing sites.

    • #114
  25. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon
    @Hoyacon

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Timothy Landon (View Comment):

    Hoyacon (View Comment):

    I’m glad we’ve already figured out the allegiances of all those involved. That saves a lot of trouble.

    I think the fact that they are flying Trump flags is Exhibit A regarding the allegiance of some. I am sure that some have no allegiance and simply favor anarchy.

    Oh yeah, nobody could come up with the idea of having Trump flags to make it look like they’re Trump supporters.

    True, but at least he does acknowledge the likely presence of “anarchists.”  That’s more than I saw in the main post.

    • #115
  26. MiMac Thatcher
    MiMac
    @MiMac

    Annefy (View Comment):

    Seriously. We don’t even need the Left. Enough condemnation from the supposed Right before the smoke has cleared.

    Pathetic.

    We do not need the people storming the capital either. We need to strongly condemn them & push them out just like WFB did with the Birchers. The early analysis of the photos leads one to believe this isn’t a “false flag” operation. The goon in the fur is a well known QAnin supporter from Arizona & another guy has been id’d as a Neo-Nazi from the Charlottesville who helped organize the Unite the (far) Right rally.

    • #116
  27. MichaelKennedy Inactive
    MichaelKennedy
    @MichaelKennedy

    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… (View Comment):

    What is happening at the Capitol is atrocious.

    This post seems to be a serious overreaction.

    This is the NTs dancing on the grave of the American republic. I understand the guy in the animal skins has been identified as Antifa but Gary won’t believe it.  Excuse me while I go throw up.

    • #117
  28. Instugator Thatcher
    Instugator
    @Instugator

    Bryan G. Stephens (View Comment):

    Obama actually spied on the incoming Trump administration, yet Jon does not think that is worthy of any action at all by Congress.

    Such measured thoughts.

     

    So stunning and brave

    • #118
  29. Henry Racette Member
    Henry Racette
    @HenryRacette

    Richard Easton (View Comment):

    I was at the Washington Monument today. It was a large happy Trump crowd. I left about 1:15 pm so I can’t speak about what happened later this afternoon. I’m very disappointed with Jon and R’s management in general.

    I second that. I value Ricochet, I want it to thrive, and I want it to serve the membership and the cause of conservatism. I think Ricochet and its membership need to have a calm, thoughtful discussion, or several.

    Today probably isn’t a good day for that.

    • #119
  30. MichaelKennedy Inactive
    MichaelKennedy
    @MichaelKennedy

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    DHMorgan (View Comment):

    Jon Gabriel, Ed.:

    Congress should then bar Donald Trump from ever holding a future federal office.

    Enough.

    Is that possible? Few things would please me more than to see him permanently prohibited from holding future public office.

    Yes. Trump can be impeached after his term ends. The conviction would not remove him from office but would permanently prohibit him from holding any future public office.

    There must be a consequence for Trump’s pressure of Georgia’s Secretary of State, and then his egging on of the protesters. Prosecution, impeachment, 25th Amendment, I don’t know which is best. But there must be a consequence other than a mere “tut, tut.”

    Boy what a holiday for idiot NTs !

    • #120
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