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Author: TriSec    Date: 01/05/2021 10:30:49

Good Morning.

We'll dive right in with the elephant in the room. I trust our Capitol Region branch is ready for the opening battles in America's next Civil War.


While normal people are looking at January 6 as the date Congress will attempt to certify the election results, there's 50% of the country that will likely look upon this as a new line in the sand. Washington, at least, is taking some small steps to prevent chaos.


Soldiers and airmen from the District of Columbia National Guard will be on the city's streets this week as Washington braces for protests when Congress meets to officially confirm President-elect Joe Biden's victory in the Nov. 3 presidential election.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser requested the Guard to have personnel on the streets Jan. 5-7 to help control traffic and perform other duties during expected protests.

"At the request of Mayor Muriel Bowser, District of Columbia National Guard is in a support role to the Metropolitan Police Department, which will enable them to provide a safe environment for our fellow citizens to exercise their First Amendment right to demonstrate," Maj. Gen. William Walker, commander of the D.C. Guard, said in a statement Monday.

Several pro-Trump groups, such as the Proud Boys, have pledged to protest in D.C. on Jan. 6 -- the day Congress is set to conduct a formal count of Electoral College votes and officially name Biden as the next president of the United States.

About 340 Guard members will be in D.C. at traffic control points and Metro stations identified by Metro police, Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Craig Clapper told Military.com, adding that personnel will be in uniform but will not carry weapons or protective equipment.

"They will not be armed ... and they will not be wearing body armor," Clapper said.


But it's only 340 unarmed visual aids against what may be thousands of fascists. If it was me, I'd move that - it should be 3,400 troops in full kit, but of course your mileage may vary.

Unfortunately perhaps, my views on this would appear to be in the minority. I have long advocated for the military to carry out their oaths to protect the constitution - I have even written to Governors and Senators about this, to no avail.

Moving on though, what about the other side of the coin? The president's machinations are nothing short of a coup attempt. It is possible, though unlikely, that he might try to use the military to back him up. It's totally unprecedented in American history - and some former military leaders have spoken out.


WASHINGTON — In an extraordinary rebuke of President Donald Trump, all 10 living former secretaries of defense are cautioning against any move to involve the military in pursuing claims of election fraud, arguing that it would take the country into “dangerous, unlawful and unconstitutional territory.”

The 10 men, both Democrats and Republicans, signed on to an opinion article published Sunday in The Washington Post that implicitly questioned Trump’s willingness to follow his constitutional duty to peacefully relinquish power on Jan. 20. Following the Nov. 3 election and subsequent recounts in some states, as well as unsuccessful court challenges, the outcome is clear, they wrote, while not specifying Trump in the article.

“The time for questioning the results has passed; the time for the formal counting of the electoral college votes, as prescribed in the Constitution and statute, has arrived,” they wrote.

The former Pentagon chiefs warned against use of the military in any effort to change the outcome.

“Efforts to involve the U.S. armed forces in resolving election disputes would take us into dangerous, unlawful and unconstitutional territory,” they wrote. “Civilian and military officials who direct or carry out such measures would be accountable, including potentially facing criminal penalties, for the grave consequences of their actions on our republic.”

A number of senior military officers, including Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have said publicly in recent weeks that the military has no role in determining the outcome of U.S. elections and that their loyalty is to the Constitution, not to an individual leader or a political party.


If only our elected leaders were held to that same standard of oath, though. I believe they too swear to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution - except where the opposition may benefit, of course. Tomorrow's certification vote will feature challenges from at least a dozen Trump loyalists - and make no mistake about it, these officials are traitors to the Union and should be treated with all the disgrace and contempt that implies.


Nearly all states resolved election disputes before the "safe harbor" deadline, guaranteeing their electors will be counted under federal law. But several GOP lawmakers signed a letter pledging to object to the results unless Congress investigated the election before they counted.

Any objections to a state's results on Jan. 6 would require support from at least one House representative and one senator to be considered. The two chambers would meet separately to debate and vote on any disputes.

Trump has met with some members to discuss plans to object to Biden's Electoral College win. The effort is sure to fail in the Democratic-controlled House and likely in the Senate, where several Republicans led by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have warned colleagues not to challenge the Electoral College vote. Several, including McConnell, have acknowledged Biden as the victor.

However, a group of nearly a dozen Senators announced they would join the effort unless an "emergency 10-day audit" of the election returns in the "disputed states" is completed.


Do click on the link for the full list - REMEMBER THEIR NAMES.

 
 

18 comments (Latest Comment: 01/05/2021 19:55:14 by livingonli)
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