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Local politics, the county, and the world, as viewed by Tammy Maygra Tammy’s views are her own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bill Eagle, his pastor, Tammy’s neighbors, Wayne Mayo, Betsy Johnson, Brad Witt, Former President Trump, Henry Heimuller, Joe Biden, Pat Robertson, Joe Biden’s dogs, or Claudia Eagle’s Cats. This Tammy’s Take (with the exception of this disclaimer) is not paid for or written by, or even reviewed by anyone but Tammy and she refuses to be bullied by anyone. See Bill’s Standard Disclaimer
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The January 6th Attack on The Capitol
The House select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol held its first high-profile hearing Tuesday with traumatic testimony from officers who experienced the firsthand events of domestic terrorism initiated that day at the hands of a treasonous pro-Trump mob. The officers described the horrors they witnessed and endured as rioters stormed the building after Trump incited them to do so. Nevertheless of the testimony's primal power, embedded partisan battle lines in the months following the attack and during the shaping of the select committee have ensured that few minds are likely to be changed. Democrats have condemned the Capitol riot as an attack on democracy, while Republicans have almost uniformly talk down and dismissed the insurrection's implications, especially former President Donald Trump's incitement of it. Referring to the insurrection as a huggy-kissey event, and being beautiful. The vivid testimony puts witness accounts on the record and a national spotlight on the insurrection, once again forcing a showdown over the tragic events of January 6 for lawmakers on Capitol Hill as well as the American public. The committee heard riveting and passionate accounts from four officers. DC Metropolitan Police Officers Daniel Hodges and Michael Fanone and Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn and Sgt. Aquilino Gonell . These men survived the attack but told actual life accounts of what happened that day. And how they felt and what was going through their minds while being attacked. And how they felt after wards and how it affected them to this day and how it also has affected their families. The committee will use the testimony as a jumping-off point for embarking on a investigation that could lead to seeking testimony and documents from the former President, his aides and even Republican members of Congress. The powerful testimony drove multiple lawmakers on the committee to grow emotional as part of their questioning. Yet the majority of republicans have ignored the event, cared little about these men putting their lives on the line for them. The callowness of the Republican Party and its leaders are disgraceful, immoral and disgusting. The witnesses made clear that the trauma and injury of the insurrection have had long-lasting consequences that they are still struggling to deal with now. They spoke of how painful it has been to see attempts to whitewash the insurrection, including by members of Congress. Sgt Gonell of the Capitol Police told the committee. My fellow officers and I were punched, kicked, shoved, sprayed with chemical irritants and even blinded with eye-damaging lasers by a violent mob. I was shocked at seeing the insurrectionists violently attack us with the very American flag that they claimed they sought to protect. Fanone said that he was "grabbed, beaten, tased, all while being called a traitor to my country, and was at risk of being stripped of and killed with my own firearm as I heard chants of 'kill him with his own gun.' I can still hear those words in my head today." Taking aim at efforts to rewrite the history of the insurrection, he said, What makes the struggle harder and more painful is to know so many of my fellow citizens, including so many of the people I put my life at risk to defend, are downplaying or outright denying what happened. I feel like I went to hell and back to protect them and the people in this room, but too many are now telling me that hell doesn't exist or that hell isn't that bad," Fanone said. Visibly upset, he said, The indifference shown to my colleagues is disgraceful. Many Republican members of Congress have sought to downplay the insurrection in the weeks and months since it occurred, even some who forcefully denounced the events in the immediate aftermath of the attack. In one notable example of that, GOP Rep. Andrew Clyde has compared some scenes of the insurrection to a "normal tourist visit. What the hell? How ignorant do these republicans think the American people are? Since when does a normal day include people trying to kill the capitol Police? Destroying priceless paintings, destroying public property, pooping in the hall in Congress, breaking windows and doors out? Cussing members of congress, threatening to kill the Vice-President and the Speaker of the House, building a gallows to carry out their treasonous deeds? Ya sure all in a normal day. Maybe that’s a normal for the Republican Party and Trumpsters, but in America in OUR Democracy it certainly is not. Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the other Republican lawmaker serving on the committee alongside Kinzinger, said in her opening remarks, "On January 6 and the days thereafter, almost all members of my party recognized the events of that day for what they actually were," and then said, "No member of Congress should now attempt to defend the indefensible, obstruct this investigation or whitewash what happened that day." In his comments, Kinzinger sought to dismantle misinformation and call out his own party for trying to delegitimize the efforts of the select committee. For all the overheated rhetoric surrounding this committee, our mission is very simple: it's to find the truth and it's to ensure accountability," Kinzinger said. "Many in my party have treated this as just another partisan fight. It's toxic and it's a disservice." The hearing started with a warning from Democratic Chairman Bennie Thompson that "we cannot allow ourselves to be undone by liars and cheaters," while Cheney, one of two GOP members on the panel, called for prompt enforcement of subpoenas. "The task of this committee will require persistence," Cheney said in her opening remarks. "We must issue and enforce subpoenas promptly. We must get to objective truth. We must overcome the many efforts we are already seeing to cover up and obscure the facts. We must have every phone call meeting conversations that the White had prior after and during that day. To get to the bottom of this insurrection. At the start of the hearing , voices were heard screaming direct threats to The Speaker and Vice President. These rioters were organized. They were ready for a fight ... they came close to succeeding," Thompson said in his opening statement. "It's frightening to think about how close we were. A few inches of wood and glass. An officer turning left instead of turning right. As he denounced the "Big Lie" spread by former President Donald Trump that the election was stolen, Thompson said, "We know that efforts to subvert our democracy are ongoing, and a major part of the Select Committee's work will be to find ways to eliminate that threat." Body-camera footage shows how Fanone was pulled into the crowd and tased repeatedly with his own stun gun. Gonell was beaten with a flagpole and his hand was sliced open. Dunn has spoken out about the racist attacks he and other Black officers faced that day. DC Metropolitan Police Department Officer Hodges was the officer in one of the most harrowing and well-known scenes from the riots, when he was writhing and screaming in pain while crushed in a doorway by a crowd of rioters. The two sides were at a stalemate at a metal door frame," Hodges said during his testimony as he recalled the horrific scene. "I inserted myself so the frame was at my back in an effort to give myself something to brace against," he said, describing how his arms became pinned and "a man seized the opportunity of my vulnerability, grabbed the front of my gas mask and used it to beat my head against the door. Fanone said, "Doctors told me that I had suffered a heart attack and I was later diagnosed with a concussion, traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. Officer Dunn still has ill and lasting effects from that day and is in therapy, along with many other officers. Thompson asked the officers what they hope the committee will accomplish. Hodges implored the committee to take action, saying, "As patrol officers, we can only deal with the crimes that happen on the streets ... you guys are the only ones we've got to deal with crimes that occur above us." "I need you guys to address if anyone in power had a role in this. If anyone in power coordinated, or aided or abetted, or tried to downplay, tried to prevent the investigation of this terrorist attack because we can't do it." Republican House member Cheney and House member Republican Kinzinger have faced sharp blowback for joining Pelosi's committee, with conservatives arguing that they should be removed from their other committee slots. The two members have said those threats won't deter them. If the conference decided or if Kevin Mc Carthy Minority leader decides they want to punish Liz Cheney and I for getting to the bottom and telling the truth, I think that probably says more about them than it does for us," Kinzinger said Monday. The officers who defended the Untied States Capitol from terrorists were 145 injured -- 86 Capitol Police, 65 Metro Police officers , one lost eye, finger, spinal injuries concussions, several not returned back to work , many suffered PTSD and one committed suicide,. They were pepper sprayed , bear sprayed, wasp sprayed,. The traitors used rebar, poles from bike racks, flag poles, guns all deadly weapons used in the so-called normal day at the Capitol, and all from people supposedly, who support the police. They damaged priceless paintings. Destroyed Americas Capitol, they Aided and abetted a coo on the US government. They did all of this and more while they were chanting Trump, 4 more years, Make America great Again, save America, all the while they were destroying her. We need to get to the bottom of this horrible day in our history, We need to make ALL people involved accountable with jail time. This includes the former, thank god, President and his lackeys.
Tammy
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