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Good afternoon everyone,
I hope you are doing well. I just wanted to give a bit of an update regarding the newsletter. Some of you may have noticed that The Progressive American is being sent out from a different site to your email. Due to some difficulties with maintenance with the site and the cost of said maintenance, I am moving my newsletter to Substack. You can find my Substack at progressamerican.substack.com.
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With the incoming Trump administration, there is no shortage of conspiratorial and downright dangerous individuals crawling their way to power. Whether it is the unqualified and allegedly sexually predatory Pete Hegseth seeking to be the Secretary of Defense or the contrarian Putin-sympathizer Tulsi Gabbard seeking to be the Director of National Intelligence, the incoming Trump administration seems inclined towards dysfunction rather than good governance. 12 However, neither of these figures threatens public health quite like RFK Jr., who, in a recent report, was outed for trying to block life-saving COVID-19 vaccines as Americans were dying from the virus.
Denying Critical Healthcare
Yesterday evening, The New York Times reported that RFK Jr., Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, had formally requested the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to withdraw its authorization for COVID-19 vaccinations. 3The request, which came six months after they were lauded by then-President Trump as a “miracle,” was filed through his anti-vaccine organization, the Children’s Health Defense (CHD).
The petition, which argued for the revoking of the emergency authorization of the COVID-19 vaccination, asserted that:
“Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) data reveal unprecedented levels of deaths and other adverse events since the FDA issued Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAS) for three COVID vaccines. As of May 10, 2021, VAERS reported 4,434 deaths of people who received at least one COVID vaccination.”
The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, AKA VAERS, is not a mechanism for determining the causation of alleged injury. The VAERS website notes that it doesn’t determine the causality of vaccines as it is “a passive reporting system.”
In other words, there is no mechanism for making this claim whatsoever. RFK Jr. has no basis for making these claims of so-called excess death because the very system he is trying to cite doesn’t even try to do what he is saying it does. Mind you, this is not simply some niche error that only experts can find. This disclaimer is on the About page of VAERS itself. RFK Jr. and the CHD went out of their way to misrepresent data to persuade the government to deny Americans critical healthcare as they died.
As I noted before, the reality of RFK Jr.’s activism is that it is based on nothing. In my article “RFK Jr. is Dangerous” (2024), I noted that RFK Jr. was part of a larger effort of anti-vaccine activists in Samoa to blame the tragic death of two children who received the MMR vaccine. RFK Jr. promoted anti-vaccine activists who argued that the vaccine killed the children despite the actual culprit being a muscle relaxant that was negligently mixed with the vaccine.
As I explained:
It is worth noting that the vaccines didn’t kill those two children, the muscle relaxant did. RFK’s presence, therefore, was an attempt to spread the idea that vaccines kill when they don’t. Even in the blog post that Kennedy wrote, he continues to spread the lie that the MMR vaccine killed two children by implication. It is worth noting that it was established that the deaths were caused by medical error via the muscle relaxant two years before Kennedy posted about his Samoan trip. The nurses responsible were also jailed two years before RFK Jr. made that post. He had plenty of time to mention that the vaccine didn’t kill those children and plenty of time to research the issue. He chose not to.
Regardless of his post, Kennedy’s continued presence in Samoa in 2019 was part of a larger effort to promote the idea that vaccines are dangerous. According to Mother Jones, Kennedy, in the middle of a measles epidemic, sent a letter to the Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa, encouraging the Prime minister to:
“… determine, scientifically, if the outbreak was caused by inadequate vaccine coverage or alternatively, by a defective vaccine.”
By the time the epidemic was over, 83 people were dead, most of whom were children. While RFK Jr. may not have directly caused the epidemic, he certainly contributed to its continuation and openly opposed emergency efforts by the Samoan government to stop anti-vaccine propaganda from spreading even as said lies were killing its people, especially children.
This may seem like a simple matter of frustration with bogus, anti-scientific claims, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The request was sent on May 15th, 2021. By this point, the Covid-19 pandemic had killed over half a million Americans and was on track to keep killing.
By August of that year, the science journal Health Affairs reported that the Covid-19 vaccine rollout saved an estimated 140,000 people. If RFK Jr. had his way, that would never have happened, and even more people likely would’ve died. Mind you, an estimated 1.2 million Americans died, and an estimated 7 million died globally. In a meta-analysis, the medical journal Cureus found that unvaccinated people were 2.46 times more likely to die of COVID-19 than vaccinated people.
The simple reality is that vaccines save lives, and people like RFK foolishly risk public health when they downplay their importance. The Senate must reject him if they are serious about protecting the public.
With his coming departure from the presidency, President Joe Biden warned about the rising threat of oligarchy in America
Adam Schultz, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Yesterday, President Joe Biden gave his farewell address to the nation, his final appeal to the American people.1 In his speech, he heralded his administration’s accomplishments, including the recently announced ceasefire in Gaza. 2 The speech serves not only as the last expression of his political career but also as a warning about the upcoming challenges that America will face.
Warnings about Oligarchy
The last two years of Biden’s administration have been difficult, largely due to outside circumstances. The Israel-Hamas War, rising prices, and an ascendant Donald Trump all challenged the President. Biden eventually dropped out of the presidential race and supported Vice President Harris in her bid to defeat Trump, which ultimately failed. 3
Despite this painful backdrop, President Biden maintained a positive tone about America’s potential. He noted that the economy is doing relatively well, with low unemployment, strong GDP growth, and more jobs added since the pandemic.45
However, what is striking about the speech is not Biden’s justifications for his administration and its policies but his warning about the rise of oligarchy. In no uncertain terms, Biden stated that the consolidation of wealth and power among a few elites threatens the institutions of the American government.
“Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power, and influence, that literally threatens our entire democracy. Our basic rights and freedoms. And a fair shot for everyone to get ahead..” 6
This stark warning is especially pertinent considering the level of influence oligarchs like Elon Musk have wielded in the last election. According to CNN, Musk gave at least $260 million to support Trump’s bid for the presidency, creating a shadowy political action committee (PAC)known as America PAC to support his campaign.7 Trump is a billionaire who has repeatedly used his first term in office to enrich himself. 89
Why This Matters
In reality, Joe Biden can’t do much beyond what he already has. His presidency is ending, and his party will be the opposition for the next two years. However, the blatant warning by Biden that America risks falling to oligarchy is one of the most blatant expressions of concern from an ongoing president in recent history.
While issues such as campaign finance have been a matter of contention since Citizens United v. FEC (2010), a president warning so firmly about the danger of concentrated wealth and elites means that the situation is beyond its initially expected path.10 In the simplest of terms, the influence of the wealthy is growing like a cancer, and with the incoming Trump administration, it will almost certainly get worse.
After over a year of brutal fighting and thousands of deaths, the Israel-Hamas war may be coming to an end.1 Earlier this Wednesday, Qatari mediators announced that Israel and Hamas had reached an agreement to end the war.2 While the end of the war isn’t finalized yet, a ceasefire could mean the millions of people living in Gaza will be able to get the aid they desperately need.
The Humanitarian Disaster in Gaza
Since the attack on October 7, 2023, which killed an estimated 1,2000 people, Israel has waged a brutal war against Hamas, which has killed an estimated 37,900 people, according to the Hamas-led Ministry of Health. However, a recent analysis conducted by the Lancet suggests that the death count is likely an undercount of nearly 40 percent, putting the death count as high as 64,300.3 A previous study by the Lancet suggested that the count could be as high as 186,000.4
Since the war’s beginning, access to aid has been incredibly limited, and an estimated 2 million people in Gaza are suffering from “acute food insecurity.” 5 As I noted previously, far-right Israeli organizations have gone out of their way to block critical aid to the Palestinians.
Earlier this week, The Associated Press reported that far-right Israeli groups, some of them receiving tax-deducted donations from the United States and Israeli governments, have worked to block aid from entering the Gaza Strip. According to the AP, one of these groups still received funds despite sanctions by Washington. While these groups are not directly involved with the Israeli government, that same AP report notes that they have had tacit support from the Israeli government. Israeli Minister for National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has argued for blocking aid to the Gaza Strip, refusing to condemn protesters who have blocked aid trucks.
Nor is it the first time that In May of this year, Human Rights Watch also noted that Israel violated the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) order requiring the Israeli government to “…enable the provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance.” Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch, Omar Shakir, warned that: “Despite children dying from starvation and famine in Gaza, the Israeli authorities are still blocking aid critical for the survival of Gaza’s population in defiance of the World Court.” While this report also notes that Israel had opened the Erez crossing, they did so largely due to American pressure. Though said pressure has been far from without limitations.6
While aid access has been a critical component of saving lives, Israel has been reticent to allow aid into Gaza, with the Biden administration pressuring Israel to allow food and other supplies into Gaza.
What Does a Ceasefire Mean?
The prospect of a ceasefire means that these conditions, which have been ongoing since the war’s beginning, can be alleviated. Part of the announced deal includes the release of hostages in exchange for critical aid. The Financial Times reported:
“The first phase will involve a 42-day truce, during which 33 Israeli hostages — including children, all female prisoners, the sick and elderly — will be freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails and a dramatic increase in humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza.” 7
While it is unclear how much aid will be delivered or if the ceasefire will last past the first phase, the increase in food is a necessity. There are still issues to be hashed out, and Netanyahu, who has a warrant out for his arrest, has stated that there are some details to finalize, but one can only hope that this trust leads to a permanent cessation of the war and the realization of Palestinian rights.89
4 Rasha Khatib, Martin McKee, and Salim Yusuf, “Counting the Dead in Gaza: Difficult but Essential,” The Lancet 404, no. 10449 (July 20, 2024): 237–38, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01169-3.
With the incoming Trump administration, there is a litany of inane ideas being thrown around. As I noted earlier this week, the nominations of Pete Hegseth and RFK Jr. are just one example of this insanity. However, there is another idea proposed by President-elect Trump that is even more ridiculous: the annexation of Canada. In a post on Truth Social, Trump falsely claimed that Canadians wants to join the United States as the 51st state.
No one can answer why we subsidize Canada to the tune of over $100,000,000 a year? Makes no sense! Many Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State. They would save massively on taxes and military protection. I think it is a great idea. 51st State!!! 1
Getting Statistics Wrong
The argument, if there is one to be made, is that the United States is subsiding the Canadian government for no reason, and to an extreme extent. Through this supposedly extreme subsidizing project, the U.S. is wasting money when it could simply make Canada a part of the United States. This argument is not only flawed and imperialistic, but it blatantly false.
The United States hasn’t provided anywhere near the amount of aid to Canada that Trump is suggesting. According to Snopes, the United States hasn’t spent anywhere near $35.1 million since 2001. The most recent data available shows that between October of 2021 and September of 2022, the total amount of said sent to Canada was roughly $32 million in aid to Canada. In the simplest of terms, the U.S. is not providing anywhere near the amount of money that Trump is suggests. 2
Even if he was correct, it still wouldn’t justify his core contention: that Canada should be part of the United States. While Trump argues that Canadians want to join the United States, the reality is much different. A December poll found that 82 percent of Canadians oppose Canada becoming a state, with only 13 percent saying they support the move. 3 Canadians don’t want to be part of the United States.
Absurdity and Imperialism
The reality is that Trump’s calls for making Canada the 51st state are part of a larger pattern of absurd ramblings from the incoming President-elect. He has previously suggested using the military against Mexican cartels and buying Greenland from Denmark. 45
Trump’s ramblings are, at their core, an attempt to project strength on the world stage without ever engaging with the actual substance of foreign policy. By repeating the absurd ideas of annexing Canada and Greenland, Trump is able to avoid responsibility for his incoherent strategy on the world stage. While it is difficult to see how this will go, it is increasingly clear that Trump isn’t about to let go of these absurd ideas anytime soon.
Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News contributor and alleged sexual predator, is likely to be confirmed. That reality, while unsurprising, is a painful reminder of the powerful and seemingly unending defense of alleged sexually predatory men that comes with the incoming Trump administration. 1 Despite several telling and embarrassing moments in his hearing, it is clear that Hegseth is very likely to be the next Secretary of Defense.
The State of the Hearings
The hearings, which began earlier this morning, were streamed live to C-SPAN and went about as well as expected.
Democrats, incensed by the incoming Trump administration’s and Hegseth’s lack of transparency, were critical of the former Fox contributor. According to NPR, Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), who has voted for eight of the last nominees for the Secretary of Defense, condemned Hegseth, saying that he lacks “the character and composure and competence to hold the position of secretary of defense.”2
Lambasting Hegseth’s record, Sen. Reed pointed to Hegseth’s management of the advocacy group Veterans for Freedom, noting: “In each year you were in charge, expenses far exceeded revenues, until the organization teetered on bankruptcy and had to be merged with another group…” Sen. Reed further chastised Hegseth for his opposition to the Geneva convention in his book The War on Warriors (2024).
What is more significant, however, is Hegseth’s character. As I noted in my previous article on Hegseth, the nominee has a dark history. 3
Hegseth was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2017 at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa in California. Hegseth paid the woman to keep silent but continued to deny the allegations, noting that no charges were filed. 4
Hegseth also has a history of bigoted and ridiculous defenses of sexual assault. In an article he edited for his conservative paper, The Princeton Tory, Hegseth published an article that argued that having sex with a woman who passes out from drinking is not “…a clear case of rape” because there would be no distress. Needless to say, such arguments betray deep-seated issues with the rights of women. The most blatant of which is his consent issue. 5
Those payments, which his lawyer confirmed, pose a challenge to any denial by Hegseth.4 During the hearing, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) noted that even though Hegseth denies that he sexually assaulted someone, the encounter would necessarily still be a problem for his character as the sexual encounter would be cheating on his second wife. 5
Hegseth’s stumbling through that section was not only embarrassing but also illustrative of his willingness to acknowledge his weak defenses against the allegations of rape that he faces, but that would not be the only painful part of the hearing.
At one point, Senator Warren (D-MA) criticized Hegseth for his seemingly sudden shift in his position on women in the military. She rightfully pointed out that Hegseth said, without qualification, that women didn’t belong in the military. However, in his appearance before the Senate, he appealed to the military’s standards, having what Senator Warren called “a nomination conversion.”6
That sliminess, combined with his alleged drinking problems, is yet another example of how unqualified and corrupt this nominee is. Unfortunately, the allegations against Hegseth don’t seem likely to sink his chances at confirmation.
Partisanship and Powerful Men
It is a painful and infuriating situation, but seeing as how Republicans repeatedly rallied around Hegseth and disparaged Democrats and the Senate itself, as Sen. Mullin (R-OK) did by claiming that Senators have voted drunk, it is unlikely that the GOP will abandon their nominee. 7
The reality is that men, powerful and influenced by partisanship, are going to put an alleged sexual predator and adulterer who doesn’t have the experience to lead the Department of Defense in charge of that very department. They are going to do so without so much as interviewing the woman who accused their nominee of assault or any of the women who were previously married to him. Nobody should be surprised by the blatant cowardice that is on display by the GOP. They are not interested in evaluating the allegations. At their core, they are interested in only one thing: power.
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Looking back on previous coverage from The Progressive American
Image by NateTalkstoYou
Hello everyone,
I hope you are doing well. Today, I thought I would try something new. As many of you know, I decided that I wanted to take more time to consistently produce this newsletter. 1
To that end, I thought it would be nice to take an idea out of human rights lawyer and host Qasim Rashid’s book and do a recap of the previous content that has been produced over the last several days.2 More accurately, this will be the first in what I hope will be many weekly recaps posts with a bit of information about potential plans for the month.
The first two weeks of 2024 have come to an end and The Progressive American has hit the ground running. Releasing articles about Mike Johnson’s Narrow Majority, Trump’s Sentencing the January 6th anniversary and much more!
Upcoming Video and Potential Debate with Darby Callahan
Previously, I responded to Callahan Corner’s Darby Callahan over a video he made about my interview with Dr. Isabel Skinner. The video, which came out in December of last year has prompted Mr. Callahan and I discuss a potential debate. I will provide more information as time goes on and will let you all know if the debate will go through. In the meantime, please consider watching my response to Mr. Callahan and let me know what you think!
Thanks again!- Conor
If you like my work and want to support me, you can find the donation link on my Kofi link. Thank you, I really appreciate it.
As the transition to the Trump administration ramps up, the push for cabinet confirmations has gone into full gear. That push, which has been ongoing since President-elect Trump won in November, is becoming increasingly toxic, with Pete Hegseth’s confirmation scheduled for tomorrow. Hegseth, who has an extensive list of allegations of sexual and professional misconduct, including an assault allegation, will have to face the Senate’s intensive questioning, but recent reporting shows that the effort to protect Hegseth from accountability is already in place.12If this effort is defeated, it would be yet another example of an alleged sexual predator nominated by Trump getting the boot.
Meeting the Potential Defense Secretary
When it comes to the nomination of Hegseth, it is painfully clear that the incoming Trump administration has very little concern for allegations of sexual misconduct, least of all because of credible allegations against Trump himself. 3 Hegseth was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2017 at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa in California. Hegseth paid the woman to keep silent but continued to deny the allegations, noting that no charges were filed. 4
Hegseth also has a history of bigoted and ridiculous defenses of sexual assault. In an article he edited for his conservative paper, The Princeton Tory, Hegseth published an article that argued that having sex with a woman who passes out from drinking is not “…a clear case of rape” because there would be no distress. Needless to say, such arguments betray deep-seated issues with the rights of women. The most blatant of which is his consent issue. 5
When the allegations came out last year, Steven Cheung, the president-elect’s communications director, said, “President Trump is nominating high-caliber and extremely qualified candidates to serve in his administration…Mr. Hegseth has vigorously denied any and all accusations, and no charges were filed. We look forward to his confirmation…” This response, which deliberately downplays the allegations against Hegseth, is part of a larger pattern in politics, especially on the right, where women’s concerns and voices are ignored at the earliest convenience of the men in power. It is disgusting but not surprising.
Nominating Predators
The sad reality is that Hegseth is not the first or the only current nominee for a position of power that has sexual assault allegations against them. Previously, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who was selected to be Trump’s attorney general, was credibly accused of having sex with a minor. That allegation was further reinforced by a House ethics report released late last year. Gaetz left his position in the House to avoid the release of said report, but the House Ethics Committee decided to release it despite his departure. Gaetz dropped out of the nomination process before taking a position at the far-right outlet Newsmax.678
Throughout that process, Donald Trump and his ilk didn’t so much as suggest that Gaetz was in the wrong, accepting his withdrawal and replacing him. This connection to predator nominees didn’t end with Gaetz. RFK Jr., who Trump wants to run the Department of Health and Human Services, has allegations of sexual assault against him by a former babysitter, Eliza Cooney. RFK Jr. has yet to drop out of the nomination process for HHS director and is unlikely to do so. RFK Jr. isn’t exactly known for his good judgment.910
This is to say that if these men are confirmed, it will serve as another example of powerful men protecting themselves from the consequences of their actions.
Protecting Predators
While nothing is guaranteed, Hegseth still could face pushback in the Senate. However, Republicans push loyalty to Hegseth and Trump as hard as possible. Kate Kelly and Kenneth P. Vogel explain in The New York Times that:
Outside groups are promoting Mr. Hegseth in myriad ways.
Officials from a conservative advocacy group called Article III Project have appeared on television and on podcasts, including Mr. Bannon’s, to encourage listeners to use their website to contact senators in support of Mr. Hegseth. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, and a linked advocacy group, are spending $1 million on ads and other efforts supporting the potential defense secretary and other Trump nominees.
Building America’s Future, a nonprofit group that spent $45 million supporting Mr. Trump’s campaign directly and through allied super PACs, has aired more than $500,000 in ads on Fox News and elsewhere, saying Mr. Hegseth is the victim of a “deep state” campaign to sink his nomination.
And on Tuesday, just before Mr. Hegseth’s confirmation hearing, a group of Navy SEALs and other veterans plan to rally in support of Mr. Hegseth at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington — an effort promoted by Mr. Bannon. 11
This support is not only corrupt, as the people pushing it are more concerned with getting one of their allies into a position of power, but it also demonstrates that the GOP is less concerned about evaluating the validity of the allegations at all. Unfortunately, the FBI also seems uninterested in getting to the truth.
According to NBC News, the FBI’s background check into Hegseth doesn’t include interviews with any of Hegseth’s ex-wives or the woman who accused him of rape.12 Senate Democrats have been concerned about the background check, with Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn) warning that “…we have been denied access to some of the materials and documents and other information, including the FBI report, that may contain information forthcoming during the hearing.”
If senators, who are expected to send Hegseth to one of the most important positions in the government, are not even getting the truth, what hope does the American public have? We saw a similar standard of poor investigation by the FBI during the Brett Kavanaugh investigation, which also ignored his accuser. 13The environment surrounding powerful men always seems to benefit those same men.
Conclusion
While it is difficult to determine how the hearings will go, it remains painfully clear that Hegseth has powerful backers, and with that backing comes a strong chance of confirmation. While I don’t want to undermine the hope that some are holding onto, I would be remiss if I didn’t note that powerful, partisan influences have helped predatory men before and are poised to do so again.
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With Trump coming to power in a few short days, it can be difficult to find any good news in public discourse. For many Americans, it can feel as though public officials care little for the public’s concerns. President-Elect Trump has escaped justice, receiving a slap on the wrist despite being a convicted felon, and three other cases have been dismissed.1 Still, there is some good news. While the cases brought against Trump have been dropped, there may still be a record of his criminality for the American people to examine. Namely, this transparency comes from Jack Smith’s January 6th report on Trump’s involvement in the attack on the Capitol, as Judge Cannon has cleared it for release. 23
What Happened?
Prior to his victory in November of last year, Donald Trump faced four major cases, including the documents case in which he was accused of illegally hoarding classified documents at his residence at Mar-A-Lago. However, the most important case was Jack Smith’s case against the former president for his alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election.4After Trump’s election, Special Counsel Smith dismissed that case and resigned, ending any chance of criminal conviction for attempting to overturn the election. 5However, with Judge Cannon’s recent decision to permit the release of Counsel Smith’s report on Trump’s actions regarding the 2020 election, a new wave of information will likely come out for the public’s consumption.
Why Does This Matter
With that information comes an opportunity to see not only how Trump attempted to upend democracy but also how that effort could impact his administration going forward. What laws he might try to pass to change how elections are conducted going forward, how voting rights are treated, and much more could be ascertained by looking at how Trump, as leader of the GOP, could alter our voting system. But we will have to wait and see.
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Yesterday was the fourth anniversary of January 6th, the historic attack on the United States capitol by Trump supporters.1 This mob, guided by the lie that the 2020 election was stolen, stormed the capitol building, beat D.C. officers, and threatened the lives and safety of Congress members, calling for the hanging of Mike Pence. 2 With four years having come and gone since then and with the reelection of the man whose lies incited said attack, we must remember that, despite the President-elect’s obfuscation about the attack on the Capitol, January 6th still matters. 34It is a testament to the moral brokenness of the MAGA movement and how partisanship is a dangerous weapon easily wielded by demagogues.
Downplaying the Attack
Whenever the discussion of the January 6th attack arises, there will inevitably be obfuscation surrounding the severity of the attack. Some will point to the riots that occurred during the Black Lives Matter protests. Never mind that the evidence available shows that BLM was treated significantly more harshly than the January 6th insurrectionists, many of whom are unrepentant.56
These defenses, which conveniently ignore all the injuries and suffering inflicted on law enforcement when the insurrectionists attacked, also serve to pivot attention away from the primarily white assailants to protesters who were demanding better treatment for people of color. More specifically, these defenses pivoted attention to a Black-led movement that continues demanding equal rights for Black Americans and lambastes them for it.
Recognizing the Cost
These distractions, while unsurprising, are not without serious consequences. As I noted last year:
Despite attempts to downplay the attack on the Capitol, the damage done to our democracy and the people within the Capitol is very clear. After the rioters were dispersed, five people were dead. Over a hundred officers were injured, and four officers committed suicide. However, it is worth mentioning that the exact cause of each suicide in relation to the attack remains difficult to determine. Simply put, the damage done to the people who were dedicated to the Capitol’s defense is immense and shouldn’t be forgotten.
The harm done by the rioters didn’t stop with the fighting or loss of life. In terms of harm to the taxpayer, rioters have effectively cost the public over $2.7 million due to damages to the Capitol and to Capitol Police alone, according to the Justice Department.
Not to mention the blatant disrespect that the insurrectionists displayed to the center of American legislative power. In one instance, a rioter smeared feces over the walls of the Capitol, and some stole sensitive information from congressional offices, including then-Speaker Pelosi’s office.
The threat posed by January 6th can’t be denied. It is evident in the dangers that rioters themselves posed to the officers who defended the capitol, the senators and representatives, and in the repeated incidents of looting that took place that day. Even with all of the evidence, the GOP continues to live in denial. 7
This was not the first time I had to note that January 6th was being downplayed. In 2022, I noted that the GOP have gone out of their way to rewrite the history of the attack and that they cared very little for a clear and concise investigation. As I noted then:
From the very beginning, Republicans have done everything they could to prevent the people from getting answers about the Capitol attack. Despite attempts by Democratic leadership to allow equal seating of Republicans and Democrats on the commission, Senate Republicans refused to vote in favor of a bipartisan committee, seemingly attempting to protect Trump from any consequences. Only six Republicans voted for the commission, even less than the Republicans who voted for impeachment.
Adding to this obstinance, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy attempted to derail the commission when he suggested Representatives Jim Jordan and Jim Banks for committee seats. Both Jordan and Banks have rejected the need for a commission and had previously voted against certifying the 2020 election. Jordan himself had contact with then-President Donald Trump on January 6th, which has piqued the commission’s interest. It was no surprise that Speaker Pelosi rejected Banks and Jordan, as their history spoke for itself. But it was what McCarthy was hoping for, as he sought any excuse to reject the commission as illegitimate.8
Again and again, the GOP has proven stubborn and unwilling to recognize the severity of their own conspiracism. Only the Democrats and their allies can be guilty, and so they insisted any investigation would be partisan. In a way, they were right, as they made an investigation that should have helped uncover the truth of the attack became a fight to defend or indict Donald Trump. It didn’t matter if the former President was unrepentant for his lies.
The true cost of January 6th can’t be understated. Now, more than ever, the corruption of the GOP and its continued unwillingness to address the extremism that has taken over the Republican Party must not be suppressed by a litany of lies. With Trump returning to the White House soon, those lies will be increasingly difficult to challenge, but we must challenge them nonetheless for the sake of our future and in remembrance of one of our darkest hours.
If you like my work and want to support me, you can find the donation link on my Kofi link. Thank you, I really appreciate it.
The Progressive American 