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Minority Report: Biden's Waiver-Needed SecDef Nominee Lloyd Austin

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Rayne
President-elect Joe Biden nominated for Secretary of Defense a retired general, Lloyd James Austin III, who's only been out of the military since March 2016. Why should Congress consider a waiver for Austin?
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The First Node of the Insurrection Conspiracy: The Oath Keepers

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emptywheel
The FBI charged a key player in the Oath Keeper with conspiracy in what is likely to be one of the key nodes of the attack on the Capitol.
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Trump's Second Impeachment Has Already Had a Beneficial Effect

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emptywheel
To restore legitimacy and belief in the rule of law, the story of Trump's crimes needs to be told, and told in a way that makes the damage he caused and the betrayal of his supporters clear. If impeaching Trump convinced him not to pardon his lawyer, his spawn, and himself, it will be one important step in that process. 
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But His Emails! Kushner's Unique Exposure under the Presidential Records Act

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emptywheel
Jared Kushner has a habit of violating the Presidential Records Act. We may finally get details about that as part of the Andrew McCabe lawsuit.
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The Recent Radicalization of the Woman Who Allegedly Stole the Pelosi Laptop

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emptywheel
A number of outlets (Politico may have been the first) are reporting on the story of Riley June Williams, who was charged (but not arrested) yesterday in crimes related to the January 6 insurrection. The paragraph of her arrest affidavit that…
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The Press Continues to Help Billy Barr Whitewash His Complicity in January 6

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emptywheel
Bill Barr continues to get credulous journalists to tell fairy tales about how he bravely stood up to President Trump's worst instincts, without mentioning that he had an affirmative role in fostering the toxic brew that blew up on January 6.
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OpSec Shaming Misses the Terrorists for the Forest of Bozos They Hid Behind

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emptywheel
While we're laughing at the abysmal OpSec of most of the people arrested in the January 6 attack thus far, let's remember that, to a significant extent, the people taking selfies and trophies from the Capitol building were largely the camouflage behind which more dangerous men appear to have hidden. 
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NFL Divisional Playoffs In Pandemic Trash Talk

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bmaz
Greetings to all fans, whether you are scoring at home, or alone in isolation. It is pretty remarkable that the NFL has made it this far without blowing up from Covid. Yet here they are down to four games this weekend.
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Advancing Our Country Forward, A Security Perspective

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bmaz
A person who knows large event security has some thoughts about the lack of preparation and execution of security on January 6, 2021 at the Capitol.
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Rudy Giuliani and Jack Posobiec Claim a False Flag

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emptywheel
Nazi sympathizer Jack Posobiec and the President lawyer both seemed prepared to use the arrest of agent provocateur John Sullivan last night to blame the riots on Black Lives Matter. In the process, however, Rudy Giuliani appears to have tied the President, the Proud Boys, and the Pentagon together in the plot.
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Impeaching Donald John Trump — Again [UPDATE-3]

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Rayne
The House voted on H.R. 24 to impeach Trump for the High Crime and Misdemeanor of Inciting to Insurrection.
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Where's Rudy?

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emptywheel
Rudy Giuliani has gone missing -- but it's not entirely clear which particular heap of trouble he's in has caused it.
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Four Data Points on the January 6 Insurrection

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emptywheel
There are four data points from the days surrounding last week's insurgency worth keeping an eye on as we try to figure out whether Trump planned in advance for such a riot.
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Julian Assange Officially Asks Trump to Pardon Him for Helping Him Get Elected

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emptywheel
Julian Assange's associates are really rolling out the propaganda in hopes of getting him a pardon.
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The Unaddressed Counterintelligence Threat of Rudy Giuliani

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emptywheel
Rudy Giuliani has remained the worst influence on Donald Trump for years: and the one accounting of such threats to the Presidency -- the SSCI Russian Report -- barely touched on his role.
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Triage and Impeachment: Prioritize a Legitimate Criminal Investigation into the Wider Plot over Impeachment

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emptywheel
Given that key levers of Trump's power have been neutralized for the short term, I think it more important to ensure the evidence supporting and the integrity of a criminal investigation holding Trump accountable for his role in Wednesday's terrorist attack. Merrick Garland's confirmation should take precedence over an impeachment trial in the Senate.
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