Earlier today, a few hundred yahoos in MAGA gear, QAnon paraphernalia, and a Confederate flag or two stormed the Capitol building, drove both houses of Congress into hiding, and thus disrupted the final counting of electoral votes to certify Biden as president. One of them was shot dead under hazy circumstances. I dub it the Selfie Coup, as nearly every shot of these fools has them taking one.
More precise details are still forthcoming as I write, though I’m happy to note that Congress has reconvened to finish the electoral process, the Democrats won both Senate races in Georgia, and talk of impeachment and the 25th amendment have returned.
Some things are painfully clear already:
1) This wouldn’t have happened without two full months of instigation by Trump and his many enablers and sycophants since November 3th, not to mention well before;
2) This wouldn’t have happened without Twitter, Facebook, and every other social media organization sitting on their hands as their tech was used to organize and whip up emotion around a fantasy of a stolen election;
3) This wouldn’t have happened without Trump’s usual nonsensical rally speech in Washington earlier in the day, calling for his supporters to march on the Capitol building with a nod and a wink to white supremacy;
4) This wouldn’t have happened if the capitol police had defended the perimeter of the building adequately, though it’s not clear yet if they withdrew tactically because they were outnumbered, because some sympathized with the assault, because the protesters were white instead black, or they just completely dropped the ball. The fallout there is going to be really interesting.
5) Every well-photographed idiot looting the building or attempting a Monty Python skit on the Senate floor has an interesting future ahead of them, though I suspect many were not exactly gainfully employed beforehand.
Putting those four points aside, the Selfie Coup has changed the political game.
Trump deliberately placed both houses of Congress in mortal danger, including all of his stubborn Republican supporters (six of which just voted against the electoral results tonight!) by sitting on his hands for two hours in the White House during the assault on the building, even if I discounted the speech that incited the riot. Even when he finally spoke by Twitter and video, he somehow forgot to call for the arrest of those that attacked and looted the U.S. Captiol. Whoops.
Pence, on the other hand, finally took charge, perhaps sometime after noticing that the Secret Service had carried him out of the building. And thus the National Guard was called without Trump’s input, and Congress reconvened later in the day.
Now, if I was a Republican congressperson or senator, I’d be looking to Pence, not Trump, to cover my hide. McConnell has finally folded on the election because of Georgia, which diminishes him for at least two years if not permanently, and Pence already was forced to split with Trump earlier today given his ceremonial Senate President role. Trump has nowcast his small and ineffectual mob at his enemies and allies alike; if I’m looking around for cover before the next logical but fruitless step of martial law, Pence is the only game left in town.
I wish I could say Trump is not capable of trying to invoke a military takeover. But that worry is moot. If Pence did indeed summon the Guard today as news outlets claim, which he does not constitutionally have the right to do, then he is the de facto acting President already and Defense will look to him for orders, not Trump. Thus a resignation, removal by the 25th, or a second impeachment, all of which would be justified, are unnecessary.
We just have to grit our teeth for two more weeks.
But the woman that was shot dead? It’s too late for her.