Mike Pence's security detail fearing for their lives, Trump's refusal to say the election is over and more from the 1/6 Committee hearing

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Last night’s primetime hearing on the January attack on the U.S. Capitol made it crystal clear: Donald Trump, acting as a cunning, unhinged despot, set the assault in motion with his speech at the Ellipse. As the carnage unfolded, he cheered on the rioters from the Oval Office dining room as they laid waste to the citadel of our democracy. He sat back and did nothing to call off his supporters or send help as police officers were put in mortal danger. Many were injured that day and some later died. After nearly three hours, and only when it was clear that the attack had been put down, did Trump ask his mob to go home.

Trump’s failed goals? Storming the Capitol himself and overturning the election to stop the peaceful transfer of power.

Key things we learned last night:
* Trump snubbed repeated pleas to call off his mob from aides and family
* Trump never called law enforcement or the Pentagon for reinforcements at the Capitol
* Vice President Pence’s Secret Service detail struggled to keep Pence safe and feared for their lives
* Trump refused to acknowledge the election was over even after Congress certified Biden’s win.

A COMPLETE DERELICTION OF DUTY: Congressman Adam Kinzinger said last night that “Donald Trump’s conduct on January 6 was a supreme violation of his oath of office and a complete dereliction of his duty to our nation. It is a stain on our history. It is a dishonor to all those who have sacrificed and died in service of our democracy.” One commentator said in those three hours, he wasn't the President of the United States, he was the leader of an insurrection to overthrow the U.S. government.

"A complete dereliction of his duty" ([link removed])

THE GAME PLAN LEAKED: In late October 2020, knowing they were about to lose the election, presidential advisor Steve Bannon revealed Trump’s “Facts Don’t Matter” game plan. From the very beginning this was a premeditated plot to stage a coup to overturn the election. On January 6 Bannon was at the riot command center at the Willard Hotel with a host of other disgraced Trump advisors as they coordinated attack plans. White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows appears to have been the conduit to Trump.

Audio — Bannon revealing Trump's game plan ([link removed])

TRUMP’S 12/19/20 “COME TO DC” TWEET: Trump decided that he needed a mob in D.C. on January 6 to stop the counting of Electoral College votes as he became more obsessed with overturning the election. None of his fake claims of election fraud were getting any traction as his losses in court piled up. “Big protest in D.C. on January 6th. Be there, will be wild,” he tweeted to summon his followers to Washington on the day Congress would meet to certify Biden’s victory.

Calling his mob to Washington, DC ([link removed])

POURING GASOLINE ON A FIRE: Former Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Matthews, appearing in person at last night’s hearing, testified senior Trump aides tried to get him to call off the attack. He refused each time. His tweet attacking Mike Pence was, as she said, “like pouring gasoline on the fire.”

"Pouring gasoline on the fire" ([link removed])

SECRET SERVICE STRUGGLES TO KEEP PENCE SAFE: As the rioters ransacked the Capitol shouting “Hang Mike Pence,” the Secret Service struggled to ensure Pence’s safety as they moved him to another part of the Capitol. This is a recording of those discussions.

Audio — Secret Service conversations ([link removed])

IT’S ABOUT TO GET VERY UGLY: The committee also shared a recording telling the story of how dire things had become at the Capitol with the Secret Service. A White House security official recounted what was heard over radio traffic as Secret Service agents began to fear for their own lives. At one point the rioters came within five feet of Pence and his family and agents protecting them.

Recording – Secret Service agents fear for their own lives ([link removed])

TRUMP REFUSES MULTIPLE APPEALS TO CALL OFF THE MOB: Pat Cipollone, former White House counsel, told the committee about the many attempts to get Trump to intervene to call off the rioters and stop the attack. Aides and family members repeatedly asked him to act. Each time he said no as he relished press coverage of the chaos he had unleashed.

Cipollone recounts attempts to get Trump to act ([link removed])

THERE IS NO SAFE PLACE: We heard a shocking recording of rioters discussing what to do after Trump tweeted to respect Capitol police. As to the members of Congress being hunted, rioters proclaimed “There is no safe place for these motherf**ckers.”

Video – "There is no safe place" ([link removed])

TRUMP PUT U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY AT RISK: Matthew Pottinger, a former deputy director of National Security told the committee that Trump’s actions that day put the national security of the United States at risk. He said the Capitol attack “emboldened our enemies by helping give them ammunition to feed a narrative that our system of government doesn’t work, that the United States is in decline,” He added that in the days after the attack, he heard from top allied officials who “were concerned about the health of our democracy.”

Trump emboldened our enemies ([link removed])

I DON’T WANT TO SAY THE ELECTION IS OVER: On January 7 and to this day, Trump refuses to say the election is over. He remains fixated on disproven lies of fraud and a stolen election. This video shows a soon-to-be former president taping a speech the day after his failed coup. “But this election is now over — Congress has certified the results…” Trump says in an outtake. “I don’t want to say the election is over, I just want to say Congress has certified the results without saying the election is over.”

Video - Trump refuses to acknowledge loss ([link removed])

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Recent polling indicates that the January 6 hearings, along with other issues, are moving voters away from Trump and his extreme allies. Many are on the ballot this year. They must be held accountable.

Across the country key races for Congress, governor, state attorney general, local election supervisor, and others are in full swing and matter more than ever. Winning as many as possible in 2022 will serve as a xxxxxx against Trump in 2024.

109 DAYS TO GO TO ELECTION DAY: There is no time to waste. Get involved today and recruit others to join our fight for democracy ([link removed]) .

Together,

The Union

P.S. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: Be sure to follow us on Twitter ([link removed]) to get up to the minute insights and information about our work to defend America from Trump’s ongoing assault on democracy.

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