Eric Boehlert: Slow-walking the coup PowerPoint

[babylonsister]

Slow-walking the coup PowerPoint
Blueprint for sabotage
Eric Boehlert
1 hr ago


Twelve months after the press shied away from calling Trump’s coup attempt a “coup,” the Beltway media continue to go slow on the latest revelation about how deeply enmeshed the White House was in its blatant push to sabotage democracy following the Republican’s lopsided loss to Joe Biden.

The discovery of a pro-coup PowerPoint circulating within the White House last winter, designed to nullify millions of American votes, ought to be covered nonstop today, and used as proof that Trump is not suitable to hold office in this country. Instead, the PowerPoint has received mostly passing, disinterested coverage.

Titled “Election Fraud, Foreign Interference & Options for 6 JAN,” the 38-page presentation is a rocket ship ride into the Big Lie abyss. The proposed plan was for Trump to declare a national emergency and for all electronic voting to be rendered invalid, citing foreign “control” of electronic voting systems. The chilling PowerPoint came to light recently when Trump’s fourth and final chief of staff, Mark Meadows, turned the electronic presentation over to investigators at the January 6 Committee. Days later, Meadows stopped cooperating with the panel.

snip//

A criminal conspiracy to overthrow last year’s election, the PowerPoint is a heavy-handed plot twist that most Hollywood scriptwriters would dismiss as not being believable. Yet here we are, as Trump plans his re-election run and we learn more about the runaway criminal enterprise he oversaw as president.

We’re learning about it slowly though, and what seems to be reluctantly by the Beltway press, which instead of touting the PowerPoint as a smoking gun that reveals the GOP’s proudly anti-democratic ways, are treating the proposal timidly — an oddity that doesn’t demand much attention. Virtually none of the coverage I’ve seen has included key context, such as quotes from experts on authoritarianism regarding the stunning implications of a White House likely consulting a sabotage plan like that.

more...

https://pressrun.media/p/slow-walking-the-gops-coup-powerpoint

[gab13by13]

1. The MSM is owned and controlled by American oligarchs.

What happened to coverage of the National Guard whistleblower who claims that 2 generals, one Michael Flynn's brother, lied to Congress about slow walking deployment of the Guard? This document provided by the whistleblower that was sent to the select committee should have gone to the FBI first. Why can't the FBI investigate credible information of the coup attempt? Why does everything have to go through the select committee first?

[2Gingersnaps]

12. Probably because Al Capone neutered the FBI

early on when Comey showed some spine. Sure the FBI has always been conservative, sure they have ignored right wing extremism since their inception. Oklahoma City seems to be a blip from nowhere to them. But Rod Rosenstein did not have to go to court to get his retirement returned to him, I suppose we are supposed to be grateful for that.

[leftieNanner]

17. Rosenstein?

Are you talking about McCabe who lost his retirement?

[2Gingersnaps]

19. Yes. Rod Rosenstein.

Part of the problem with the Mueller Report is it did not follow the money. Rod Rosenstein intentionally set that parameter for Mueller. The FBI did not know Mueller was not investigating that, Mueller did not know the FBI was not investigating.

How strange is it that DoJ that has always followed the money as the very basis for investigating criminals did not use that very obvious tool? Trump publicly stated that following the money was a red line he would not tolerate. Sally Yates was the first of Justice to be fired over Mike Flynn. Comey was next. Then McCabe. Just as Trump went through Attorneys General until he found one that put "loyalty" over rule of law. He never had to fire Rosenstein.

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a33848359/rod-rosenstein-trump-russia-block-robert-mueller/

[gab13by13]

21. I'm guessing that's why Christopher Wray is still director?

[wnylib]

29. And most likely, Christopher Ray,

who is a Federalist, is an obstacle in getting thorough investigations done.

[ancianita]

14. Jan6 committee is in the First Branch of govt, the People's branch, & so gets all info first.

[gab13by13]

22. So if I call the FBI hot line,

and report I believe there may be a sex trafficking ring going on in my neighborhood, would the FBI have to run that by the select committee first before it even did an investigation?

I am being overboard with my example but still, there is plenty of information out there that has been dug up by investigative journalists regarding an attempted overthrow of our government. Why does the FBI have to wait for referrals from the select committee?

[wnylib]

30. Ask Federalist right wing Christophrr Wray.

I believe that he is a problem.

[ancianita]

32. No. But you're comparing apples and oranges.

Citizen reports of local suspicious behavior call for investigations a lot different from a breach of a national branch of government building actually witnessed by the whole nation. One group is defined by its investigative parameters, and sex trafficking is clearly outside the purview of ANY congressional committee, unless someone in Congress is involved, and even then, federal law enforcement would probably handle that.

Digging up information isn't what your example is about; your hypothetical is about "I believe."
The FBI would tell you to call local law enforcement first because you have to be interviewed to see if your "I believe" points to probable cause, and then they don't have the jurisdiction to investigate, and would refer your claims to local law enforcement. Continuing the apples and oranges....

Most important, the FBI doesn't get referrals from the Jan6SC; the Department of Justice does, and only after the committee gets a floor vote for the person to be charged with "Contempt of Congress." THEN Congress sends that to the DOJ, which doesn't need the FBI to further investigate, and simply charges the persons referred. That's what happened with Bannon and will happen to the other 25 in Trump's circle, out of the 51 total who've gotten subpoenas; the latest six won't have to produce documents until Dec 23, and then be deposed in January.

Digging up information is more complicated with investigative journalists, who have sources to cultivate and protect as they "leak" news from those 'on location' sources. Journalists are not coequal investigators with law enforcement, as you know.

There are local crimes and networks, there are county and state level crimes and networks and there are national crimes and networks; each falls under different local ordinances, state laws, federal laws. We can't make a federal case out of every suspicious activity in an attempt to make all coincidences connect.

Does this help?

[spanone]

2. ...K&R...

[MyOwnPeace]

3. What puzzles me is.......

why would Meadows turn over this most damning piece of evidence and THEN decide to stop cooperating with the Committee?

Man, the "horse is out of the barn" and running down the road full speed! Ain't NO WAY you can get back into good graces with TFG after that!

[Lovie777]

4. Maybe because he is insane like the rest of them . ....

Shit GQP's media is still covering for shithole's run for 2024.

[2Gingersnaps]

15. Mark Meadows is potato lumpy Madison Cawthorn.

Same district, not too bright either, did not improve with age. Remember the phrase "banality of evil?" Hitler didn't surround himself with great thinkers or good men for a solid reason.

[2Gingersnaps]

16. Mark Meadows is potato lumpy Madison Cawthorn.

Same district, not too bright either, did not improve with age. Remember the phrase "banality of evil?" Hitler didn't surround himself with great thinkers or good men for a solid reason. Great thinkers and good men do not behave like this.

[skypilot]

26. I wonder if...

...he somehow turned it over by mistake.

[NCDem47]

5. Republicans will get around to just waving this off as "poltical strategy"

All perfectly legal in a system that allows for it.

Golden rule applied here in the eyes of Republicans: he who holds the gold, rules.

[gab13by13]

6. This is why I bring up

the National Guard whistleblower. There is chain of command in the military. General Flynn has to have someone over his head. I still believe this national guard situation can expose some big names. Would it help for the select committee or Congress to call on the military to do an investigation?

[2Gingersnaps]

18. You would think there would be some "Military Code Of Justice" that applies here.

Like court martial would be the logical remedy for both Flynns. For the coup, all TFG would have needed was the military to back him, that is where he failed. But, and it is a HUGE but, there would appear to be a cancer in DoD, as well as DoJ (which includes the FBI) that desperately needs addressed.

[gab13by13]

25. I mean I don't know,

but wouldn't there be a lot less red tape for the military to do a fair investigation? Maybe after one reaches a certain rank he/she is above military justice?

It is scary if Wray is in on this?

[wnylib]

31. I suspect that he is.

[malaise]

7. This is the truth

Rec

[Harker]

8. The buck never stops in Trumpsky world. n/t

[childfreebychoice]

9. The whole goal, retake Congress, and squash

the committee

[Javaman]

10. last night watching MSNBC regarding the powerpoint, one of the people interviewed called it

"banality of evil"

I think it was apt and said for a reason.


Hannah Arendt and the Banality of Evil

https://www.jstor.org/stable/493684

[uponit7771]

11. K&R, it's like a slow realization that democracy is a partisan issue now

[Alpeduez21]

13. This is partly(mostly) the fault of dems

If the political parties were reversed msm would never shut up about it. I get that. If dems want this covered then EVERY time a microphone is in front of them they should say look at what the republicans did. Stop talking about proper procedure and not trying to hurt voter feelings. Just keep saying how absolutely awful Republicans are no matter what the topic. Then and only then will msm change their time. Keep playing nice dems and America is GONE

[Efilroft Sul]

23. For the life of me, I don't know why so many smart people don't understand this existential threat.

[Mad_Machine76]

24. Broadbrushing Republicans isn't going to be helpful IMHO

Focus should be on Republicans whom enabled/facilitated (or are actively facilitating) the coup. We don't want Republican voters, some of whom probably don't support this stuff, to dig in their heels against us. A certain number of Republican voters are going to stick with the party and TFG no matter what but there are a certain number that might not agree with what's being done.

[turbinetree]

20. Calling Joe Manchin and Kristen Sinema....

think now the filibuster should stay in place, because after all you got elected by a majority.....and the insurrectionist want the minority to win, so they storm the US Capital and they had a fiucking powerpoint, there are two bills that will stop this shit show.........what say you......

[themaguffin]

27. All of this should be road block coverage.

[KS Toronado]

28. I hope we discover every R in congress

who watched/received the "pro-coup PowerPoint" and said nothing to warn the American citizens that
a coup was underway to replace Democracy with Fascism. Use this against them in the midterms.

[Hassler]

33. Psst: Corporate media is in on the coup.