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kentuck

(110,950 posts)
Sun Jun 5, 2022, 08:44 AM Jun 2022

But why was Dan Scavino not indicted?

He was the Director of Social Media during the Trump years. He handled the Tweets and Facebook posts from Donald Trump. Why was he not indicted?

Most people have focused on why the DOJ did not indict Meadows but few mention Scavino?

It appears that the only way someone gets indicted for contempt of Congress is if they are publicly contemptible to the Congress. That seems to be the line that the DOJ will not tolerate? If you run your mouth like Bannon and Navarro, then you will be charged.

But if you are silent and go about your business, you will not be harassed by the DOJ. That does not mean they are off the hook. It only means they had the good sense to keep their mouths shut while the investigation is going on.

Just my opinion.

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Irish_Dem

(45,640 posts)
4. I suspect deals are being cut at the highest levels of power as we speak.
Sun Jun 5, 2022, 09:07 AM
Jun 2022

Everyone in DC knows by now (few secrets within the beltway) that a huge number of R's were involved in 1/6, including half the sitting members of Congress.

There is absolutely no appetite for the DOJ to start jailing 50% of the US Congress, so decisions must be made. (In all fairness to Garland, indicting half the US congress is way above his pay grade.)

The way DC usually operates when an internal crisis hits: high level power brokers play "let's make a deal."
Decisions will be made about who gets protected, who gets indicted, who gets jailed.

I have a number of degrees, one of them is in political science. Several of my professors where Washington DC political insiders turned academics, who painstakingly revealed the way DC really works. Inside the beltway functions in a way totally different from typical American perception.

Secrets are carefully guarded, everyone in DC knows who is doing drugs, who is sleeping with whom, presidents with long time mistresses, vice presidents with a sexual fetish, etc, etc. But the code is to keep it all quiet.

Great pretense on the surface about how decisions are made. Most things are decided by the power brokers behind the scenes. This is absolutely the case when a huge crisis hits DC.


kentuck

(110,950 posts)
5. Excellent points!
Sun Jun 5, 2022, 09:17 AM
Jun 2022

The DOJ cannot and doesn't want to imprison 50% of the Congress. That is way above everyone's pay grade, contrary to what many here would wish to see happen.

They have been challenged by the attack upon the status quo order of DC, in my opinion. They want to hold somebody accountable, but not everybody.

Irish_Dem

(45,640 posts)
6. Yes it is being carefully hammered out right now.
Sun Jun 5, 2022, 09:39 AM
Jun 2022

The 1/6 committee will carefully leak information, manage the PR end of things.
Mold the public perception about events and players.

The real decisions have probably already been made about who is going to take the hit.

The major GOP power broker probably has mixed feelings. He loves the GOP take no prisoners, power at any cost mentality. But he also doesn't like that another branch of government brought violence into his territory and challenged his authority. So perhaps the MOC who have not followed his orders, followed Trump's dictates will be thrown under the bus. A loud message being given.

The top Dem power broker may be most interested in the Rs who gave tours, ripped out safety alarms, shared secret office locations. In addition to the Rs who sold out congress to Trump.

I also assume that MOCs will be protected more than outsiders.

Also another way things work in DC: The guilty high level players are often not publicly indicted or humiliated. But they quietly lose their power, go into a form of political seclusion, keep a low profile.
They lose their next election, or they are caught in a minor scandal.

MineralMan

(146,192 posts)
7. My guess is that we will hear from Meadows and Scavino later,
Sun Jun 5, 2022, 11:20 AM
Jun 2022

as trial witnesses. Of course, that's just a guess and my opinion, so you can weigh that for whatever you think it might be worth.

H2O Man

(73,333 posts)
8. Right.
Sun Jun 5, 2022, 11:24 AM
Jun 2022

I'd add that the Committee has just about everything they need regarding these two ..... Meadows provided some, but perhaps more importantly, a number of the 1,000 people who have cooperated have filled in the gaps.

MineralMan

(146,192 posts)
9. Yes. I encourage everyone to watch the committee hearings.
Sun Jun 5, 2022, 11:25 AM
Jun 2022

Not everyone will, but those who do will learn a great deal about everything that happened, I'm sure.

I plan to see them all, either as they happen or afterwards.

H2O Man

(73,333 posts)
10. I'll watch it live,
Sun Jun 5, 2022, 11:49 AM
Jun 2022

then again on youtube. I'm looking forward to the discussions here Thursday night!

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