How Is Justice Proceeding?

For John, BLUF:  Here is an interesting spin on the 6 January 2021 assault on the Nation's Capitol.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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All who died on the 6th supported Trump.  What else do we truly know?

From Samizdata, by Mr Niall Kilmartin (Stirling), 15 January 2021.

Here is the lede plus three:

Truth is the daughter of time.  Meanwhile, what do we actually know about the events of the 6th?

Ashli Babbitt died because she was shot.  Three protestors died of medical emergencies (it happens in crowds but still …).  And someone killed Brian Sicknick, a Capitol policeman, a Trump supporter and no friend to the deep state.

Brian died because a man threw a fire extinguisher onto a group of policemen and it struck him.  (The clear video hasn’t prevented some accounts, and even more comments, confabulating tales of his being beaten to death by a frenzied mob, but you can click the link to see what actually happened – a professional-looking strike by a man who approaches from the left of the video and then as swiftly retreats when the deed is done.)  Throwing a fire extinguisher is no way to kill a specific targeted person, but it is a way to inflict death or injury on a random policeman.  (Four years ago, in early 2017, the rioters threw concrete blocks at the police – luckily, IIRC, no-one was killed then.)

Andy Ngo said it did not look like Antifa to him. He was in England at the time, not Washington DC, so is working from videos of the event, but he has a great deal of experience of what Antifa in Portland look like.  Michael Yon says in this video that it looked like standard Antifa false flag agent-provocateur tactics to him.  He was there outside the Capitol and he has seen Antifa in Portland (and has seen many protests around the world).  Michael Waller, another eyewitness, is very sure he saw agent-provocateurs, and that some were Antifa false flags — and is not so sure about others.  The impeachers and the MSM remain in denial but gradually others – even the FBI – are deciding that the crowd listening to Trump’s split infinitive (“to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard”) were not first on the scene at the Capitol.

The views of outside observers varry.&nbnsp; Mr Michael Yon doubled down with The Gateway Pundit over the weekend.

I am not depending on the Department of the Justice or the Federal Bureau of Investigation to give us the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.  This is from The Hill:

Justice Department and FBI officials are reportedly discussing whether everyone who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 should be charged, with some arguing charges should not be filed for those who did not engage in violent behavior.

The Washington Post reported on the internal deliberations Saturday, citing multiple people familiar with the discussions. The Post added that discussions on such a decision are in the early stages, with no formal stance taken on the matter.

Because they are nice people?  Because there is no real crimes?  To avoid a public trial, which might embarrass certain people?  To allow certain individuals to avoid prosecution?

Then, today there is this:  FBI Agents Arrest ‘Walkaway’ Founder Brandon Straka.  This is for him being on Capitol Hill during the 6 January Occupation.

I think an Impeachment (especially when the Chief Justice declines to preside) is an opportunity for a lot of blowback.  I grant that the Housse Impeachment Managers can try to stifle the defense, but it will look bad to at least the 74 million Trump voters.  And, with the likes of Rep Eric Swalwell (D-CA), could even look bad to many others.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff