Latest Republican senator slams colleagues over failure to denounce Qanon conspiracy theory
Sen. Ben Sasse (R., Neb.) harshly slammed his Republican colleagues for their refusal to denounce QAnon, the far-right conspiracy theory he says is destroying the party “from within.”
“Until last week, many party leaders and consultants thought they could preach the Constitution while winking at QAnon. They can’t,” Sasse wrote in an essay for The Atlantic. “The GOP must reject conspiracy theories or be consumed by them. Now is the time to decide what this party is about.”
The crowd of pro-Trump loyalists who stormed the U.S. Capitol earlier this month were filled with QAnon supporters, including Jake Angeli of Arizona, the self-described “QAnon Shaman” who was arrested last week.
Sasse directed his ire at House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.) for his silence in the face of such wild and dangerous conspiracy theories, and his role in backing newly-elected Rep. Marjorie Greene (R., Ga.), who has supported QAnon in the past and regularly spreads misinformation about the election and COVID-19.
“During [Greene’s] campaign, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy had a choice: disavow her campaign and potentially lose a Republican seat, or welcome her into his caucus and try to keep a lid on her ludicrous ideas. McCarthy failed the leadership test and sat on the sidelines. Now in Congress, Greene isn’t going to just back McCarthy as leader and stay quiet,” Sasse wrote. “She’s already announced plans to try to impeach Joe Biden on his first full day as president. She’ll keep making fools out of herself, her constituents, and the Republican Party.”
— Rob Tornoe
Feds seeking Harrisburg woman accused of stealing Nancy Pelosi’s laptop during Capitol riot
Federal authorities have obtained an arrest warrant for a Harrisburg woman they suspect may have stolen House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s laptop during the Jan. 6 Capitol siege with the intent of selling the device to Russia’s foreign intelligence services.
In an affidavit filed late Sunday evening, agents said they were contacted by the former romantic partner of Riley June Williams, 22, who recognized her in footage shot during the insurrectionist attack by the British network ITV.
Williams’ ex also reported having seen other video showing Williams pocketing the computer from Pelosi’s office and told investigators that Williams had said she intended to send it to a friend in Russia who would arrange the transfer to the SVR, the Russian equivalent of the CIA.
That deal fell through, Williams’ former partner told FBI agents according to the affidavit, and the laptop remains in her possession.
— Jeremy Roebuck
Biden traveling to Philadelphia Monday
President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn in as the nation’s 46th president on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in two days. But today, he’ll be in Philadelphia.
Biden and his wife, future First Lady Jill Biden, will spend their Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service volunteering at Philabundance, the region’s largest hunger-relief group.
Biden is also scheduled to meet with his transition team Monday, according to his official schedule.
Vice President-elect Kamala D. Harris, who is resigning her Senate seat on Monday, plans to volunteer in Washington, her office told the Washington Post.
President Donald Trump has no public events listed on his official schedule.
— Rob Tornoe
Members of Trump’s campaign behind the rally that ignited Capitol riot
Members of President Donald Trump’s failed presidential campaign played key roles in orchestrating the Washington rally that spawned a deadly assault on the U.S. Capitol, according to an Associated Press review of records, undercutting claims the event was the brainchild of the president’s grassroots supporters.
In a statement, the president’s reelection campaign said it “did not organize, operate or finance the event.” No campaign staff members were involved in the organization or operation of the rally, according to the statement. It said that if any former employees or independent contractors for the campaign took part, “they did not do so at the direction of the Trump campaign.”
At least one was working for the Trump campaign this month. Megan Powers was listed as one of two operations managers for the Jan. 6 event, and her LinkedIn profile says she was the Trump campaign’s director of operations into January 2021. She did not respond to a message seeking comment.
The AP’s review found at least three of the Trump campaign aides named on the permit rushed to obscure their connections to the demonstration. They deactivated or locked down their social media profiles and removed tweets that referenced the rally. Three blocked a reporter who asked questions.
Caroline Wren, a veteran GOP fundraiser, is named as a “VIP Advisor” on an attachment to the permit that Women for America First provided to the agency. Between mid-March and mid-November, Donald J. Trump for President Inc. paid Wren $20,000 a month, according to Federal Election Commission records.
Maggie Mulvaney, a niece of former top Trump aide Mick Mulvaney, is listed on the permit attachment as the “VIP Lead.” She worked as director of finance operations for the Trump campaign, according to her LinkedIn profile. FEC records show Maggie Mulvaney was earning $5,000 every two weeks from Trump’s reelection campaign, with the most recent payment reported on Nov. 13.
— Associated Press
FBI vetting National Guard troops in DC amid fears of insider attack
U.S. defense officials say they are worried about an insider attack or other threat from service members involved in securing President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, prompting the FBI to vet all of the 25,000 National Guard troops coming into Washington for the event.
The massive undertaking reflects the extraordinary security concerns that have gripped Washington following the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump rioters. And it underscores fears that some of the very people assigned to protect the city over the next several days could present a threat to the incoming president and other VIPs in attendance.
Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told The Associated Press on Sunday that officials are conscious of the potential threat, and he warned commanders to be on the lookout for any problems within their ranks as the inauguration approaches. So far, however, he and other leaders say they have seen no evidence of any threats, and officials said the vetting hadn’t flagged any issues that they were aware of.
“We’re continually going through the process, and taking second, third looks at every one of the individuals assigned to this operation,” McCarthy said in an interview after he and other military leaders went through an exhaustive, three-hour security drill in preparation for Wednesday’s inauguration. He said Guard members are also getting training on how to identify potential insider threats.
— Associated Press
Capitols braced for unrest but had mostly quiet streets following FBI warning
Despite a stark warning from the FBI that state capitals could be targeted by far-right extremists or armed protesters this week, just a handful of demonstrators appeared at government buildings in Harrisburg and Trenton on Sunday as throngs of law enforcement patrolled.
“We are breathing a collective sigh of relief,” Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora said Sunday afternoon. “It appears there are more skateboarders than protesters here.”
The relief rippled across a nation on the edge, still reeling from the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol that left five dead and set off a massive law enforcement response from coast to coast ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s Wednesday inauguration. Last week, the FBI warned that at least one group that backs President Donald Trump called for supporters to “storm” government buildings, and authorities said some far-right personalities indicated they’d begin their demonstrations Sunday.
In preparation, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf activated hundreds of members of the National Guard, the Capitol was closed, and police fortified the building with barricades. Streets were shut down in Harrisburg and Trenton, and residents hunkered down in their homes.
It turned out that both cities were quiet Sunday. In Harrisburg, a few demonstrators appeared, as did a couple counterprotesters, including one who approached police and denounced white supremacy while clutching his lunch in a Styrofoam container. The largest gathering near the Capitol was likely a scrapbooking convention at a nearby hotel, made up of mostly women armed with scissors and creativity.
— Anna Orso, Rob Tornoe, Julia Terruso and Samantha Melamed
"behind" - Google News
January 18, 2021 at 08:19PM
https://ift.tt/2XQLsXR
Biden volunteering in Philly today; Republican slams colleagues over QAnon conspiracy theory; members of Trump - The Philadelphia Inquirer
"behind" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2YqUhZP
https://ift.tt/2yko4c8
Bagikan Berita Ini
Related Posts :
Rouge And RAW: The Mind-Blowing Story Behind Josh Kesselman’s Rolling Paper Empire - Forbes- Italy’s export-dependent factories thrive but Spain lags behind - Financial Times
- The How And Why Behind Civil Beat's Daily Virus Tracker - Honolulu Civil Beat
- 9 Who Care: Skott Gent, a driving force behind an Ag Education Center in Maquoketa - KCRG
- 'Behind the Blue': Importance of Honors at a Public Research University - UKNow
0 Response to "Biden volunteering in Philly today; Republican slams colleagues over QAnon conspiracy theory; members of Trump - The Philadelphia Inquirer"
Post a Comment