I can’t believe I am going to say this, but though I disagree with mostly everything Liz Cheney stands for, watching her stand-up for democracy gives me goosebumps. Okay, goosebumps is a bit much, but her fortitude in the face of powerful countervailing forces, even in the wake of death threats, is impressive.
Given the Republicans’ despicable and dangerous attempt to seize power, whatever the cost to an increasingly fragile democracy, Cheney (and Adam Kinzinger as well) are staying the course: They believe the truth about January 6th must be brought forth to the American people. The committee believes that they need to do whatever it takes to get to the truth. They believe what happened can, and must, never happen again. They hope that the truth will awaken more moderate Republicans and Independents to the danger posed by the cult of the current Republican party.
This week we finally got a glimpse of what the committee has been uncovering.
It seems that Mark “What’s that stench in the Meadow” is in the middle of it all. People like Meadows are the Offal of the Grand Offal Party!
Here’s some samples of the texts Meadows received during the attempted coup that Cheney read out loud ahead of a House vote to hold Meadows in contempt for refusing to testify.
“It’s really bad up here on the Hill. “The president needs to stop this ASAP,” another said. A third simply wrote: “Fix this now.”
There were even desperate pleas from Don Jr. and some Fox News people. Don Jr texted this to Meadows: “He’s got to condemn this shit ASAP,” Donald Trump Jr. texted. “The Capitol Police tweet is not enough.”
We don’t know what action, if any, Meadows took as a result of these texts begging The Don to stop the mayhem, but we can always imagine.
(The Don sitting on a couch watching the insurrection on TV)
The Don: Hey Mark, can you believe how much the people love me? It’s absolutely beautiful, don’t you think?
Meadows: (quivering)
The Don: Mark, what’s wrong? You’re holding yourself like you need to take a piss or what?
Meadows: Mr. President. Um, um.
The Don: Spit it out, Mark. Oh look at that guy with the Viking costume. We need to get his name. I may want to offer him a job.
Meadows: Mr. President, I’m getting texts from a lot of people saying you need to stop this, that it’s out of control.
The Don: Sometimes when you are defending democracy things get a bit rough. These are real patriots doing their job. It’s amazing. No other president has had people rise up against the injustice of the election like this. Only me.
Meadows: But there is going to bloodshed, people may die.
The Don: Listen Mark, if watching a true patriotic revolution is too much for your queasy stomach then you need to get the hell out of here. Don’t fuckin rain on moment of glory. So what is it going to be?
Are you going to wimp out or join me here on this couch and celebrate the moment.
(Meadows meekly sleeks over to the couch)
The Don: Good boy Mark. Hey Mark, before you get too comfortable can you get me a Diet Coke?
Meadow: Yes, Mr. President. Wow, Mr. President, now that I am watching we really should hire that Viking guy. He is kicking ass!
And what about the lead up to January 6th? What involvement did Meadows have? Turns out a whole lot.
He joined a January 2nd call now under investigation in which Trump pressed Georgia’s secretary of state to “find” enough votes to defeat Joe Biden. He repeatedly passed on conspiracy theories and falsehoods to top administration officials encouraging them to overturn the election. And he participated in discussions about the Jan. 6 rally that turned violent, saying the National Guard would be present to protect “pro-Trump people.” Turned out that protecting Pro-Trump people meant the National Guard just hung out in their trucks on standby while the Pro-Trump crowd beat on police, destroyed property, hunted down the vice president and other legislatures.
According to reputable sources, Meadows received text messages and emails about a strategy to encourage Republican legislators in certain states to send alternate slates of electors to Congress, which some Trump allies believed would allow vice president Mike Pence to overturn the election results. When a member of Congress described the plan to Meadows as “highly controversial,” Meadows responded, “I love it.” Sounds like he is quoting his buddy Don Jr. when he was presented with the possibility of getting dirt on Hillary by Russians at the infamous Trump Tower meeting and said “I love it.”
He also disseminated a memo from Jenna Ellis, a Trump campaign lawyer, to Marc Short, Pence’s chief of staff, arguing the vice president could set aside certain electors, according to a person familiar with the matter. And he brought in other outside lawyers to press his dubious case with Pence’s orbit that the vice president had the authority to overturn the election results.
Last December, Meadows emailed then-acting attorney general Jeffrey Rosen a long letter filled with outlandish claims — which became known as “Italygate” — about how an Italian defense contractor had somehow conspired with senior CIA officials to rig the election by switching votes from Trump to Biden. Rumor has it that he was overheard saying: I heard the Biden team got 100’s of pounds of the best Parmigiano cheese with those votes. Pisses me off!
Prior to the vote of holding Meadows in criminal contempt of congress, Cheney pivoted to The Don, suggesting by failing to stop the violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6, may have violated a federal law that prohibits obstructing an official proceeding before Congress.
In must-watch TV, the investigation could very well lead to Mr. Trump facing her questions, with criminal penalties hanging over his head if he lies.
“Any communication “And if he persists in lying then, he will be accountable under the laws of this great nation and subject to criminal penalties for every false word he speaks.”
Watching Liz Cheney interrogate The Don will be must-watch TV.
Maybe Liz Cheney saves American democracy?
The Grand Offal Party 