"Legitimate Political Discourse"

The US Republican Party on Friday officially and unanimously labeled the seditious and deadly January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol as "legitimate political discourse". The party also stated that the event "had nothing to do with violence".

The police officers who battled with the pro-Trump mob in hand-to-hand combat for hours and described the ordeal as "medieval" might disagree. As would the ones who suffered brain injuries, cracked ribs, smashed spinal discs, concussions, and a variety of stabbings, and the officer who had one of his eyes gouged out by this Trump supporter.

Chuck Wexler, the executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum: "You would be hard-pressed to find another day in history like this, when the police encountered this level of violence in one event." Officers who had completed two tours of duty in Iraq said the scene at the Capitol was more terrifying than war combat.

One officer lost the tip of his right index finger. Others were smashed in the head with baseball bats, flag poles and pipes. Another lost consciousness after rioters used a metal barrier to push her into stairs  . . .

About 140 officers — 73 from the Capitol Police and 65 from the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington — were injured . . . from bruises and lacerations to more serious damage such as concussions, rib fractures, burns and even a mild heart attack.

One Capitol Police officer, Brian D. Sicknick, was killed . . . Two officers involved in the response have died by suicide . . .

The number of those injured does not account for the dozens, if not hundreds, of officers who law enforcement officials estimate will suffer in years to come with post-traumatic stress disorder and the dozens who most likely contracted the coronavirus from unmasked Trump supporters . . .

At least 38 Capitol Police officers have tested positive for the coronavirus or were exposed to it . . . Nearly 200 National Guard personnel who were deployed to protect the Capitol in the weeks after the siege also tested positive . . .

The party also unanimously censured two members (Liz Cheney (Wyoming) and Adam Kinzinger (Illinois)) who "crossed a line" by refusing to support the insurrection and the flood of lies about the 2020 election. The Washington Post reported that the GQP also "made moves that would allow the party to send money and political help to Cheney's primary opponent".

Also on Friday, Mike Pence — after 394 days — finally spoke a small portion of truth:

President Trump is wrong. I had no right to overturn the election.

I'm sure the fact that two of Pence's top aides met with the House Committee investigating the January 6 insurrection and his White House records and papers being sent to the committee had something to do with his about-face on Trump's extensive plans to overthrow the government and install himself as an unelected dictator. Maybe he doesn't want to face any criminal charges if Merrick Garland wakes up on morning and decides that he is anti-sedition and feels like doing some work.

In response, Trump (not exactly a Constitutional scholar) spewed some lies:

Just saw Mike Pence's statement on the fact that he had no right to do anything with respect to the Electoral Vote Count, other than being an automatic conveyor belt for the Old Crow Mitch McConnell to get Biden elected President as quickly as possible. Well, the Vice President's position is not an automatic conveyor if obvious signs of voter fraud or irregularities exist.

Pence is still a milquetoast chickenshit, of course. He did not admit that Joe Biden won the election and he refused to address Trump's myriad election lies. The New York Times reported:

The carefully constructed wording of his rebuke shows an effort by Mr. Pence to defend his own actions on Jan. 6, while not completely alienating a Republican base that remains animated by conspiracy theories of a stolen election.

Hilariously, Pence still thinks he has a shot at the White House in 2024. The fly that took a nap on Pence's head during one of the debates has better odds of becoming president.