In hindsight, that rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol should be no surprise.
In early December, President Donald Trump began rallying his supporters to mark their calendars. “Big protest in D.C. on Jan. 6th. Be there, will be wild!,” he tweeted.
Across social media platforms, the messages portending a “day of reckoning” grew in number and urgency up until the very moment the crowds surged into the building, breaking windows, assaulting security forces, and pillaging democracy in its most concrete form.
Initially, a lot of us characterized the vandalism as a mob gone amok.
News reports now tell us the violence was not spontaneous. Many of the perpetrators were well-equipped to cause great harm. Many wore bullet-proof vests, carried firearms and explosives, and were prepared to take hostages.
Five have now died from the rampage, including four of Mr. Trump’s supporters as well as one Capitol police officer. Dozens of officers were injured, some severely.
Videos of the rioters assaulting police officers are chilling. Officer Brian Sicknick was killed when a rioter smashed his head with a fire extinguisher.
NONE OF THIS would have happened had Trump accepted that he lost his bid for re-election, once the results were finalized on Nov. 7.
Unable to accept that reality, Trump has ever since worked to incite an insurrection attacking the very institution that guarantees we have free and safe elections.
Inside the Capitol were Vice President Mike Pence and the full Congress.
Outside, one of the chants that afternoon was “Hang Mike Pence,” for his unwillingness to participate in the insurrection. Also on the Capitol grounds was a mock gallows with a noose swinging in the cold breeze.
To think of the full extent of the danger they were in is truly terrifying.
As such, House Democrats are in the process of filing charges of impeachment against the president.
Too far? By no means.
The best option?
It would be better were the president to resign, enabling the country to move more quickly past this sordid affair.
TRUMP HAS LEFT lawmakers no option.
A president who tries to skew election results and interfere with democracy, must be held accountable.
