Yep, Trump incited riot

By JOHN KANELIS / johnkanelis_92@hotmail.com

This lawsuit isn’t likely to go anywhere, but it still needs to be pursued and discussed openly.

Several members of Congress have sued Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani for inciting the Jan. 6 riot that sought to subvert the nation’s democratic process.

The latest congressional representative to join the suit is Rep. Veronica Escobar, an El Paso Democrat, who said in a statement reported by the Texas Tribune: InĀ Escobarā€™s statement, she recounts receiving text messages from her family asking if she was safe and noticing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other people being escorted away by law enforcement officers. She recalls hearing shouts, banging from the outside, being instructed by police to wear a gas mask and how ā€œher heart began racingā€ as the riot unfolded.

It’s not clear to me what the plaintiffs hope to reap from a lawsuit against the ex-president and his personal lawyer.

Veronica Escobar joins suit accusing Trump of inciting Capitol riot | The Texas Tribune

But you know what? This discussion ought to move forward.

ā€œPresident Trump did not incite or conspire to incite any violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6,ā€ according to Jason Miller, a key Trump aide.

Miller needs a serious reality check. For that matter, so does his boss, Trump … although no amount of reality ever is going to persuade the former Insurrectionist in Chief of his wrongdoing.

The entire world saw what developed on Jan. 6. Trump kept hurling the Big Lie about the 2020 election, that it was “stolen” by those who perpetrated a phony “widespread vote fraud.” The crowd stormed Capitol Hill, broke into the Capitol Building, threatened to “hang Mike Pence!” and defecated on the floor of the seat of our democracy.

For as long as this chilling episode remains relevant, I welcome the members of Congress who have the courage to take their grievances against Donald Trump and his lawyer to court.