NEW: RVAT FOUNDERS ANNOUNCE $50 MILLION REPUBLICAN ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT
Today, Defending Democracy Together, home of Republicans for the Rule of Law and Republican Voters Against Trump, announced it would raise and spend $50 million...
2. ...$50 million to defend Republicans who act to hold President Trump accountable for inciting an attack on the U.S. Capitol, and to deploy against those who continue to lie to voters about widespread election fraud.
3. Our Republican Accountability Project will do three things:
--Work to hold Republican members of Congress who have enabled or capitulated to Trump by objecting to certifying a free and fair election accountable--including by helping credible primary challengers against them.
4. --Ensure that ample resources are available for those principled Republicans who do the right thing and hold Trump accountable for inciting an attack on the U.S. Capitol to defend against primary challengers.
5. --And, in primaries for open or redistricted seats, we will back new candidates who would be principled Republicans if elected to office.
6. From me, as Chair of Defending Democracy Together:
“We say to any Republican who votes to impeach or remove Donald Trump: You will not be left alone. We will help you against primary challenges.
7. "And before the challenges emerge, we will help explain your vote to your constituents. So do the right thing. We will have your back.”
8. Joining Sarah Longwell and me in leading this project will be Elizabeth Neumann, Former Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism and Threat Prevention at DHS under President Trump, and Olivia Troye, Former Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Advisor to VP Mike Pence.
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A friend writes (but asks that he not be credited by name, as he's concerned about his family's security!):
"If you have ever been to Prague, you may have gone to the City Hall, and seen, but not stared, at its walls.
2. "During the 1968 demonstrations, Russian soldiers fired bullets into the crowds, and some of those bullets scarred the walls of the City Hall.
After 'order' had been restored, the local Moscow-serving authorities decided to repair the damage the Russian bullets had caused...
3. "...and recruited the finest masons in Prague to undertake the repairs.
But--unbeknown to the authorities, the master masons deliberately mixed mortar that would crumble, disintegrate, and fall after awhile...and make it even more difficult to repair afterwards.
Two thoughts that slightly cut against each other:
1. On the one hand, this isn't the time to re-litigate everyone's behavior over the past few years. Everyone now willing to step up in defense of democracy and the Constitution should be welcomed. Better late than never.
2. On the other hand, this isn't the time to "turn the page" or "move on." We shouldn't duck responsibility for holding people accountable for what they've done in recent days and weeks--and for what might happen over the next two weeks.
3. We can begin to "turn the page" and "move on" after January 20th. Now, the 25th amendment or impeachment and conviction need to be on the table. McConnell can remove Cruz and Hawley from committees. There should be pressure on Kevin McCarthy to step down as minority leader.
In light of tomorrow's congressional session to record the electoral votes, and for conservatives and Republicans who claim to look for guidance to the Founders, a short thread from Federalist #68.
2. "It was desirable that the sense of the people should operate in the choice of the person to whom so important a trust was to be confided. This end will be answered by committing the right of making it, not to any pre-established body...
3. "...but to men chosen by the people for the special purpose, and at the particular conjuncture...It was also peculiarly desirable to afford as little opportunity as possible to tumult and disorder...But the precautions which have been so happily concerted...
1. A brief thread on why we should not panic but should worry, even be a bit...alarmed.
I've been speaking with former Trump Administration officials and with other former senior national security types who remain plugged in to the Pentagon.
2. They think we'll most likely "be ok;" but they are worried about what one called the three I's:
Iran.
The Insurrection Act.
and (White House and civilian DOD leadership) Insanity.
3. Iran.
January 3 is the anniversary of Suleimani's killing, followed shortly by the end of the 40-day mourning period for Fakhrizadeh. So there is the prospect of Iranian retaliation, to which a U.S. response (or conceivably preemptive action) would certainly be legitimate.
1. A possible additional data point: Derek Lyons is Trump's staff secretary. After working on the Jeb! campaign (!), he joined the Trump White House on day one, working for Rob Porter. Lyons succeeded Porter as staff secretary in Feb. 2018, became part of Trump's inner circle...
2. ...and was going to become domestic policy chief in May of this year, but was stopped by a revolt by America First purists. He got the consolation prize of adding Counselor to the President to his staff secretary job, joining Hope Hicks and Kellyanne Conway who had that title.
3. He's traveled a lot with Trump, and has been in the inner circle (for example, he was at last Friday's meeting in the Oval Office). But at the beginning of last week, he announced he was leaving before the end of the year--surprising for someone who seemed such a loyalist.