Right now, the Capitol complex is designed to be accessible to Americans. There is a lawn in the front where local parents take their children to go sledding. The trails around the building and across the green spaces are popular with runners. (2/)
Schoolchildren who come from all over the country to visit Washington step out of buses in the circle down in front of the Capitol and can walk right to the foot of the steps. (3/)
The office buildings are even more accessible, as of course the people’s right to lobby their government for redress of grievances is enshrined in the Constitution.
And groups often did. (4/)
You’ve seen footage of Capitol Police arresting peaceful protestors who occupied hearing rooms to advocate for all manner of causes; people opposing Justice Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court took over the Hart Atrium in a nonviolent protest. (5/)
(Let's point out: Every one of these people went through x-ray screening and entered the building lawfully, even if they were eventually arrested inside.) (6/)
But if the goal is for the fence to be able to keep people from accessing the Capitol, it’s possible the would have to encircle the entire Capitol campus, though of course they could choose just to encircle the U.S. Capitol itself. (7/)
But even just a fence around the Capitol itself would dramatically change the democratic character of the building, the nature of the surrounding neighborhood and, really, send a stark message to the world about American democracy. (8/)
If they leave the razor wire in place or top permanent structures with such wire, that message is all the more ominous. (END)
(POSTSCRIPT: I go to work at the Capitol. I'm really struggling, personally, with what happened Jan. 6. I want to be safe and I want the cops and lawmakers to be safe. The fact that this is a conundrum makes me heartsick. I don't know what the answer is.)
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Republican Senate leaders were blindsided Tuesday by their leader, Mitch McConnell, when the New York Times broke news he was “pleased” about the impending impeachment of President Trump, @NBCNews has learned
McConnell’s leadership team were not given a heads up ahead of the story that made clear how McConnell felt about impeaching the president, multiple aides familiar with the days events tell me, @LACaldwellDC, @JulieNBCNews & @frankthorp
McConnell is known for being shrewd strategist and tactician who keeps his members in line. It’s extraordinarily rare for him to take a public position without first consulting with his leadership team and even his entire conference
It's been a day of putting my head down, setting my feelings aside and doing my job trying to document everything we saw
But I need to take a moment to reflect on what has happed here at the U.S. Capitol, a place I've been privileged to cover on and off for over a decade (1/)
I've worked for a tiny policy newsletter, a newspaper, a magazine, a newswire, and now one of the big 3 national TV networks. I've had nice offices and tiny windowless desks. I've covered this place when Republicans ran it and when Democrats ran it. (2/)
I love my job and I love this place, even with all of its deep foibles and flaws. (3/)
.@Sen_JoeManchin tells me of the president’s comments to @realBobWoodward: “I don't know how the President can survive this, I don't know how he can.” (1/)
“To basically saying that he knew, in February, we should be taking this and using everything that we have to fight this pandemic and not take it seriously because he wanted to downplay it...” (2/)
KASIE: “When you say you don't know if he’ll survive what do you mean?”
MANCHIN: “I don't know how you can survive an election, when you’re basically asking the people to give you another four years of anything, when you’re taking an oath and pledge to protect and defend..” (3/)
Some good history lessons here from @AlexHortonTX. These Army base names are even more 🤔 when you learn that not only did these generals fight for the losers they also were in several cases really terrible generals who said awful things washingtonpost.com/national-secur…
“Fort Bragg in North Carolina, the headquarters of the Special Forces, bears the name of Gen. Braxton Bragg, a commander often assailed as one of the most bumbling commanders in the war. Bragg was relieved of command after losing the battle for Chattanooga in 1863.”
“Fort Benning in Georgia, the home of Army infantry and airborne training, is named after Brig. Gen. Henry Benning, who led troops at Antietam and Gettysburg....(1/2)
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., on Mattis letter: “Gen Mattis served his country well and honorably and he's entitled to his opinion...” (1/2)
“... I don't know that him saying this is especially helpful to the various crises that we're going through right now but if he feels the need to express himself, he can.” (2/2)