Thread by @Rita_Katz

Today’s #Jan6thHearings focus on the consensus across the far right after Trump's “will be wild” tweet: he wanted them in war mode.

Examples thus far just the tip of the iceberg. @SITE_FRFL reported extensively on this mobilization leading to that day. ent.siteintelgroup.com/inSITE-on-Far-…

Leaders of the Proud Boys and Oath keepers "collaborated" with Trump allies like Rodger Stone and Former General Michael Flynn.

Stone "regularly" had contact with these extremists via a chat group called "Friends of Stone" in months ahead of January 6.

Unsent draft of a Trump tweet contained an announcement there would be a march to the Capitol after his speech on J6. Messages among organizers ahead of that day hinted that he would announce the march at the end of his speech.

Per White house call logs, Trump had two calls with Steve Bannon on January 5. Bannon said on his show afterward: "All hell is going to break loose tomorrow...all I can say is strap in."

Drafts of Trump's speech "devolved" into dangerous call for action. That morning, Trump called Pence "a wimp and other derogatory words" on phone. After, Trump re-inserted removed lines about him & ad-libbed: "If you don't fight like hell, you're not gonna have a country anymore"

Ex-Oath Keepers spokesperson Jason Van Tatenhove: Oath Keepers "may not like to call themselves a militia, but they are...a very dangerous organization."

Describes how he finally left after hearing some of its members talk about "how the Holocaust was not real."

Stephen Ayres, who was among those to storm the Capitol, details role Internet played in radicalizing him.

"Hardcore into the social media...I felt like I needed to be down here." Believed election was stolen based on "everything I was seeing online."

Since changed his mind.

Ayres says he was among Trump supporters who didn't initially plan on storming Capitol, but did after speech. Says everyone thought Trump "was going to be there with us."

Left after Trump tweeted to leave, showing once more how much sway Trump had.

Regarding to references to Oath Keepers leader calling for Trump to use Insurrection Act, Rhodes wrote in an open letter to Trump in Dec 2020: “You must act NOW as a wartime President...Do NOT concede, and do NOT wait until January 20, 2021. Strike now.”
ent.siteintelgroup.com/Far-Right-/-Fa…

Raskin points out Ayres was "not a member" of the extremist groups there, but Ayres describes how groups like Oath Keepers bled into larger MAGA population.

"I thought, 'Hey they're on our team, good'...I thought it was a good thing."

Wow. Cheney gives warning about witness tampering, claiming Trump "tried to call a witness...That person declined to answer or respond...and instead alerted their lawyer."

Cheney says witness Trump tried to contact is one who has not yet been heard in the hearings yet.

"Their lawyer alerted us, and this committee has supplied that information to the Department of Justice...we will take any effort to influence witness testimony very seriously."