RIOT: Questioning who led it

The trauma of Jan. 6 no one doubted or excused. The latest impeachment effort began with the unsubstantiated assumption that riot provocateurs were indeed Trump supporters. The House Managers in the Senate proceedings focused on the emotions and how terrible it was — true, but the question is unanswered.

President Trump knew Representatives and Senators were planning to object to the electors of certain states. Are we expected to believe that Trump wanted Trump supporters to disrupt these objections by supportive legislators? Americans are not that dense, are we? Thoughtless repeating that the provocateurs were Trump supporters is still unsubstantiated by Democrats and Republicans alike.

It takes more than MAGA hats, American flags, Trump-sounding cult-like names to make supporters. Were the provocateurs framing Donald Trump? (What was a video clip of someone holding a Confederate flag about? Trump repeatedly denounced White supremacy — and any other supremacy for that matter. When he was asked if he would denounce a group called Proud Boys, he asked, “Who’s that?” And he’s supposed to be giving them orders?)

J. Michael Waller is a specialist in propaganda, political warfare, psychological warfare and subversion who teaches at a U.S. military base Special Warfare Center and School. His expertise should be seriously considered. He recorded his observations Jan. 14, 2021 (https://thefederalist.com/2021/01/14/i-saw-provocateurs-at-the-capitol-riot-on-jan-6/). His is expertise against which to fact-check other records of witnesses.

J. STEVEN FARGO

Coeur d’Alene