The 25th. In the aftermath of President Trump’s rally that spawned an invasion of the U.S. Capitol and shocked the world, Republicans and some of his own confidants are pondering how to get him out of office sooner than later.
■ The radical (hah) National Association of Manufacturers—“the largest manufacturing association in the United States”—called on Vice President Pence to “seriously consider … the 25th Amendment to preserve democracy.”
■ New York: Pence could do it simply.
■ The Lawfare blog: “The real benefit of the 25th amendment is its efficiency.”
■ Gov. Pritzker is demanding Congress impeach and remove Trump.
His last birthday wish: Do ‘one anti-tyranny thing in my honor.’ Election and campaign lawyer—and Chicago Public Square supporter—Richard Means is celebrated in a New York Times obituary on “Those We Lost” to COVID-19. Rest in peace, Rich.
Too late. Trump overnight promised “an orderly transition” Jan. 20, even as he continued to lie about the election.
The dead. Among the four people who died in the chaos: An Air Force veteran who’d fervently supported Trump in her social media accounts.
■ Photos convey some of the atrocities committed at the Capitol in the president’s name …
■ … including the replacement of a U.S. flag with a Trump flag.
■ Video shows a lone black Capitol cop chased up the stairs by Trump’s mob.
■ Poynter’s Tom Jones: “What was striking was how all networks, including even Trump-friendly Fox News, quickly condemned Trump.”
■ The San Francisco Chronicle’s Tal Kopan: “Every amazing photo and video … is brought to you by a journalist putting themselves in harm’s way.”
■ One of them, a Los Angeles Times reporter, declined her boss’ request for a first-person video: “I’m in a roomful of [lawmakers] panicked that I might inadvertently give away their location.”
‘Everything went wrong.’ A Capitol Police officer reflects on the day’s failures.
■ Congressmembers are vowing an investigation.
■ Illinois lawmakers describe how they felt during the insurrection: “Oh my God, is this how it’s going to be?”
■ Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who lost both legs in the Iraq War, sheltered in her office—awaiting help from someone who’d use a key security phrase.
■ The New Yorker: “The Senate floor became a playground for men who appeared to be childish, dangerous, and confirmed in their fear and anger by … Trump.”
■ One of them was a newly elected member of West Virginia’s House of Delegates.
■ The guy who posed at a desk in Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office says he’s ready for a violent death.
■ Mother Jones: “Years of online cosplay laid the ground for a far-right siege.”
■ Illinois’ Democratic congressional delegation is calling for the resignation of newly elected Republican Rep. Mary Miller, from southeast Illinois, for telling the Trump rally that proceeded to storm the Capitol, “Hitler was right.”
■ Statehouses across the country were also besieged yesterday, and some of them—not Illinois’—were evacuated.
■ As the chaos unfolded, WBEZ and WGN radio veteran Justin Kaufmann assembled a Chicago-based panel of journalists and commentators—including your Square proprietor—to try to figure out what the hell it all meant.
‘Of course, you can’t arrest the president … for 15 more days.’ Stephen Colbert delivered a furious and “unexpectedly live” monologue last night, condemning the president, his Republican enablers and Fox News.
■ Trump-supportive Tribune columnist John Kass: “Trump’s words failed his nation. … It’s all on him.”
■ The Sun-Times’ Neil Steinberg: “We were always heading here. The only question is whether this is the end of it, or there’s more.”
■ Twitter and Facebook finally lowered the boom on Trump’s seditious social media accounts—but just temporarily.
■ PolitiFact dissects the day’s Republican lies.
Meanwhile, in Illinois …
■ The next phase of Illinois’ COVID-19 vaccination program will lower the age requirement to 65, but that could be months from now.
■ If post-holiday pandemic surges fail to show, Illinois’ lockdown restrictions could ease up next week.
■ Illinois is among the states already paying out an extra $300 a week in federal unemployment benefits.
■ The Illinois High School Association is still hot to resume risking student athletes’ health.
■ Oak Park police are investigating a report of a brick tossed at a Black-owned business, bearing the note “No n______ on the ballot.”
His last birthday wish: Do ‘one anti-tyranny thing in my honor.’ Election and campaign lawyer—and Chicago Public Square supporter—Richard Means is celebrated in a New York Times obituary on “Those We Lost” to COVID-19. Rest in peace, Rich.
■ A Chicago-area man who competed on Alex Trebek’s last Jeopardy! before his death—a show to be broadcast Friday—says Trebek was “on top of his game.”
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