Washington Post's Dana Milbank: Trump committed Treason

[mvd]

Last edited Fri Jan 8, 2021, 09:13 AM - Edit history (1)

“President Trump broke any number of laws and norms during his ruinous four-year reign. He just added one more on the way out: treason.

He lost the House in 2018. He lost the presidency in November. He lost the Senate on Tuesday. And on Wednesday, with nothing left to lose, he rallied a violent mob to attack the U.S. Capitol in hopes of pressuring lawmakers to toss out the election results, ignore the will of the people, and install him as president for another term.

Trump fomented a deadly insurrection against the U.S. Congress to prevent a duly-elected president from taking office. Treason is not a word to be used lightly, but that is its textbook definition.”

More here:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/01/06/president-trump-has-committed-treason/

And if Trump was involved in the planning of things, then things are even worse. People also died. It sure sounds like the work of Trump: chaotic and disorganized but mob-like. And I am against the death penalty, but under the Constitution he could receive it. I suspect a lot comes out. I think Merrick Garland could be busy quickly.

[soothsayer]

1. Hey he brought back the firing squad just in time

[flibbitygiblets]

2. OMG I'd almost forgotten that little nugget

Oh the sweet sweet schadenfreude of it all...

[malaise]

3. Oh My!

Premonition? Death wish?

I don't care do you!

[dhol82]

7. Brilliant!

Just adds to the adage that everything trump touches, dies.

[NEOBuckeye]

9. Electric Chair, No Water in the Sponge

Green Mile style. Fry his fucking ass and make him suffer dearly for what he has done.

[leftyladyfrommo]

12. I would be happy if they just lock him up in Leavenworth

so we don't ever have to see or hear about him again.

[ronatchig]

13. One of the super max prisons is where

He belongs

[leftyladyfrommo]

14. Leavenworth is old and awful and full of the worst

of the worst. And no one ever escapes.

[smb]

27. You Don't Need Leavenworth Security To Stop Him From Escaping...

...just put ramps on all approaches to the prison and the guards would easily catch up to his slowly shambling ass.

[niyad]

16. Superman in Florence would be convenient.

[American Welshman]

17. Naw, I want a Firing Squad

Live on national television, thus granting the last request of a dying man: Everybody will be watching him!

[pandr32]

26. That comes around full circle firing squad

[Hermit-The-Prog]

4. Article III, Section 3 ...

Article III, Section 3

Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.

The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture except during the life of the person attainted.

[safeinOhio]

6. So, treason can not be

pardoned, or prepardoned?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

5. Re planning: firing Esper, BLOCKING NG, standing down Capitol Police, fortifying WH fence,

Make that acting SecDef sweat. But he's a special ops ex-military and might not turn against tRump. Make him really really sweat and then give him prison time.

It was criminal to block the DC National Guard the way they did.

tRump set it up a day or two before the rally so that certain actions required explicit signoff by the SecDef. Despite all the social media, and the warnings, and the pleadings. They knew what was going to happen and they aided and abetted it.

This wasn't LiHoP or MiHoP. It was MNHoP: Make Nothing Happen, on Purpose.

Slow down and block anything happening to prevent it. Then swoop in and act like cavalry coming to the rescue and invoke the Insurrection Act and force a six state revote with severe suppression. I think that was the plan.

[dhol82]

8. Agree. Also having collaborators in the unruly mob was a plus

Read somewhere that there were cops and military in civvies flashing their ID’s to the police.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

25. Using IDs like that is Abuse of Public Trust (abuse of office/power) in commission of a crime

It means that there are law breakers in the police forces.

I trust that is not a surprise to DU members.

[grantcart]

10. Dan Milbank not the WP

It is quite clearly the text book definition of sedition not treason which the constitution clearly states involves assisting a foreign power during war.

[rateyes]

11. Not just a foreign power. It consists of levying war

against the USA, which is what happened.

[grantcart]

18. Not even close

Levying war in the constitution is spelled out in very specific language as passing a declaration of war by Congress against a foreign power.

This is treason to the same extent arson is assault or fraud. The words "treason" and "sedition" have very specific definitions and cannot, correctly, be used interchangeably. Most people who have not bothered to read the Constitution think that if you are a traitor or do traitorous acts that it is treason. That is not the case. Sometimes a traitor conducts treasonous acts, sometimes sedition. That the author goes on to use the phrase "textbook definition" is the textbook definition of misuse of language.

I grimaced when I saw that the WP had made such a basic error in word choice only to be relieved that your headline "WP . . " is as equally inaccurate as the choice of "treason". A guest opinion column does not reflect the opinion of the editorial board and your use of it is highly misleading, but we are mad as hell so the correct use of words shouldn't matter because, you know we are really really mad.

[Kid Berwyn]

20. The chief executive ordered his followers to attack the legislature...

...in order to remain in power.

It doesn’t get more treasonous than that.

[triron]

31. We always have our naysayers. Never fails.

[Kid Berwyn]

34. Just found Prof. Laurence Tribe's thoughts...

Link to tweet

[Pobeka]

29. If it is found this had Russian roots as well, what then?

Would it be textbook treason?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

32. Thanks. One nit to pick: Dana Milbark is an employee of the Washington Post.

He is not a guest columnist. He is a regular opinion columnist.

https://twitter.com/Milbank

Dana Milbank
@Milbank
Syndicated columnist with
@washingtonpost
and purveyor of fake news. Husband of
@anna_greenberg
. Father of one. Stepdad of two. Master of none.
Washington, D.C. washingtonpost.com/milbank Joined January 2009

[thesquanderer]

21. Dana, not Dan. But yes, OP is wrong, it's not the WP saying this. n/t

[myohmy2]

15. I just hope...

...Congress fully realizes the gravity of the moment and removes this man immediately from office and our future...

...now is the time for all of Congress to stand up and stand tall for the Republic...

...I don't care what GOOD any of them has done in their lives, this will be their defining moment that will go down in history...

...posterity is watching...

[llmart]

19. "Congress fully realizes the gravity of the moment"

Not all in Congress realize the gravity. Many of them are complicit. The lists are now published as to who in the House and Senate voted to block Joe Biden's election win.

[reACTIONary]

22. Just one nit...

... that's not the WaPo editorial board, as implied by the OP tittle, its Diana Millbank, a regular opinion columnist.

Otherwise, spot on.

[mvd]

24. I have no problem editing

That does make my thread more precise.

[dlk]

23. Yes, it's treason and the Republicans have aided and abetted Trump

Whether or not they take responsibility, the fact remains-they have blood on their hands and must be held accountable. Our democracy is hanging on by a thread.

[Joinfortmill]

28. Character matters in a President.

Let's not forget that again.

[onetexan]

30. i would add conspiracy and murder to those charges

[DemoTex]

33. Speaking of firing squads (and Christmas) ..

Nicolae Ceaușescu, Romanian Communist dictator, and wife Elena, were tried and executed by firing squad on Christmas Day, 1989, at a military base outside Bucharest.


Dictators LOVE balconies!

[PatrickforO]

35. Finally. People need to use this word. Treason.

Because that is what it is, and what Trump has committed.

[mvd]

36. Yes

About time!

[wiggs]

37. especially if there is any foreign discussion or involvement. I want to know how Prince is

involved with this