'Absolute liars': Ex-D.C. Guard official says generals lied to Congress about Jan. 6

[demmiblue]

Source: Politico

In a 36-page memo to the Capitol riot committee, Col. Earl Matthews also slams the Pentagon's inspector general for what he calls an error-ridden report.

A former D.C. National Guard official is accusing two senior Army leaders of lying to Congress and participating in a secret attempt to rewrite the history of the military's response to the Capitol riot.

In a 36-page memo, Col. Earl Matthews, who held high-level National Security Council and Pentagon roles during the Trump administration, slams the Pentagon's inspector general for what he calls an error-riddled report that protects a top Army official who argued against sending the National Guard to the Capitol on Jan. 6, delaying the insurrection response for hours.

Matthews' memo, sent to the Jan. 6 select committee this month and obtained by POLITICO, includes detailed recollections of the insurrection response as it calls two Army generals — Gen. Charles Flynn, who served as deputy chief of staff for operations on Jan. 6, and Lt. Gen. Walter Piatt, the director of Army staff — “absolute and unmitigated liars” for their characterization of the events of that day. Matthews has never publicly discussed the chaos of the Capitol siege.

On Jan. 6, Matthews was serving as the top attorney to Maj. Gen. William Walker, then commanding general of the D.C. National Guard. Matthews’ memo defends the Capitol attack response by Walker, who now serves as the House sergeant at arms, amplifying Walker's previous congressional testimony about the hourslong delay in the military’s order for the D.C. National Guard to deploy to the riot scene.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/12/06/jan-6-generals-lied-ex-dc-guard-official-523777

[empedocles]

1. Call them out. Loud and clear.

[gab13by13]

5. Demand their resignations.

We have generals who are a part of the coup on our democracy. They need to go.

[Marcuse]

15. Resignation denied. Court martial. Leavenworth.

[monkeyman1]

50. relieved of command pending investigation !

[dchill]

53. Nothing less will do. Nothing!

[Ford_Prefect]

17. The heck with firing them. Charge them with treason which is what they did.

Arrest them and hold them in the brig. They were serving officers with specific duties. They violated their oaths and the constitution along with the UCMJ.

They clearly understood their responsibilities and obligations and chose to enable the coup. They did this while in uniform and serving in their command capacity. They deserve the full weight of military justice to fall upon them.

[Claire Oh Nette]

66. this a thousand times over

It was treason.

Leavenworth.

[Bluethroughu]

75. This is what our Country needs.

The lawless Treason of all, no matter who or what capacity they serve in our Government need to held responsible for the failed coup.

[Tomconroy]

2. I saw that story. It was pretty interesting.

[gab13by13]

8. I see the story as extremely dangerous,

allowing generals to stay in the military who appear to be a part of an ongoing insurrection against our democracy. Our CIC needs to demand their resignations. They lied to Congress, a felony.

[benfranklin1776]

24. Yes absolutely.

And it seems clear now Charles Flynn was attempting to fulfill his felonious sibling’s openly expressed plan of having the military stage a coup 🤬

[cilla4progress]

47. Why is this only obvious to us?

I mean - these people are the gang that couldn't shoot straight - yet they are getting away with it in the good ol' USA!

[benfranklin1776]

61. It shouldn't be just us, but you're right, as of now only concerned individuals..

…newspapers, political and legal commentators and former federal prosecutors like the esteemed Glenn Kirschner are demanding legal accountability for this avalanche of crimes against democracy. I understand President Biden wants to depoliticize DOJ, but others need to step up in Congress and elsewhere and demand a special prosecutor be appointed with full powers to vigorously investigate and seek indictments of all of these individuals. The survival of our democracy depends on nothing less than the full commitment of every legal resource at our disposal. The threat these traitors pose to our democracy and country is every bit as existential as the Confederacy, the Axis Powers and terrorism. Our country saved itself from those threats only through a massive effort, and the present situation demands an equal response. The oath those who serve in government take is to defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and DOMESTIC. It’s no accident the last category is there as past history and recent events have established both types of
enemies are equally lethal to the Constitution, and, ultimately, to We The People.

[cilla4progress]

62. How do we mobilize

Biden, the exec branch to go after these people and DEMAND accountability???

[benfranklin1776]

65. As our forebears did by joining together with likeminded people who are rightfully alarmed

and mounting a sustained campaign, (thinking here of committees of correspondence in the pre revolutionary era and successful organized labor and civil rights mobilization in the 20th century) which includes constant contact with elected officials both via traditional means letters, emails, social media etc, but also in person entreaties at town halls and other public events where we demand this type of action and a commitment from them to secure it. And a sustained media effort in the form of letters to the editor, Op Ed pieces, sustained contact with local and national media figures, social media, the full panoply of tools the First amendment gives us. But the key is concerted action by working with the many people who are as alarmed as we are. And collectively there must be CONSTANT pressure, as it’s too easy for this vital issue to get swept away by the events of the day which is what the seditionists would prefer and are counting on.

[Grasswire2]

58. I'm afraid it's part of Putin's larger plan.

Destroy the Army leadership from within.

Tell me I'm nuts. It would be easier to take.

[Dan]

70. Why destroy the Army leadership, just provide bride money to our GOP Congress critters.

They have shown they are for sell.

[bucolic_frolic]

3. Is there data - call logs, texts, emails - or did they fudge those too?

Obfuscation is the greatest denial.

[gab13by13]

13. There's a 36 page memo sent to the select committee,

I'm sure it has data in it.

[Sherman A1]

4. Flynn?

Where have I heard that name before?

[malaise]

7. He was part of the coup

That is all - truth will out

[gab13by13]

9. Yes, you get it.

Those 2 generals need to go. We don't have to wait, there is evidence they lied to Congress.

[eppur_se_muova]

12. Maybe here ?

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/21/politics/michael-flynn-brother-capitol-hill-riot/index.html

[gab13by13]

16. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,

Congress promoted Flynn to a 4 star general. WTF? I can't take this.

[empedocles]

26. I remember that favorite phrase from the old folks.

[gab13by13]

30. 74 isn't old

[empedocles]

56. Apologies. You're right

[KS Toronado]

36. I suspect you know where you heard that name before

[Sherman A1]

39. Indeed I do

Something about that name. I worked with a couple of guys through the years with the last name of Flynn (they were brothers) and both where horse's behinds.

[KS Toronado]

54. Only Flynn I respect is Errol Flynn

[erronis]

72. Good friend worked under Mike Flynn (horse's patootie) at DIA. Echoes your sentiments.

[AverageOldGuy]

6. Given the choice . . .

. . . between two active duty lieutenant generals with three stars each, and a DC National Guard colonel -- I'm going with the colonel (because I am a retired XXXXX and I know the difference).

[gab13by13]

10. So, you are saying that the higher the job classification

the more likely the person is truthful. With that theory then president Trump should have been believed above everyone else. Using your logic, the 2020 election was stolen because Trump said so. If I am reading you wrong I apologize.

[eppur_se_muova]

14. I think you interpreted that backwards.

The higher the rank, the greater the motivation to CYA.

[gab13by13]

18. It all depends what OldGuy was talking about

If he was talking about CYA then I apologize to him. His post wasn't that clear.

[rgbecker]

28. OldGuy says he is going with the Colonel.

Pretty clear. Just saying.

[Escurumbele]

23. trump is not military trained, the person who becomes president inherits by default the

commander-in-chief title, but that doesn't mean they know anything about how the military functions. Anyway, when has trump not covered his butt? He blames everyone for his crimes.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

11. Missing the point...fascist Trumpers lying to cover their asses, one brother of fascist QFlynn.

[3auld6phart]

19. Smedly Butler

Where are you? You and your kind are needed now.

[Baitball Blogger]

20. Wow. This says it all:

"It adds that the previous summer, when civil unrest unfolded in the wake of the police murder of George Floyd, the D.C. Guard was deployed numerous times to protect federal buildings. Its belated mobilization on Jan. 6, Matthews continues, was a jarring break from the norm. "

[Bernardo de La Paz]

38. tRump fired DefSec Espers Nov 9 2020 when became clear violence was only way to overturn election

Espers had defied tRump and refused to order military to patrol streets against "Antifa and BLM" in summer 2020.

[dchill]

55. "...a jarring break from the norm."

The Trump motto?

[Escurumbele]

21. "Charles Flynn, a three-star general who has already been approved by Congress for a fourth star."

Congress needs to reevaluate that approval...Charles Flynn...what a coincidence, right?

This is very dangerous because when the military joins a totalitarian party, you know that a totalitarian regime will be imposed with the aid of the military. The military by nature are totalitarian, dictators-wanna-be are good are recruiting and corrupting those in the military they know are corruptible, there are more than we know or want to accept.

This is very dangerous if Flynn and the other guy are not investigated and thrown out of the military, what they did is treason.

[gab13by13]

31. Jack Reed is chair of the armed services committee,

his GQP counterpart is nutzo Jim Inhofe. Please don't tell me the Senate confirmed Flynn unanimously.

[Frustratedlady]

68. Who was the guy Trump appointed to the Pentagon right before the insurrection?

I remember at the time wondering why he would do so at the end of his term, then Jan. 6 happened.

[Farmer-Rick]

22. It always amazes me how easily people are corrupted to do the bidding of a psychopath

They are so willing to destroy our democracy because a really fat, stinky, cruel, cowardly, ugly, man has conned his way into politics.

I just don't get the appeal of that disgusting psychopath. And to destroy and betray your country for him. I just don't get it

[Escurumbele]

27. They are psychopaths themselves waiting for the opportunity to come out of the fascist closet

The Flynn brothers must be psychopaths since childhood, upbringing is what shapes kids into good or bad adults, of course there are exceptions, but few.

[gab13by13]

25. This should be a lead story in the MSM

but it won't be.

[Hekate]

29. KnR

[Faux pas]

32. Kickin'

Good for him!

[cstanleytech]

33. I wonder if it was a case of the brass hedging their bets so if the insurrection succeeded they

would hopefully keep their jobs?

[gab13by13]

34. The IG also needs called before the select committee.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

37. Good call. . . . nt

[gab13by13]

40. I wonder if it will be easier for the select committee

to subpoena members of the military? Are they obligated to honor the subpoenas? Can Flynn's boss, bosses, order him to appear?

If it is proven that Flynn lied to Congress will the military go after Flynn? No stalling around in the courts that way.

[bluestarone]

35. THIS deserves a MILLION kicks!!

Get these two out NOW!! When did congress approve this ASSHOLES 4th star?

[calimary]

45. And another kick!

[niyad]

41. Enraged and sickened KNR.

[BlueJac]

42. I think the Flynn brothers are traitors.

We must act now before we completely lose our country. Time to act bold and not take this shit anymore! Root these assholes out now!

[llashram]

43. no surprise here

the revelation is damning and brings into view the incompetence of Flynn and Piatt. Not to mention their loyalty to the current American system of governing. And this fact is true that the military was disrespected and derided by the former POTUS every chance he had. Remember Normandy? He didn't want to be out in the rain. So it seems clear to me where the "liars" loyalty lay on Jan 6 21.

And it's clear they got promotions also. Incompetence rewarded. Saw it during my time in the service. Now they can possibly continue to spread treasonous lies even further up the COC.

TFG sure must have had a way to frighten those cowardly cretins in his administration and the supposedly neutral military. 1/6/21 has shown me how many fascists are in governing positions both nationally and locally and the danger of such.

[Thomas Hurt]

44. hmmm, why did the IG ignore this guy's concerns? Did they interview him?

36 pages of, one would hope, substantive info and none of it ended up in the IG report? The IG needs to answer some questions I think.

[NCjack]

46. June 04, 2021, Pentagon transferred Gen. Charles Flynn to head U.S. Army Pacific.

They got his butt out of WDC (the scene of the insurrection).

[cilla4progress]

48. So much breaking...

Atlantic article I posted elsewhere here - as have others.

CNN's special on white supremacy / Chartlottesville last night.

Ayman Mohyeldin podcast American Radical about Rosanne Boyland who died at the capitol on 1/6.

Let's hope some of this stuff starts opening eyes. ...

[Javaman]

49. they should be removed from service

without pensions and no benefits.

what they did was a clear dereliction of duty.

[RicROC]

51. The Commander-in_Chief should be proactive to put these two in the brig...

or at least, relieve them of their commands. And then, let JAG determine if those charges are justified.

In this case, the DOJ should not be the first to determine the culpability of their treason

[dchill]

52. This should be the top headline for a while!

[Grasswire2]

57. Holy moly. I just read this on twitter.

Lots to absorb there!

Is there someone we trust to tell us the truth about this matter?

My first fear is that it's a Putin plot to throw the Army into disarray.

Set that aside, and it's still a real mess.

Michael Flynn should be re-called to active duty, and court martialed in order to get at the truth.

[turbinetree]

59. Okay bring them back in....in fact bring them before the Jan 6th committee.....

phone records should tell everyone what was happening in real time, bring in there cell phones....and yes I am re-determining guilt on Flynn....blood is thicker than loyalty to the country....

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

60. Charles Flynn, another Putin patsy like his brother

[johnthewoodworker]

63. Lying Republicans and Nazis. What a shock.

[Kaleva]

64. Gen Flynn was promoted to command of US Army Pacific back in June

it's going to be highly unlikely that he will be arrested, discharged or releaved of command.

[DallasNE]

76. It Sure Is

Hopefully he is only a year or so away from normal retirement age. But it is the kind of integrity that we must have. Those two generals and the IG are as corrupt as they come and that is the legacy of Trump. Everything has corrupt intentions. Everything.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

69. This after watching 60 Minutes feature on Reality Winner, I feel nauseous.

And they are connected. Winner did what she could to protect us from Russian election interference, but was labeled acting like a terrorist.

Our home is decked out for Christmas in order for us to "be" merry knowing America is now rotten to the core.

[bluestarone]

71. Just gotta KICK this again

THIS really pisses me off! Why can't these assholes be removed?

[jmowreader]

73. All I can say is...

Trump is damn glad I wasn’t in charge of the DC National Guard on that day…because I would have deployed troops.

[Captain Zero]

74. Charles Flynn needs to be on Latrine Duty

Instead he was sent far into the Pacific region to command something. He needs to be Court Martialed really.