The Trump Con and the Jan. 6 Disgrace
At the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, June 16
Photo:
J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press
I agree with many points you raise in “The Evidence of the Jan. 6 Committee” (Review & Outlook, June 11). I disagree, however, with the way you start, emphasizing that Democrats want to “besmirch” the GOP.
No doubt the Democratic Party leadership wants to take advantage of this moment. But the GOP leadership let it happen by not responding appropriately and by demeaning the few who have done so, such as Rep.
Liz Cheney.
What happened on Jan. 6, 2021, was an attempted coup d’état. Stating that it had no chance of success doesn’t make it less of a coup. An attempt was made to prevent Congress from establishing a legitimately elected government.
I came to this country at 13 from Cuba. I deeply love this country and I appreciate the opportunity to live here. Cuba has been destroyed by people who don’t govern based on what we have in the U.S.—the Constitution and the three branches of government. President Trump did not live up to his oath, and he has severely damaged the Republican Party.
Rafael Rodriguez
Apex, N.C.
You write that “Mr. Trump bears responsibility for the mayhem.” He isn’t the only one in a senior position who bears responsibility. Ms. Cheney informed us in her opening statement that Congress had intelligence days before Jan. 6, 2021, that there might be violence. Yet Democratic Party leadership didn’t take measures to prepare Capitol security for violence.
Helene and
Martin Krauss
Rye Brook, N.Y.
You write, “Many Congressional Republicans dishonored themselves by voting to object to electors, even after the riot. But most of the GOP refused to go along.” Of the 262 Republicans in Congress on Jan. 6, 2021, 147 of them voted against certifying legitimate electoral votes. That’s 56%.
David Coghlan Jr.
San Francisco
I agree that Mr. Trump isn’t guilty of criminal conspiracy. We will never know whether he was too unaware to realize that his rhetoric could lead to violence or if he was seeking revenge of some sort. Maybe he wanted a little mayhem on Jan. 6 and the boys got carried away. We do know that he didn’t do anything to stop them.
We still seem to be underestimating how much of America Mr. Trump is willing to destroy to exact his revenge. Your ending sentence, “Mr. Trump betrayed his supporters by conning them on Jan. 6, and he is still doing it,” is spot on. I wish it had been the headline.
Mike Wright
Marietta, Ga.
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