championed by the President) of doing anything necessary to stop the Joint Session of Congress from finalizing the election results. Many who arrived brought weapons, plans of the Capitol building, and even tactical gear, including ropes, military helmets, ladders, and zip tie restraints.[1]
This mobilization was not hidden away in the dead of night. It was widely discussed on websites—such as TheDonald.win—that, as confirmed by a former White House staff member, were “closely monitored” by President Trump’s social media operation.[2] These sites hosted hundreds of posts about plans for the attack on the Capitol, with detailed discussions of weaponry and directions to “find the tunnels” and “arrest the worst traitors.”[3] At TheDonald.win, one poster stated: “If Congress illegally certifies Biden, … Trump would have absolutely no choice but to demand us to storm Congress and kill/beat them up for it.”[4] Another poster wrote: “[Trump] can order the NAT guard to stand down if needed. unfortunately he has no control over the Capitol Police... but there are only around 2k of them and a lot are useless fat asses or girls.”[5] In their posts, extremists made it clear that they were prepared to fight at President Trump’s direction.
These calls for violence at the Capitol were widely covered. On January 2, for example, Fox News reported on a social media declaration by Proud Boys Leader Enrique Tarrio that the Proud Boys would come to the January 6 rally prepared for violence.[6] Another Proud Boys organizer said,
- ↑ See, e.g., Evan Hill et al., They Got a Officer!’: How a Mob Dragged and Beat Police at the Capitol, N.Y. Times (Jan. 11, 2021); Peter Hermann, ‘We Got to Hold This Door’, Wash. Post (Jan. 14, 2021); Rich Schapiro, Stun Guns, ‘Stinger Whips’ and a Crossbow: What Police Found on the Capitol Protesters, NBC News (Jan. 13, 2021).
- ↑ Andrew Feinberg, White House Insiders Say Trump Knew What Was About To Happen At The Capitol— Because of His Social Media Guru Dan Scavino, Independent (Jan. 12, 2021).
- ↑ Adam Rawnsley and Justin Rohrlich, ‘Ready to Die’: Two Months of MAGA Mob Warning Signs, The Daily Beast (Jan. 7, 2021).
- ↑ Greg Miller et al., A Mob Insurrection Stoked by False Claims Of Election Fraud And Promises Of Violent Restoration, Wash. Post (Jan. 9, 2021)
- ↑ House Judiciary Committee Majority Staff Report: Materials in Support of H. Res. 24, Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for High Crimes and Misdemeanors, 117th Cong, at 20 (Jan. 12, 2021).
- ↑ Caitlin McFall, Proud Boys Flock to Washington ‘Incognito’ for Jan. 6 Protests, Fox News (Jan. 2, 2021).
