The Naked Truth/Jamala Rogers
Will Congressional Hearings Bring Consequences?
Congress has begun its hearings on the January 6 insurrection. The series is supposed to share with the public the panel’s findings from its months-long investigation. I’m not that optimistic that a lot of new facts will emerge. I’m even less confident that the domestic terrorists involved in the attack on the U.S. Capitol will get the full consequences that match the crime.
Rabid followers of trump were pumped up by the former president to believe that he had won the presidential election of 2020 against Joseph Biden. No evidence was ever produced to support the allegation that the election was stolen. Numerous court challenges were lost in the aftermath of the election and failed coup.
The charges against the several thousands who stormed the Capitol faced or should have faced were many. They include seditious conspiracy, entering restricted areas, unlawful entry onto Capitol grounds, entering restricted areas with a deadly or dangerous weapon, obstruction of an official proceeding, tampering with documents or proceedings, engaging in physical violence in a restricted area, possession of unregistered firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, assault of officers, theft of government property, destruction of federal property, impeding passage through Capitol grounds, disorderly conduct, to name a few.
The details on the loss of lives on that fateful day have not always been clearly reported by the media. Five officers’ deaths are linked to the insurrection, three of them suicides. Democratic lawmakers are pushing for the suicides to be designated as line-of-duty deaths so that survivors receive benefits. Over 150 officers from the Capitol Police, the Metro Police Department (MPD) and other local agencies were injured and hundreds more were traumatized by the crazed mob.
Four rioters died during the rampage, two of natural causes. Only one — an Air Force veteran —was shot by a Capitol Police officers as she tried to enter the House chamber.
There are many who are still curious as to why only one person was killed as thousands violently breached the grounds and buildings — all deemed federal jurisdiction to be protected by any means necessary. It was clear from the real-time assault of officers trying to protect the people inside the building that they were being overpowered and fighting a losing battle.
Were these officers given orders not to use deadly force regardless of the risks to their own lives? If the aggressors had been Black, would the outcome have been the same? What if the attackers had been hostile foreign invaders?
After a year of hunting down the January 6 attackers, nearly 900 have been charged with something. Some of these criminals were identified based upon the help of the public who recognized a family member or neighbor in the horrific video footage. Only about a third of those charged have pled guilty. Most of these got a slap on the wrists for their traitorous acts. Slaps like fines, home confinement, community service, probation and restitution. A fraction of the guilty received prison time.
If these Congressional hearings are going to be legit, they will have to answer three basic questions: Given the advance intel of the groups and their intent, why wasn’t there more preparation for the assault? Did MPD and other law enforcement follow protocol for breaches and attacks of a federal facility? With sufficient evidence that trump incited the actions, what consequences will he face?
There’s the bigger question that maybe only Black people involved in racial justice work in this country have and that’s whether the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers will be deemed Public Enemies #1. The Black Panther Party was smacked with that unjustified moniker by FBI head J. Edgar Hoover in 1968 and was subsequently destroyed, its members forced into exile, jailed or murdered by law enforcement. What a difference race can have.
