Glenn Greenwald: The False and Exaggerated Claims Still Being Spread About the Capitol Riot

We barely survived the QAnon Shaman and Baked Alaska’s attack on “our democracy.”

The “insurrectionists” left the Capitol when asked to do so after walking around, snapping selfies and touring the building. One guy even lit up a joint. The whole thing was over in less than two hours. 1776 didn’t commence again. It was a farce that has been blown wildly out of proportion by “journalists” who kept half the country in a state of hysteria for four years to drive up their own ratings.

Glenn Greenwald:

“What took place at the Capitol on January 6 was undoubtedly a politically motivated riot. As such, it should not be controversial to regard it as a dangerous episode. Any time force or violence is introduced into what ought to be the peaceful resolution of political conflicts, it should be lamented and condemned.

But none of that justifies lying about what happened that day, especially by the news media. Condemning that riot does not allow, let alone require, echoing false claims in order to render the event more menacing and serious than it actually was. There is no circumstance or motive that justifies the dissemination of false claims by journalists. The more consequential the event, the less justified, and more harmful, serial journalistic falsehoods are. …

Why does this matter? For the same reason media outlets so excitedly seized on this claim. If Munchel had brought zip-ties with him, that would be suggestive of a premeditated plot to detain people: quite terrorizing, as it suggests malicious and well-planned intent. But he instead just found them on a table by happenstance and, according to his own prosecutors, grabbed them with benign intent.

Then, perhaps most importantly, is the ongoing insistence on calling the Capitol riot an armed insurrection. Under the law, an insurrection is one of the most serious crises that can arise. It allows virtually unlimited presidential powers — which is why there was so much angst when Tom Cotton proposed it in his New York Times op-ed over the summer, publication of which resulted in the departure of two editors. Insurrection even allows for the suspension by the president of habeas corpus: the right to be heard in court if you are detained.

So it matters a great deal legally, but also politically, if the U.S. really did suffer an armed insurrection and continues to face one. Though there is no controlling, clear definition, that term usually connotes not a three-hour riot but an ongoing, serious plot by a faction of the citizenry to overthrow or otherwise subvert the government. …”

If the likes of Baked Alaska and Richard “Bigo” Barnett putting his feet up on Nancy Pelosi’s desk is the “fascist” threat,” I think we are going to be fine.