Cliffhanger!

 The January 6 committee ended today with what I can only call a Butterfield Moment.  Alexander Butterfield is 96 and lives in Pensacola, an Air Force veteran who won the Distinguished Flying Cross, but in the 1970s he was a deputy to H.R. Haldeman and then to President Nixon.  On Friday, July 13, 1973 he was being questioned by Donald Sanders, a minority counsel to the Senate Select Committee, about some detailed quotes previously offered by John Dean.  Asked if it was possible they were taped, Butterfield replied, "I was wondering if someone would ask that.  There is tape in the Oval Office."  In fact he had directed the installation of the microphones.   I seem to remember a stunned silence as everyone absorbed the news that Nixon had recorded his own incriminating evidence about the Watergate burglary, the cover-up and other activities.  Forty-nine years ago tomorrow, the Nixon presidency began to unravel.

Today, led by Jamie Raskin and Stephanie Murphy of Florida, witnesses connected Trump's tweets urging the faithful to converge on Washington ("Will be wild!") with the violence they subsequently committed, especially his Proud Boy storm troopers.  We heard details of the December 18 White House wingding where Michael Flynn demanded that voting machines be seized, Sidney Powell tried to get herself appointed Law Supremo, and Giuliani called the other lawyers "a bunch of pussies" before the brawl moved to the second floor and then outside ("make sure Giuliani doesn't wander back in").  As the Day of Days approached this online exchange occurred:

  

Liz Cheney then lit the closing bombshell:  "After our last hearing President Trump tried to call a witness in this hearing."  The witness wouldn't take the call and informed their lawyer, who called the Committee, who notified the Justice Department.  That's right, not only is he watching the hearings but this strunz is doing his own witness tampering.  Tune in next week to learn the mystery witness's name!

In the meantime other cases proceed.  Trump and his Trumplings cancelled a hate rally in Greensboro, North Carolina, because they have to testify in New York AG Letitia James's investigation of Trump Organization finances.  Those who paid up to $3,955 for a ticket can use them at any other hate rally this summer or wait for Greensboro to re-schedule.  No refunds, suckers.

Fulton County DA Fani Willis may also subpoena Trump to appear before the grand jury for pressuring Brad Raffensperger to invent votes.  Giuliani is still laying low in the hospital but Judge Robert McBurney ordered Lindsey Graham to testify on August 2, calling him "a necessary and material witness."  Busy, busy summer.  Well, the family that perjures together...plans mergers together?

John Bolton was on CNN today disparaging Trump's coup-plotting abilities.  "As someone who has helped plan coups d'etat -- not here but, you know, other places -- it takes a lot of work."  As for Trump's efforts, "It was just stumbling around from one idea to another.  Ultimately he did unleash the rioters at the Capitol.  As to that, there's no doubt."  Jake Tapper's head did not explode, but that's just the world  we live in.  Bolton was in on the scheme to install Juan Guaido as president of Venezuela but apparently Trump and his myrmidons couldn't even do that right.  Amateurs.

Congratulations to Steve Dettelbach, who will be the first permanent head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in sixteen years.  He was confirmed today by 46 Democrats and two Republicans.  The Republicans don't want any of those things regulated and have held up previous appointments but all the mass murders have shaken a couple of them loose.  Bipartisanship, huh?