UPDATE via INSIGHTS & ISSUES (I excerpt only a portion of this must read article):
A PolitiFact article written by Bill McCarthy declares “there’s no proof that” a left-wing anti-Trump activist named John Sullivan incited rioting at the U.S. Capitol. As a result of this claim, Facebook flagged and reduced distribution of a post that accused Sullivan of doing so.
However, video footage indisputably proves that Sullivan encouraged people to storm and vandalize the Capitol. Moreover, Sullivan was subsequently arrested and charged with “violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds” and “interfering with law enforcement” during the riot. In the wake of these revelations, PolitiFact “updated” its article twice but has not changed its conclusion despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
POLITIFACT’S DENIAL
The Facebook post targeted by PolitiFact states that “Anti-Trump founder of radical left-wing group ‘Insurgence USA’ John Sullivan, incited insurgence of U.S. Capitol.” PolitiFact proclaims “there’s no evidence that he ‘incited’ the violence himself or led the charge into the Capitol.”
PolitiFact’s first evidence for its conclusion is Sullivan’s claim that he was “not leading” the mob in “any shape, form, or fashion” and “was only there to experience and witness what went down.” PolitiFact then cites Jade Sacker, a photojournalist who has done work for NBC and NPR to back up his account. Sacker claims to have been with Sullivan for half of the riot and says that Sullivan was “vocal” and “actively there and interested in what was going on,” but not “directing the charge” or “inciting violence.”
However, law enforcement obtained videos from Sullivan that show him provoking and participating in the riot. As such, the FBI sought and was granted a warrant to arrest him. Per the affidavit and other videofootage, Sullivan:
yelled through a megaphone outside of the Capitol, “Get in that shit! Let’s go! Let’s go! Move! Move! Move! Move! Storm that shit! This shit is ours! This is our fucking house!”
wore a “ballistic vest and gas mask” as he entered the Capitol and declared, “Let’s burn this shit down,” “We gotta get this shit burned,” “It’s our house motherfuckers.”
pointed his camera at a door and said, “Why don’t we go in there?” After someone hit the door, Sullivan said, “That’s what I’m sayin,’ break that shit.”
broke a window and said, “I broke it. My bad, my apologies. Well, they already broke a window. I didn’t know I hit it that hard. No one got that on camera.”
joined a crowd of rioters that were trying to break through a door, and said, “I have a knife. Let me through. I have a knife.”
Moreover, the videos show that Jade Sacker, the photojournalist who PolitiFact used to exonerate Sullivan, was complicit in his plan. Sullivan’s video shows Sacker and him inside the Capitol saying to each other:
Sacker: “I’ll give you your hug now. We did it!” Sullivan: [Laughter] Sacker: “You were right, we did it.” Sullivan: “Dude, I was trying to tell you. I couldn’t say much.” Sacker: “You were right [laughter].” Sullivan: “You just have to watch my chat.” Sacker: “Oh my God!” Sullivan: “Is this not gonna be the best film you’ve ever made in your life?” Sacker: “Yeah [unintelligible].” Sullivan: “Nah, you gotta give me a real kiss for that shit.” Sacker: “That’s it.” Sullivan: “Hell, yeah!” Sacker: “Hell, yeah?” Sullivan: “Hell, yeah!”
Then realizing that they were incriminating themselves, they say:
Sacker: “Wait, you weren’t recording, were you?” Sullivan: “I’ll delete that shit after. But I didn’t record you or me. We’re just voices.”
“one count of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority.”
“one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.”
“one count of interfering with law enforcement engaged in the lawful performance of their official duties incident to and during the commission of civil disorder.”
Faced with those facts, PolitiFact “updated” its original article two separatetimes to include “more detail” from the video and the FBI affidavit. Yet, PolitiFact deceitfully:
ignores the vast bulk of damning content in the video.
summarizes the footage by saying that “it doesn’t show Sullivan clearly engaged in the violence or leading the run up to the Capitol, although it does show him animated as he spoke with police and rioters from the frontlines.”
insists “there’s no proof” Sullivan incited insurgence.
POLITIFACT’S DOUBLE STANDARDS
In contrast to PolitiFact’s claim that Sullivan’s calls to “storm” and “burn” down the Capitol don’t constitute incitement, PolitiFact has not fact-checked any of the hundreds of Congressional Democrats who declare in their impeachment resolution that President Trump incited the riot. This is in spite of the fact that Trump didn’t call for violence and emphasized in his speech on that same day that people should go “to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”
Yet, the impeachment resolution alleges that Trump is guilty of “inciting violence against the Government of the United States” because he stated in his speech: “if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.” This quote is taken out of context, as Trump used the word “fight” 20 times in the speech, making clear that he was speaking about legal, not physical, fighting. For example, he said that Rudy Giuliani has “guts, he fights.”
POLITIFACT’S STRAWMAN
PolitiFact also uses a dishonest debating technique called a “straw man.” This involves debunking an argument that someone did not make. Again, the Facebook post says: “Anti-Trump founder of radical left-wing group ‘Insurgence USA’ John Sullivan, incited insurgence of U.S. Capitol.” Yet, PolitiFact twists this by arguing “there’s no evidence that Sullivan ‘incited (the) insurgence’ alone amid a crowd of thousands.”
In short, the post does not claim that Sullivan is solely or even mainly responsible for inciting the riot, but PolitiFact inserts the words “alone” and “the” to make it seem like the post said he was the lone ringleader.
Rumble — One America’s Jack Posobiec is continuing to investigate the events that took place at the Capitol on Jan. 6. He recently sat down with Michael Yon, a war correspondent with years of experience studying tactics of Antifa and other groups. Jack asked Yon to compare what he has seen in other countries to the scenes at the Capitol earlier this month. Here’s what he had to say, take a look.
The below is built off of my Facebook Post on the matter. I post this here to highlight the idea for clarity — as the Left like to misinterpret what is said. THAT IS: “Remember, I am NOT saying Trump supporters weren’t involved.”
A couple UPDATES since I started this post:
Feds back away from claim that Capitol rioters were looking to capture and assassinate officials — Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Sherwin told reporters Friday that prosecutors don’t have concrete proof of such an effort.(POLITICO)
CNN Forced To Walk Back Story That Rioters At U.S. Capitol Building Were Specifically There To Kill Politicians… (WEASEL ZIPPERS)
So, since the beginning of the Capital Hill Incident, I have maintained the same point of view. First, riotess gatherings involve people that wouldn’t usually do criminal activity do such things. Which is why I mentioned a book in my first response to the Incident, here is an excerpt of that:
I suggest that every person who has not read Ann Coulter’s book, Demonic: How the Liberal Mob Is Endangering America, read it. This “mob mentality” does not just exist on the Left, but when caught up in the energy of a large crowd, many will make a decision that alone, in a less stressful environment, wouldn’t make. We are human and are vulnerable at times to peer pressure.
Another thought is that I don’t care who you are — Antifa, Trump supporter, progressive, conservative, libertarian… whatever. If you storm the Capital you stand a high chance of being shot.
So, I acknowledged that part of the crowd was made up of Trump supporters (see DAILY BEAST and HEAVYfor instance), but I also noted from the beginning that LEFTIES were involved as well. TO WHICH I got many people on my Facebook saying “no” to. And within 2-days I got links to stuff where the FBI supposedly said that no Antifa was involved — which seems improbable because the investigation would and is a long term investigation. If — within days — the FBI could immediately access that sort of situation, I would ask people to check for responders surgically placed in their body.
“We have no indication of that at this time,” Washington Field Office assistant director Steven D’Antuono said during a briefing when asked about any potential involvement of antifa.
Again, “We have no indication of that at this time,” THAT statement within 2-days seems fair. I was confident Antifa would be found in the crowd. And as a response to my detractors I sent pics of this guy on January 7th (these are not from the 6th at the Capital, they are just meant to show his affiliations… MOONBATTERY has more as well):
(These pics are from a 2nd tear news source [100% FED-UP] I noted to my son who asked for sources to go to while on his tour of duty. Second tear are sources generally good, but may need to be verified — Reagan’s “trust but verify” — by checking their linked sources.) At the time 100% posted this on the 7th… John Sullivan, he was interviewed on CNN — more on that in a bit. Here is a portion of an older story on Antifa John noting how easy to connect him to a Leftist “revolutionary” past of activist activity (at least a good producer from CNN would not have him on):
….Last summer, Sullivan organized a BLM protest with other leftist groups, including a local ANITFA chapter. The event became violent and one person was shot. He was arrested at the time. …. (TOWNHALL)
Here is 100% FED-UP’s follow up story on Antifa John:
Far-Left Antifa/BLM activist John Sullivan has been identified as one of the activists who were part of the group of people who illegally entered the Capitol building on Wednesday. Sullivan is not, however, a Trump supporter, in fact, he’s just the opposite. On his Instagram page that has now been deleted, the BLM activist who is also the self-proclaimed founder of the “Insurgence USA” group, posted warnings like “An armed revolution is the only effective way to bring about change.”
[….]
Only 6 months ago, extreme BLM activist and Antifa leader Sullivan was arrested during a protest he organized. He was also caught on video standing next to a fellow protester who shot an innocent woman.
Sullivan was arrested and was booked into the Utah County Jail for investigation of rioting, making a threat of violence and criminal mischief. Sullivan was an organizer of a protest in Provo, UT, where an innocent motorist who was trying to get around Sullivan’s roadblock/protest, was shot.
The Deseret News reports- John Earle Sullivan, 25, of Sandy, was captured on video threatening to beat a woman in an SUV, according to the affidavit, and then kicking her door, leaving a dent.
“As a protest organizer, John Sullivan is heard talking about seeing the shooting, looking at the gun and seeing smoke coming from it. John did not condemn the attempted murder nor attempt to stop it nor aide in its investigation by police.”
Sullivan’s Instagram page is filled with activist posts that contain language like “F*ck Trump.”
Sullivan is also the self-described founder of the Insurgence USA group. On their website, they provide a handy little guide on how to be an Anarchist. The guide explains how to disregard previous and predictable strategies, and instead, to use “guerilla tactics to overwhelm your adversary.” Hmmm…that almost sounds like what happened at the White House?
Strangely, when CNN’s Anderson Cooper interviewed Sullivan, he never mentioned his recent criminal history, his threats of preventing President Trump from serving a second term, including “ripping” him from the White House, or the radical group he founded that supports Anarchy and an armed revolution.
Watch his interview with Anderson Cooper that’s impossible to find anywhere on the internet. It’s almost like CNN doesn’t want anyone to see Anderson Cooper pretending that Sullivan is simply a “left-wing activist” or treating him like was a reporter on the scene who just happened to be standing next to Ashli Babbit when she was shot to death:…
Well… Antifa John was arrested by the FBI. Ooopsie Daisy CNN — here is the PDF of the charges. They have seen enough evidence to include him (and other Lefty activists involved as part of the mixed group). Video of him antagonizing the police at the spot of where that nutty gal was shot — rightly shot.
ANTIFA JOHN’S BROTHERS SAYS OVER 200 ANTIFA
So since this last story… Antifa John was turned in by his brother, James — who has spoken at Proud Boy events… a light vs. darkness (fire n ice) thing going on here [called the authorities and said his brother was in charge (100% FED-UP). And noted there were over 200 Leftists at that January 6th rally (NOQ REPORT).
ANTIFA JOHN CALLING ALL ANTIFA
Here is Antifa John leading the charge in getting Lefty BLM and Antifa to go on the 6th (*click to enlarge):
So, just as a recap, the HEADLINE (“No evidence antifa involved in Capitol riot”) mentioned above is in fact wrong. The FBI didn’t state that but rather said “at this point in the investigation.” Not only that, but the FBI HAS been wrong many times — so stating it like a definite is not always the best thing to do either. For instance I told a person I know the following:
…It’s okay Ross … you can say it … the FBI was wrong.
But again, the FBI wasn’t making proclamation’s like the headlines alluded to. Again: “We have no indication of that at this time” — FBI. As radical as I think Antifa John is, I agree with him in part about the riotess nature of the crowd, and for the idea that it was a mixed crowd, and that is was dangerous and large (07:50 min INTO VIDEO). But again, as Bill Maher says, a few thousand “asses” shouldn’t make the rest of the Republican Party be said to be the same. But, who are the killers? Not GOP’ers:
A violent radical BLM/Antifa leftist was arrested in Florida after his plot to organize an attack on peaceful protests ahead of Biden’s inauguration was uncovered by the FBI. You remember Antifa, the group that doesn’t exist and also is mostly peaceful and also is just like the D-Day troops according to Chris Cuomo? Yeah, THAT one….(RIGHT SCOOP)
Rioting first started on May 28 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, over the death of George Floyd, who was allegedly murdered by police officer Derek Chauvin. Since then, the riots have spread to major cities like New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, Oakland, Louisville, and St. Louis. The riots have led to more death, especially among black Americans. The victims include: Dave Patrick Underwood….. David Dorn…. Italia Marie Kelly…. David McAtee…. Chris Beaty…. (BREITBART)
It would not be fair to judge the left on the violence and property destruction carried out by unhappy anti-Trump protesters. After all, didn’t Anti-Obama conservatives smash windows, assault Obama supporters, and set fires after Obama won the election?
Oh, wait, we didn’t do any of those things, did we?
These people call themselves Anarchists, and yet they are committing violence because they want more socialism, socialism being a maximized amount of Government control. Do they see the irony? Or are they just violent and stupid and have latched onto the progressive left because that side of the political spectrum is more accepting of hate and violence?
And I’m sure some lefties are saying (nasal, high-pitched, know-it-all liberal voice), “Oh, I think violence is wrong no matter which side does it.” Yeah, nice virtue signaling, but you’re just evading the reality that most of the time… an overwhelming amount of the time… it’s *your side* that’s doing it. Mainly because, your side tells people that temper tantrums and hatred are okay if they are directed against…. [insert name here]
I laughed out loud when I saw this.
I have a tag [VIOLENT DEMOCRATS] for posts I use detailing the violence from the left. It extends to the violent environmental groups (like ELF), to violent unions/members, and other instances like the Democrats getting very violent at Trump rallies (and often time being paid to do so), I have even asked for analogous actions by conservative as well as noting the joke of “this week in hate” via the New York Times, etc., yada-yada-blada.
Another example that makes me put “tolerant” Leftists in air-quotes is this story via MOONBATTERY:
Some entertainers have refused to participate in the inauguration because they are moonbats who put their self-indulgent leftist posturing ahead of their profession — others, because they are afraid:
Opera star Andrea Bocelli backed out of singing at Donald Trump’s inauguration after receiving death threats, The Mail on Sunday has learnt.
It was rumored that Bocelli backed out because he didn’t want to face a boycott from intolerant liberal fans…
[….]
Bocelli isn’t alone:
The revelation came as another singer – Broadway legend Jennifer Holliday – last night pulled out of the President-elect’s festivities after being threatened and branded an ‘Uncle Tom’.
[….]
Singer Holliday, 56, famed for her performance as Effie in Dreamgirls, had originally said she was ‘determined’ to sing for Trump despite voting against him.
She also denounced the abuse she was getting and called it an attack on freedom of speech.
However, she knuckled under to this attack, not only canceling her performance but validating the thugs who forced her to….
NEWSWEEK points out that “A new survey report shows that 8.5 percent of current college freshmen expect to participate in a student protest while in college. That figure is up 2.9 percentage points from 2014, and it is the highest percentage to respond that way in the annual survey since 1967.”
As the rapper Tef Poe sharply pointed out at a St. Louis rally in October protesting the death of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo.: “This ain’t your grandparents’ civil rights movement.” (WaPo)
GAY PATRIOT notes this violence in trying to feel as relevant as the 1960s generation:
…The protests began peacefully, but quickly escalated into violence as protesters jumped the barricades set up by campus police. The news station confirmed that one anti-Milo protester threw hot coffee at its camera crew and their equipment.
The DAILY CALLER notes the anti-free-speech movement of the fascist left:
A new Pew Research Center poll shows that 40 percent of American Millennials (ages 18-34) are likely to support government prevention of public statements offensive to minorities.
It should be noted that vastly different numbers resulted for older generations in the Pew poll on the issue of offensive speech and the government’s role.
Around 27 percent of Generation X’ers (ages 35-50) support such an idea, while 24 percent of Baby Boomers (ages 51-69) agree that censoring offensive speech about minorities should be a government issue. Only 12 percent of the Silent Generation (ages 70-87) thinks that government should prevent offensive speech toward minorities.
The poll comes at a time when college activists, such as the group “Black Lives Matter,” are making demands in the name of racial and ethnic equality at over 20 universities across the nation.
Some of the demands include restrictions on offensive Halloween costumes at Yale University to the deletion of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson’s image and name at Princeton University to “anti-oppression training” for employees at Brown University….
(NEWSBUSTERS) The Anti-Capitalist Anti-Fascist Bloc’s DisruptJ20 Inauguration protest quickly turned violent Friday morning as protestors gathered at Logan Circle in D.C. and marched down 13th Street. Footage shot by MRC Culture and CNSNews.com during the march show protestors vandalizing local businesses, destroying a limousine, and chanting “no cops, no borders, fight law and order.”