On December 14, New Mexico State Senator Gregg Schmedes reposted a lengthy and bizarre tweet (or X or whatever we’re supposed to call a “tweet” these days) penned by former U.S. Capitol Police Lieutenant Tarik Johnson. In his post, Johnson states that Vivek Ramaswamy’s statements about January 6th, and a bunch of other MAGA, conspiratorial goobly-gook during a CNN Town Hall were correct.
Johnson’s post reads: “Vivek Ramaswamy got a lot right in this interview. I’ve been saying publicly for a year that J6 was not an insurrection but not many people would listen.”
The embedded post by GOP presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy states: “Too bad for CNN, we’ll take the TRUTH on Jan. 6 mainstream. There is clear evidence that there was at the very least entrapment of peaceful protestors, similar to the fake Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping plot & countless other cases. “ Ramaswamy then adds, “Jan 6, Capitol police, on one hand, fired rubber bullets & explosives into a peaceful crowd who they then willingly later allowed to enter the Capitol. That doesn’t add up & the actual evidence turns the prior narrative upside down: if the deep state is willing to manufacture an ‘insurrection’ to take down its political opponents, they can do anything. Once you see it, you can’t unsee it.”
Johnson goes on to claim that no one would benefit more from an insurrection than he since he was the one who ordered and led the evacuations of the Senate and the House during the January 6th breach of the Capitol. I’m scratching my head on this one unless Johnson means he could have led legislators into harm’s way rather than away from it.
Shortly after January 6th, Johnson was suspended from duty for 17 months after being seen on video wearing a “MAGA” hat and talking to rioters. Johnson claims that he wore the hat as a ploy to de-escalate the situation and win the trust of protestors to help his fellow officers escape the “protestors.” After his suspension, Johnson quit the Capitol Police force.
In reposting this nonsense I can only infer that Senator Schmedes also embraces the MAGA narrative of a “peaceful crowd” just strolling around the Capitol on January 6th, and it’s the “deep state” that’s creating a story of insurrection and violence.
Five people died during the “peaceful protest,” including Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who was beaten to death with a fire extinguisher. Several other officers suffered injuries as a result of the “protest” as well. Rioters (not protestors) assaulted police, ransacked the complex, destroyed property, and smeared fecal matter on the walls while sending members of Congress and their staff into hiding in offices and bunkers.
And no, it’s not the “deep state” (whatever that is) manufacturing the events of January 6th to take down political opponents. The force behind January 6th was former President Donald Trump (along with his allies and supporters), and their goal was to subvert the U.S. Constitution and overturn the 2020 presidential election by pushing the Big Lie.
Correction Senator Schmedes, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Mr. Johnson: January 6th was a violent insurrection intended to undermine Democracy. Don’t insult our intelligence by telling us otherwise.
Those “peaceful protectors” were anything but.