How could this have happened, you ask?
It already did. In Michigan. Nine months ago. 1/8 https://abcnews.go.com/US/convoy-protesting-stay-home-orders-targets-michigans-capital/story?id=70138816
It already did. In Michigan. Nine months ago. 1/8 https://abcnews.go.com/US/convoy-protesting-stay-home-orders-targets-michigans-capital/story?id=70138816
Let's not forget: "The Michigan Conservative Coalition and Michigan Freedom Fund — founded by Greg McNeilly, political adviser to the family of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos — planned the protest following Whitmer’s executive order." 2/8 https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/04/16/michigan-whitmer-conservatives-protest/
Trump called them "very good people." 3/8 https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-protestors-with-guns-in-michigan-capitol-are-very-good-people-2020-5
Inside the capitol, Republican @SenMikeShirkey welcomed the armed protesters like they were his old hunting buddies. 4/8
A week later, the protesters marched with long guns outside the governor's home. 5/8 https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/04/23/protesters-gather-outside-whitmers-lansing-residence-over-stay-home-order/3015735001/
Later this fall, @SenMikeShirkey and @LeeChatfield spoke at a protest against the governor hours after news broke about a plot by domestic terrorists to kidnap and murder her. 6/8 https://www.michiganadvance.com/2020/10/08/republican-leaders-join-anti-whitmer-rally-outside-capitol-after-fbi-reports-murder-plot-against-her/
And just yesterday, a Republican State Rep and his wife, the incoming co-chair of the @MIGOP, spoke before the mob that later stormed the capitol. 7/8 https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/elections/2021/01/07/capitol-riot-meshawn-maddock-michigan-republican-cochair/6577739002/
Words matter. Actions matter. Trump owns this, make no mistake, but the silence and complicity of GOP leaders and their wealthy donors over the past nine months helped make this possible. And unless they speak out forcefully and back it up with action, it'll happen again. 8/8