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This is how a well-functioning government would have processed the demonstration last week--putting aside for now the obvious problems with the planned January 6 event and the stolen elections claims--thread 1~
During my time in government, the FBI Director had at least a weekly time slot with POTUS during the morning security briefings where he would brief on internal security issues. 2~
The FBI Director would be aware of the reports of criminal plotting by some planning to demonstrate at the Capitol and have known of the involvement of known troublemakers--as we know several were warned not to go. 3~
The FBI and other key principals would have been aware of the President's plan to speak at the rally--because it would be on the President's schedule for one thing. 4~
Concerned about the possibility the event could get out of control, the FBI Director would have brought up the issue at his weekly with the President. It would have been a hard speak truth moment but a necessary one for the President's own safety. 5~
Presumably the FBI would have also warned the Secret Service about the reporting they were seeing--did this happen? Does this explain why POTUS did not accompany the marchers to the Capitol, as he had said he would? 6~
In any case, informed by the FBI's briefing, POTUS could have chosen to cancel his speech or more likely explicitly warn the crowd not to take any unlawful actions. He did neither. 7~
But the question remains--did no one in the administration warn POTUS about what could happen? And if he was warned in some way, then his complicity is clear, even if he was not involved in the planning beforehand. 8/8
