Philly DA Larry Krasner had a message today every DA in every jurisdiction should be echoing on early morning newscasts. In addition to any such talk of their own to their local outlets tonight. Krasner made it crystal clear that he and Philly law enforcement aren’t about to tolerate ANY of the crap we’re starting to hear Proud Boys and similar groups are supposedly poised to unleash tomorrow. He was blunt. As blunt as you could be without using the actual F-word in his warning that there’d by god be consequences for those who would engage in violence or even intimidation of people simply going about the business of casting their votes.
Mediate has an article about his warning to those thinking about “playing militia” on election day and afterwards as votes are counted. He assured people he and LE have been working for months to ensure people could vote. That it would be tough or something they should have any fear about doing. On top of that reassuring talk he got more direct to anyone thinking about causing trouble:
But I also want to be clear. Anybody who thinks it’s time to play militia, eff around and find out. Anybody who thinks it’s time to insult, to deride, to mistreat, to threaten people, eff around and find out! We do have the cuffs, we do have the jail cells, we do have the Philly juries, and we have the state prisons. So if you’re gonna try to turn an election into some form of coercion, if you’re gonna try to bully people, bully votes or voters, you’re gonna try to erase votes, you’re gonna try any of that nonsense, we’re not playing. Eff around and find out.
I for one think he’s dead serious. Also keep in mind he’d be filing STATE charges so any dumbass thinking about a pardon from a new President Trump can forget about it. (That of course assumes Trump wins which is far from a sure thing) Proud Boys and others would also do well to remember how many of them including their leaders got pardons from Trump on federal charges between Jan. 6 and slinking out of the WH and DC on inauguration day. Since the Jan. 6 insurrection took place in DC that means everyone who’s been charged and prosecuted AND convicted got hit with federal charges. Trump could have pardoned them all. Instead he hung them out to dry.
During the handover from Rachel Maddow earlier this evening Lawrence O’Donnell made an interesting observation. He pointed out how Trump had called his MAGAs to show up in New York in force if indicted and gave them a date. He did the same down in Atlanta and in FL too. No one showed up! I seem to recall a handful of paid “protesters” down in Georgia but it was pretty pathetic and there wasn’t any crowd near the courthouse kicking up a fuss. I think O’Donnell’s point is that a lot of these asshats have thought about all their compadres who Trump did NOT pardon in DC who are now convicts. Many have served their too brief sentences but as prosecutors worked their way up the food chain the sentences turned from months to years. And as noted in the title picture Tarrio, who had meetings with the likes of Roger Stone and who knows who else is doing 22 freaking years.
Still, it’s become known there are Proud Boys out there that have been organizing to cause trouble on election day and after. They were hiding under their slimy rocks during the events O’Donnell cited but they’ve evidently emerged. I’m pretty sure Krasner isn’t the only official who months back got word that these criminal goober might try pulling their sh*t again. That’s why we should be prepared for some ugly stuff tomorrow. Not as much as we might fear though, especially when folks like Krasner and the feds are making it clear they are aware and will be waiting.
Also, Krasner’s news conference today wasn’t his first on this topic. He released a video last week urging voters and poll workers to be on the lookout for and report any attempts to cause trouble and specifically mentioned (for poll workers I assume) those who keep challenging ballot after ballot. This guy isn’t playing around!
Krasner advised, “If you have someone in there who is falsely challenging vote after vote to try to obstruct this election, that is not okay and that is not legal, and we are gonna act on it. This is what you need to do. If something is already violent, 9-11 is first. If it’s not, then please call us and also call the election commission, and we will act.”
He concluded, “We will not allow you voters, or your vote, to be bullied, to be bought, or to be erased. This is Philadelphia, that’s how we roll, and for those who don’t wanna roll that way, these are bars. Think about it.”
Like I said DAs and other officials need to be on local news around the country in the morning saying the kinds of things Krasner has been saying. To show some freaking SPINE and stand up to the asshats. If enough do then an awful lot of those who might have been convinced to cause trouble this week might decide, especially when they consider what happened with so many J6 criminals to just stay the hell out of things and let whatever the vote shows be “the way it goes” and if they don’t like the result turn to something more positive like organizing registration and GOTV efforts for the next election. You know, the legal way. The way things are supposed to be done.
For now I say BRAVO to Larry Krasner. As should we all.
Powerful message from the Philly DA—accountability is crucial to maintaining public safety.
If Enrique Tarrio gets 22 years, how long should Trump get?
25?, 30?
life
I sincerely hope All states put the word out and have police presence in ALL polling place, whether small towns or large cities, to keep order and ensure all votes are cast and counted. I expect these magats will be Everywhere. I hope they get caught, arrested, and promptly tried and jailed. Our civic duty to vote and it is all but sacred!! Every vote Must be cast and counted! I hope all goes well, without the morons coming out from under their rocks. I plan on taking pictures of offenders. My phone is linked to my husbands so if is wrested away from me, I will still have the pictures! I’m not messing around. I’m so tired of this magat mess. I hope this is the last election that we have to worry about the orange mess stirring up trouble. Hoping for a long jail sentence for his contempt charges and then a swift resumption of All his remaining trials if he loses!
Wonder how many are going to FAFO? Because, you know there are those who are dying to do just that.