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A Proud Boy Takeover in Vegas 
Here’s yet another chapter in the unfolding story of extremist groups and threats of violence seeping into political life in communities across the U.S. in the aftermath of Trump and January 6th. In this case it’s an attempted Proud Boy takeover of the county Republican party in Clark County, Nevada, which is basically the Greater Las Vegas metropolitan area. (About three-quarters of the state’s population lives in Clark County.) As in the other cases we’ve discussed in recent days, the situation includes a confluence or amalgam of ordinary, if contentious, factional political battles with organized threats of violence and efforts to use force to take control of party committees.
Where Things Stand: It’s Been One Year Since George Floyd Was Murdered
It’s been a year since George Floyd was murdered by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd’s neck for nearly 10 minutes while he repeatedly told the officer he couldn’t breathe. Chauvin was found guilty of murder on all counts last month.
The Militia-fication of Public Life in America
As you can see we have a new installment in what amounts to an expanding vein of coverage of what we might call mini-insurrections across the United States in the aftermath the Trump presidency and the January 6th insurrection. Here Matt Shuham goes deeper on what is on the surface a recall effort in Shasta County, California. But it’s one that is moving in tandem with violent threats from the local “militia”. It’s really a must read piece.
Another one of those sign of the times story. A bar owner in Troy, New York, Matt Baumgartner, reopens with a rule that patrons must show they’re vaccinated before entering the bar. He’s then inundated by calls, something threatening violence in response to his decision. “They’re all saying the same thing: that I’m a Nazi, that I’m anti-American.” Most of the calls seemed to be coming from Florida.
Where Things Stand: Pool Of Pro-Trump Election Critics Running For Office Grows
A handful of proponents of the Big Lie have launched bids for secretary of state — elected, state-level positions that will have a say in voting operations for future election cycles.
Where Things Stand: Gaetz And Greene Hold Rally To Support Sketchy AZ Audit
Only the best people.
The scandal-embroiled Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is teaming up with one of his most controversial (and annoying) colleagues, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), to do their dear leader’s bidding in Arizona.
Political violence is always anathema to democracy. This is the case not least because what we think of as civic democracy requires high-trust environments over high-fear environments. The latter make civic life brittle and tenuous. But what is really lethal to democracy is less acts of terroristic, high profile violence (say an Oklahoma City bombing) but when violence and the threat of violence begin to seep into the ordinary process of governmental decision-making. And of late I’ve seen smatterings of examples of this from around the country. The numbers are very, very small – at least the ones I’ve seen. So I don’t know whether I’m simply seeing them more, or whether they are just the knock-on effects of the massive disruptions of COVID or something more persistent and grave.
Where Things Stand: McCarthy Specifically Asked For A Commission
When impeachment was on the table, the House minority leader was all about putting together a Jan. 6 commission in lieu of a trial.