Weekend open thread: What's going on?

Trump is banned from Twitter, refuses to resign. Bombs found in truck on Capitol grounds. Video surfaces of Trump insurrectionists crushing a cop.

Welcome to The Signorile Report, where you’ll read hard-hitting political and cultural commentary and exposés, hear interesting conversations, join in great discussions and get lots of other stuff.

An open thread for you to join in and discuss whatever you like, including all the news of this horrific week or what you’re up to this weekend, or both.

Donald Trump has finally, permanently been banned from Twitter after the social media network deduced that two two tweets he sent out after he resumed tweeting after being suspended for 12 hours were a signal or a coded message to his followers, and were possibly promoting further attacks:

• The use of the words “American Patriots” to describe some of his supporters is also being interpreted as support for those committing violent acts at the US Capitol.

• The mention of his supporters having a “GIANT VOICE long into the future” and that “They will not be disrespected or treated unfairly in any way, shape or form!!!” is being interpreted as further indication that President Trump does not plan to facilitate an “orderly transition” and instead that he plans to continue to support, empower, and shield those who believe he won the election. 

• Plans for future armed protests have already begun proliferating on and off-Twitter, including a proposed secondary attack on the US Capitol and state capitol buildings on January 17, 2021. 

Michelangelo Signorile @MSignorile

This is beautiful. I'm framing it.

Democrats in the House, hearing calls from all across the country, are now filing articles of impeachment on Monday, as Trump has refused to resign and no one in the White House is invoking the 25th amendment.

The FBI, which has been arresting individuals identified in photos as having rampaged the Capitol, also found a pick-up truck filled with bombs and guns on the Capitol grounds, and apprehended the owner of the truck, a man from Alabama, Leroy Coffman, who came to storm the Capitol:

CNN Politics @CNNPolitics

Feds say police found a pickup truck full of bombs and guns near the Capitol insurrection as a wide-ranging investigation unfurls cnn.it/3nv9UbH

Coffman, 70, told police he had mason jars filled with "melted Styrofoam and gasoline." Federal investigators believe that combination, if exploded, would have the effect of napalm "insofar as it causes the flammable liquid to better stick to objects that it hits upon detonation," according to the court record.

Police also found cloth rags and lighters. The court documents said that those items and the explosive-filled mason jars "in close proximity to one another constitute a combination of parts" that could be used as a "destructive device."

Napalm. Let that one sink in. I believe this is a wide-ranging terrorist plot that is now being uncovered, a plan to do massive harm and create loss of life. Some protesters inside the building were photographed with restraints and handcuffs, indicating they may have been planning to take hostages.

This video is horrific, so a warning here. But I think it’s important to see the violence up close. The Trump rioters killed one Capitol Police officer, Brian Sicknick — and a murder investigation is underway — and several others were injured. In this video a cop is crushed by a mob of rampaging, violent Trump supporters. It is hideous and shows the brutality and determination of these people.

Meanwhile, coronavirus cases broke records this week at over 300,000 cases per day for two days, and over 4000 deaths per day for several days. And there is absolutely no leadership, as Trump and his White House are in deep turmoil.

Joe Biden, however, spoke out forcefully this week against Trump’s fascistic tactics and his inciting insurrection, and about taking on the coronavirus pandemic and the devastated economy immediately upon taking office, including getting vaccines deployed, which has been a disaster by the Trump administration.

I’m just counting the days until January 20th and trying to relax this weekend after having come back from vacation during the holidays and feeling like we’ve already been through a full year — and it’s only been one week!

I’ve baking bread today — baguettes — or at least trying, as I’m experimenting with a few things.

What are you up to this weekend, and what are you thinking about everything that’s going on? Please jump in the discussion and I’ll be joining in over the weekend.