‘We all look like domestic terrorists now’

Pretty much.

Via The Hill: Hope Hicks to aide on Jan. 6: ‘We all look like domestic terrorists now’

Former White House aide Hope Hicks told a fellow aide in text messages during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection that “we all look like domestic terrorists now” as Trump supporters stormed the Capitol.

Texts released by the House select committee investigating that day show Hicks texting with Julie Radford, former chief of staff to Ivanka Trump, as the violence unfolded. 

“In one day he ended every future opportunity that doesn’t include speaking engagements at the local proud boys chapter,” Hicks said, apparently referring to former President Trump. 

Radford responded, “Yup,” seemingly agreeing. 

“And all of us that didn’t have jobs lined up will be perpetually unemployed,” Hicks said, also saying she was “so mad and upset,” adding, “We all look like domestic terrorists now.” 

“Oh yes I’ve been crying for an hour,” Radford replied. 

First, yes, the January 6th insurrection did make the Trump administration look like “domestic terrorists” or, at least, domestic terrorist enablers.

Second, what is really telling about this text exchange is that in the moment, they all understood what was going on and how bad it was. Just like Mitch McConnell knew and Kevin McCarthy knew (and why Josh Hawley felt the need to run for cover). That most of them fell silent or took up residence in rationalizationville doesn’t erase their honest, first reactions.

Third, being associated with an insurrection-encouraging, democracy-damaging president rather properly should lead to difficulty in securing employment, especially in anything near or even adjacent to governing.

FILED UNDER: US Politics, , , ,
Steven L. Taylor
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a retired Professor of Political Science and former College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog). Follow Steven on Twitter

Comments

  1. ptfe says:

    Leopards, faces, etc

    I think you missed (4): Opportunistic representatives of reprehensible demagogue were upset about an anti-democracy coup attempt – not for the danger it represented to the country, but because it might harm their employment prospects

    33
  2. EddieInCA says:

    @ptfe:

    This!

    They were more worried about future employment than the actual, you know, attack on democracy and the peaceful transfer of power. Eff-the whole lot of them. Seriously. Eff them.

    12
  3. Michael Reynolds says:

    Sold their souls to the devil and didn’t even learn to play the blues? I guess sometimes you’re Robert Johnson, and sometimes you’re Dr. Faust. Mostly Faust.

    4
  4. gVOR08 says:

    Lie down with dogs…

    4
  5. Just nutha ignint cracker says:

    And I think that Hope is underestimating her ability to make herself over and turn this into lemonade. She should repackage herself as “the former spokesmodel and representation of everyone’s wishful imagining of Trump as a ‘playah’ rips open the cesspool that was the MAGAt pit.” She can do her first gig as a guest of that mean girl on MSNBC.

    Robert Johnson indeed!

  6. @ptfe: Indeed!

    1
  7. Liberal Capitalist says:

    No, you don’t understand… it’s not Trumps fault.

    Look at that picture. Really look. Look closer. Do it now.

    You thought he was dead, and he’s not. He got into Trump’s administration as a transvestite and did this. He’s responsible. For Everything !!11@!!

    That’s not some woman named Hope Hicks. That’s Michael Jackson.

    1
  8. dazedandconfused says:

    @ptfe:

    Quite.

    ETTD.