For almost 250 years the numbers 1776 have been considered an emblem of the United States bid for freedom from England. They have now taken on a more sinister meaning since the events of January 6, 2021 when a mob stormed the Nation’s Capitol building in an attempt to thwart the counting of electoral votes certifying the election of President Joseph Biden.
In the days immediately following the insurrection reports of newly elected congressional representatives giving tours to unnamed, unidentified people the day before the riot trickled out into the news media. Congresswoman Lauren Boebert denied giving any tours to insurrectionists but admitted to giving tours to “family members” on January 2nd and 3rd. Yet on the day of the insurrection, she tweeted that “today is 1776” and that House of Representatives Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi had been removed from the House Chamber and the members were locked inside of it, despite having been told by the House Sergeant of Arms not to post anything to social media.
Congressman Jody Hice (R-Georgia) also tweeted on January 6, hours before Congress convened, that “What is done today will be remembered. This is our 1776 moment.” What was meant by the references to 1776 was open to much speculation in the days, weeks and months following the rioting and insurrection. Then, on February 14th of this year, much greater clarity was shed on the true meaning of these tweets by elected members of Congress. On that day an indictment was filed against leaders and members of the “Proud Boys,” a far-right anti-immigrant, racist organization, charging them with conspiracy to commit various crimes and the commission of those crimes in connection to their activities and conduct leading up to the events that occurred at the Capitol on January 6, 2021 and on that day.
On page 5 at paragraph 14(c) of the indictment it is alleged;
“…the defendant Ethan Nordean is alleged to have posted on social media on November 20, 2020 “’We tried to play nice and by the rules, now you will deal with the monster that you created. The spirit of 1776 has resurfaced and has created groups like the Proud Boys and we will not be extinguished. We will grow like the flame that fuels us and spread like the love that guides us. We are unstoppable, unrelenting and……now unforgiving. Good luck to all of you traitors of this country that we so deeply love…you’re going to need it.’”
Further on in the Indictment on page 12 at paragraph 41 it is alleged that
“Between December 30 and December 31, 2020 Tarrio communicated multiple times with an individual whose identity is known to the grand jury On December 30 this individual sent Tarrio, a nine-page document titled ‘1776 Returns.’ The document set forth a plan to occupy a few ‘crucial building’ in Washington, D.C., on January 6, including House and Senate office buildings around the Capitol with ‘as many people as possible’ to ‘show our politicians We the People are in charge’ After the document was sent the individual stated ‘ The revolution is important than anything.’ Tarrio responded, ‘That’s what every waking moment consists of…I’m not paying games.’”
Finally, on page 23 of the indictment at paragraph 106 it is alleged that on January 6th the day of the insurrection;
“At 2:57 p.m. Tarrio posted a message on social media that read ‘1776’ and then ‘Revolutionaries are now at the Rayburn office building’ which referred to a House of representatives’ office building that had been referenced in the ‘1776 Returns’ plan received by Tarrio on December 30, 2020 had received.”
It now becomes very clear that the references to “1776” in the tweets of the various Republican Congressional member that day were not idle, random commentary on the events to unfold that day but were recognition of the plot hatched by the Proud Boys and their accomplices to stage an insurrection to try and overturn the election results. In this context the “tours” led by Boebert and others in the days before it, deserve more and deeper scrutiny.
Indeed, it is becoming increasingly clear that additional scrutiny should be focused on additional members of Congress and their possible involvement in the events of January 6th. This past October, Rolling Stone magazine published an article that reported that two organizers of the January 6th protests admitted meeting with Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Paul Gosar (R-Az), Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), Madison Cawthorn (R-NC), Andy Biggs (R-Ga.), Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), Boebert and others in planning the protests of January 6.
At this writing it appears that the probes by the House of representatives Select Committee and the Justice Department have widened and encompasses the conduct of Steve Bannon, Roger Stone and the usual collection of felons that are part of Trump’s Circle. It has even focused on the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’s wife, Ginni.
As we continue to learn more, I can’t help but feel that Benedict Arnold showed more loyalty to this country.