Mark Karlin: Why You Didn't Hear Suspicions About Secret Service Collusion on Thursday Night
Mike Pence sternly told the Secret Service that he was not leaving the Capitol. (Gage Skidmore)
July 22, 2022
MARK KARLIN EDITOR BUZZFLASH
Last week, I wrote a brief commentary about a scenario in which the Secret Service might have colluded with Trump to whisk Mike Pence away from the overrun Capitol on January. It was entitled, “How Secret Service May Have Colluded to Whisk Pence From Capitol and Have Trump Declared Winner.”
Some viewers may have wondered why last night’s hearing didn’t bring up Pence’s famous refusal to get into an SUV and be taken from the Capitol during the riot. The distinct possibility remains that Trump Deputy Chief of Staff (talk about conflict of interest) and a Secret Service WH leader Tony Ornato may have been coordinating Pence’s departure so that the Electoral Count vote might, 1) be suspended and allow the Trump team more time to persuade “on the fence” Republicans to vote for the phony electors at a postponed date; and 2. that Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) (president pro tempore of the Senate) might take Pence’s place when the count resumed and accept the “trumped up” phony electors.
This is speculation, of course, but the dots may fall into place with a little more investigation.
Then why, when Pence was shown making his escape from Trump hangmen in pursuit, did the Committee narrative did not pause to show Pence telling his Secret Service detail that he would not be taken from the Capitol under any circumstances? That was a clear sign that Pence thought the Secret Service was trying to keep him from starting the Electoral Count again after the Capitol was cleared.
The answer as to why this was not mentioned and shown is two-fold:
1) The narrative arc of these hearings, and the (maybe) final public hearing was focussed like a laser on making the case that Trump violated his “dereliction of duty” and other crimes. (The most underreported comment of the evening was when it was reported that Trump said Pence “deserved” hanging and he wouldn’t stop it.) Trump was the mob boss and sociopath.
What was vital was that the Committee close its case and aim full responsibility squarely on Trump. The Secret Service mystery as to their part in the coup attempt would have been a distraction at this point in time.
2) The suspicious erasure of communications from January 5 and 6 on Secret Service phones raises a whole new line of inquiry for the Committee, with some Secret Service members lawyering up now with outside counsel. This will not sort itself out for a few weeks, with the possibility of some members negotiating to testify to the committee. So opening the Secret Service connection to the coup would have been risky without the recovery of the missing texts and testimony, which still may happen.
These tapes have the possibility of being another, if not the, smoking gun because they may reference Trump’s orders.
For these reasons, expect a hearing in the near future that may blow the lid off Trump, the Secret Service and the efforts to get Pence to stop the count. The latter was confirmed last night when we hear on taped Rudy G trying to persuade Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) to stop the count when the rioters were cleared, so that the Trumpistas good get more “information” about the “alternative” electors to pro-Trump Republicans.
So last night slammed shut the case on Trump, with more than enough for the DOJ to try him. The hearings proved that Trump was the Coup Wizard of Oz. This may be confirmed even further if those Secret Service texts are recovered.
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