Thursday, January 7, 2021

Insurrection Day: Fallout

January 6th 2020, Insurrection Day, has led to the resignation of several top White House aids. Stephanie Grisham, Melania's chief of staff, Anna Cristina Niceta, the White House social secretary, Mick Mulveney, once press secretary and now special envy to Ireland, and deputy White House press secretary Sarah Matthews had all resigned. Several others including national security adviser Robert C. O’Brien, deputy national security adviser Matthew Pottinger and deputy chief of staff Chris Liddell were also thinking of leaving. Elaine Chow, Transport Secretary (and Mitch McConnell's wife) has also resigned. 

Was it an act of courageous defiance, risking the ire of their now former boss? Hardly! With two weeks to go, there is little downside - they'd be out of a job then. But there is a huge upside; they can tout this as acting on principle, showing, too, how they have distanced themselves from the mad king. They can pretend this shows they disagreed with him. But we must not forget that for four years, they have gone along for the ride; jumping ship when the ride has already ground to a halt is not something to be admired.

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