It’s Inauguration Day on the QAnon calendar, David Neiwert explains, “because March 4, according to the alternative universe occupied by far-right conspiracy theorists, is the official Inauguration Day for the real winner [blink blink] of the 2020 presidential election: Donald J. Trump.”
Yes, there’s more:
Capitol Police had issued a simple and clear warning: “We have obtained intelligence that shows a possible plot to breach the Capitol by an identified militia group on Thursday, March 4,” adding: “We are taking the intelligence seriously.” So the House wrapped up all of its Thursday business on Wednesday, canceling today’s session and leaving Congress vacant for the day.
The FBI and Department of Homeland Security issued a separate bulletin about an “unidentified group of [militia violent extremists]” who “discussed plans to take control of the US Capitol and remove Democratic lawmakers” on Thursday.
“Online chatter identified by authorities included discussions among members of the Three Percenters, an anti-government militia group, concerning possible plots against the Capitol on Thursday,” reports Michael Balsamo of the Associated Press.
ICYMI, The Sacramento Bee explains why the 19th president will be inaugurated today, March 4th:
The date is based on the original Inauguration Day for U.S. presidents. Before 1933, when the 20th Amendment was ratified, presidents were sworn into office on March 4 — with Franklin D. Roosevelt the first president to be sworn into office in January.
Feeld told CNN the March 4 conspiracy stems from a “sovereign citizen belief.”
“Certain QAnon followers have borrowed whole cloth from the belief that the last legitimate president was the 18th president, so this goes back to 1871, and this is the belief that Trump will be actually inaugurated as our 19th president,” he said. “Now of course this is illogical since he was the 45th.”
He said some QAnon followers also believe that no constitutional amendment after the 16th is “valid” and that there has been “no country known as the United States since ever since it was unstuck from the gold standard.”
“So they essentially believe that Ulysses S. Grant was the last valid American president.”
Can’t commit acts of sedition against a country that doesn’t exist, I guess, but then why get upset about the outcome of its last election? As for “the last valid American president,” Republicans running the gift shop at the Reagan Library will not be amused.
Meantime, Congress gets a holiday.