Crash Course: How dark money fueled the Jan. 6 insurrection — and why we can't find it

How dark money fueled the Jan. 6 insurrection — and why we can't find it Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpimsgvn2IvNuSUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). [Donald-Trump,-Jeffrey-Clark] Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images How dark money fueled the Jan. 6 insurrection — and why we can't find it In September 2020, a dark-money group called the Rule of Law Defense Fund convened a meeting in Atlanta of staffers from the fund's corporate sibling, the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA). Their purpose was to run "war games," to be ready in the event Donald Trump lost reelection in November. A little over three months later, the same group would help to assemble the mob before the White House on Jan. 6, 2021. This wasn't an isolated incident. Shadowy preparations like these began long before the violence of Jan. 6. As the House Select Committee investigating those events begins hearings this week, we may learn much more about those preparations and the people behind them. But it will be difficult to see the full picture, because much of the preparation is shrouded in dark-money secrecy, with funds channeled through front groups that don't have to disclose who controls them. Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse details how Congress can root out how "dark channels of influence that have corrupted our politics for years were used to plan and execute the Jan. 6 coup attempt." [Read Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse's full op-ed.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0Q3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMDYvd2hpdGVob3VzZS1kYXJrLW1vbmV5L1cDc3BjQgpimsgvn2IvNuSUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) [Bullet-casing] Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images U.S. gun laws are causing mayhem and mass murder — and Republicans couldn't be more thrilled A major GOP campaign message going into the midterms is that "woke" Democrats are letting criminals run amok in the cities. Dramatic gun violence really helps sell this message, which is why Republicans are [guaranteed to block any bill](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0R3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMDYvd2UtY2FudC1ldmVuLWdldC1iYWNrZ3JvdW5kLWRlbW9jcmF0cy1hbHJlYWR5LWNhdmVkLWluLWJpbGwtbmVnb3RpYXRpb25zLXdpdGhfcGFydG5lci9XA3NwY0IKYprIL59iLzbklFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) that would make it even slightly harder for violent and unhinged people to get guns. This is how Republicans operate: Break things and then blame Democrats for the damage. They back policies that lead to violence that harms people of color, then they blame people of color in order to get votes from racist white people. For Republicans, it's all political upside. For the rest of us, however, it comes at the price of living in a society where any of us, at any time, could find ourselves the victim of the latest angry young man with a gun taking his grievances out on strangers. The price we're paying for the GOP's political propaganda is being paid, every day, in blood. And it's likely to get worse as the summer heats up and[ people's nerves remain frayedÂ](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0ReaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMDUvdHJ1bXAtdGhlLWFuZC1tZW1vcnktaS1jYW50LWZvcmdldC0tYnV0LWktY2FudC1yZW1lbWJlci13aGF0L1cDc3BjQgpimsgvn2IvNuSUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)after all the stress of the past few years. [Read more from Amanda Marcotte.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0RjaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMDYvdXMtbGF3cy1hcmUtY2F1c2luZy1tYXloZW0tYW5kLW1hc3MtLWFuZC1jb3VsZG50LWJlLW1vcmUtdGhyaWxsZWQvVwNzcGNCCmKayC-fYi825JRSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - “Targeted act”: Militia member kills ex-judge, had [“hit list” targeting Whitmer](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0R3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMDYvdGFyZ2V0ZWQtYWN0LW1pbGl0aWEtbWVtYmVyLWV4LWp1ZGdlLWNhdWdodC13aXRoLWhpdC1saXN0LXRhcmdldGluZy13aGl0bWVyLW1jY29ubmVsbC9XA3NwY0IKYprIL59iLzbklFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), officials say - Jan. 6 hearings will feature ["disturbing" new evidence](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMDYvamFuLTYtaGVhcmluZ3Mtd2lsbC1mZWF0dXJlLWRpc3R1cmJpbmctbmV3LWV2aWRlbmNlLWRlbW9jcmF0cy1wcmV2aWV3cy9XA3NwY0IKYprIL59iLzbklFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), House Democrat previews - The [bizarre story of Alan Cumming's chimp pal](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0REaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMDYvYWxhbi1jdW1taW5nLWNoaW1wYW56ZWUtdG9ua2EtZmFrZS9XA3NwY0IKYprIL59iLzbklFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), a missing primate mystery involving a faked death - [Trump ignites a fury from his MAGA base](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0RpaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMDYvaWduaXRlcy1hLWZ1cnktZnJvbS1oaXMtbWFnYS1iYXNlLWFmdGVyLWVuZG9yc2luZy1rZXZpbi1tY2NhcnRoeS1mb3ItcmUvVwNzcGNCCmKayC-fYi825JRSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) after endorsing Kevin McCarthy for re-election - A [new COVID vaccine is coming](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0RwaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMDYvYS1mb3VydGgtdmFjY2luZS1mcm9tLW5vdmF2YXgtdmFjY2luZS1pcy1jb21pbmctc29vbi13aWxsLWl0LXN3YXktYW50aS12YXh4ZXJzL1cDc3BjQgpimsgvn2IvNuSUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). Will it sway anti-vaxxers? - [ADHD doesn't just affect young people](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0R9aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMDUvYWRoZC1kb2VzbnQtanVzdC1hZmZlY3QteW91bmctcGVvcGxlLS1hbmQtaXRzLW5vdC1zb21ldGhpbmctdGhhdHMtanVzdC1jYXVzZWQtYnktdGVjaG5vbG9neS9XA3NwY0IKYprIL59iLzbklFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) — and it's not something that's just caused by technology - When a [royal child misbehaves](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0RLaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMDYvcHJpbmNlLWxvdWlzLWthdGUtbWlkZGxldG9uLXJveWFsLWp1YmlsZWUvVwNzcGNCCmKayC-fYi825JRSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~), a mother is blamed. She shouldn't be - An [absolutely effortless tiramisu](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0RraHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMDYvYW4tYWJzb2x1dGVseS1lZmZvcnRsZXNzLXRpcmFtaXN1LWNvdXJ0ZXN5LW9mLWEtbm9zdGFsZ2ljLWNoaWxkaG9vZC1zbmFjay9XA3NwY0IKYprIL59iLzbklFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), courtesy of a nostalgic childhood snack Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpimsgvn2IvNuSUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. [Richard-Nixon,-Donald-Trump] Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images The ghost of Watergate looms over Jan. 6 hearings: Will there be accountability this time? In a couple of weeks, the United States will "celebrate" one of the most shameful political events in its history:[ the 50th anniversary of Watergate](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0Q6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FzaGluZ3RvbnBvc3QuY29tL3dhdGVyZ2F0ZS01MHRoLWFubml2ZXJzYXJ5L1cDc3BjQgpimsgvn2IvNuSUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). The infamous break-in started out as what the Nixon White House dismissively called a "third rate burglary," but over the course of the following two years an incredible story of crude criminality, corruption, and even possible treason unfolded before the public, resulting in dozens of jail sentences and the only presidential resignation in American history. It may seem odd to commemorate such a notorious event but it could not be more relevant to our modern times. This week begins [the first public hearings](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0RnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMDMvdGhlLWphbi02LWNvbW1pdHRlZS1oZWFyaW5ncy1hcmUtZmluYWxseS1oZXJlLS1hbmQtYXJlLXJ1bm5pbmctc2NhcmVkL1cDc3BjQgpimsgvn2IvNuSUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) aiming to unravel an equally serious White House scandal, featuring another corrupt president and all his men and women, that could have even more far-reaching consequences for the country than the first one. [Read more from Heather Digby Parton.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0R5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMDYvdGhlLWdob3N0LW9mLXdhdGVyZ2F0ZS1sb29tcy1vdmVyLWphbi02LWhlYXJpbmdzLXdpbGwtdGhlcmUtYmUtYWNjb3VudGFiaWxpdHktdGhpcy10aW1lL1cDc3BjQgpimsgvn2IvNuSUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Why Are Police So Bad at Their Jobs?" [The American Prospect](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0RBaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9zcGVjdC5vcmcvanVzdGljZS93aHktYXJlLXBvbGljZS1zby1iYWQtYXQtdGhlaXItam9icy9XA3NwY0IKYprIL59iLzbklFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Legal claims shed light on founder of faith group tied to Amy Coney Barrett," [The Guardian](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0RkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZ3VhcmRpYW4uY29tL3dvcmxkLzIwMjIvanVuLzA2L3Blb3BsZS1vZi1wcmFpc2UtYWNjdXNlZC1jaGlsZC1hYnVzZS1hbXktY29uZXktYmFycmV0dFcDc3BjQgpimsgvn2IvNuSUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "To Enjoy Life More, Embrace Anticipation," [The New York Times](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0RIaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wNS8zMS93ZWxsL21pbmQvYW50aWNpcGF0aW9uLWhhcHBpbmVzcy5odG1sVwNzcGNCCmKayC-fYi825JRSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "The Depp verdict set a new precedent, and Marilyn Manson is up next," [Mel Magazine](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0RxaHR0cHM6Ly9tZWxtYWdhemluZS5jb20vZW4tdXMvc3Rvcnkvam9obm55LWRlcHAtbWFyaWx5bi1tYW5zb24tbGliZWwtbGF3c3VpdC1hYnVzZS1hbGxlZ2F0aW9ucz9jdXJhdG9yPU1lZGlhUkVERUZXA3NwY0IKYprIL59iLzbklFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Canada trials decriminalizing cocaine, MDMA and other drugs," [BBC](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0QxaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmJjLmNvbS9uZXdzL3dvcmxkLXVzLWNhbmFkYS02MTY1NzA5NVcDc3BjQgpimsgvn2IvNuSUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "A study gave cash and therapy to men at risk of criminal behavior. 10 years later, the results are in." [Vox](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudm94LmNvbS9mdXR1cmUtcGVyZmVjdC8yMzE0MTQwNS92aW9sZW5jZS1jcmltZS1jYnQtdGhlcmFweS1jYXNoLXNob290aW5nc1cDc3BjQgpimsgvn2IvNuSUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) [Michigan-voter-fraud-protesters] Rey Del Rio/Getty Images Michigan's GOP push to fight fake "voter fraud" gets upended by actual fraud Michigan Republicans obsessed with Trump's lies about nonexistent "voter fraud" have spent months trying to execute a plot to use the state's citizen initiative process as an end-around Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's veto of the party's voter restrictions. All organizers had to do was collect over 340,047 signatures for the legislature to be able to adopt the petition and pass the restrictions without any recourse for Whitmer to block them. But the organizers blew through the state's filing deadline on Thursday after finding tens of thousands of fraudulent signatures. The announcement came just days after the state's Bureau of Elections and Board of Canvassers [disqualified five of the 10 Republicans](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0RuaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMjgvZW1iYXJyYXNzaW5nLWV2ZW4tZnVtZS1hdC1taWNoaWdhbi1mb3ItZGVmZW5kaW5nLWNhbmRpZGF0ZXMtYnVzdGVkLWZvci1mcmF1ZC9XA3NwY0IKYprIL59iLzbklFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) running for governor, including frontrunners James Craig and Perry Johnson, after discovering that thousands of the signatures on the petitions they circulated to qualify for the ballot were also fraudulent. Suddenly, the Michigan GOP's fight against so-called "voter fraud" is wracked by mounting discoveries of actual fraud. [Read more from Igor Derysh.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0RnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDYvMDYvbWljaGlnYW5zLXB1c2gtdG8tZmlnaHQtZmFrZS12b3Rlci1mcmF1ZC1nZXRzLXVwZW5kZWQtYnktYWN0dWFsLWZyYXVkL1cDc3BjQgpimsgvn2IvNuSUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Our mailing address: 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, DE 19801 [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmKayC-fYi825JRSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkgbTIP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgpimsgvn2IvNuSUUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)