
Congress is set to certify President-elect Donald Trump's victory today, on the four-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection. Since then, almost 1,500 people have been charged with crimes for their actions that day, and more than 500 people have served — or are still serving — time in prison. Not Trump, though. He's managed to avoid any real consequences for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Hanna Rosin, co-host of The Atlantic's narrative podcast 'We Live Here Now,' joins us to reflect on the Jan. 6 anniversary and what Trump's reelection means for the rioters. Later in the show, a former D.C. metropolitan police officer who was at the Capitol during the insurrection talks about what he saw that day. And in headlines: The FBI shared more details about the man they say planned the New Orleans terrorist attack, A New York judge upheld Trump's felony conviction and set a sentencing date in his hush money case, and funeral services began for former President Jimmy Carter.
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Jane Coston
It's Monday, January 6th. Happy New Year. I'm Jane Coston, and this is what a day. The show that, unlike former Florida Representative Matt Gaetz, did not spend part of its winter break live tweeting its own ethics report release. Because this show is good at a lot of things, but exceptionally good at not doing unethical things and then telling lots of people about them. On today's show, President Joe Biden passes out medals and increase Social Security benefits for public sector workers. And we talked to a former D.C. metropolitan Police officer who was at the Capitol on January 6th. Let's get into it. A lot happened while we were out for the holidays. Former President Jimmy Carter died. Fourteen people were killed in New Orleans in a terrorist attack on New Year's Day. Another five people died in a similar attack at a Christmas market in Germany. Elon Musk got in a big fight online with a MAGA faithful over immigration visas for high skill workers. And it all led to him saying to his detractors, quote, fuck yourself in the face. So that's fun. A new Congress was sworn in with Republican majorities in both the House and Senate. And House Speaker Mike Johnson managed to hold onto his job, albeit barely, after a few Republican holdouts decided to vote for him. That brings us to today, when Congress is set to certify the 2024 election results and incoming President Donald Trump's victory. It happens to fall on the four year anniversary of January 6, 2021, when a mob of violent insurrectionists stormed the Capitol to try to overturn Trump's loss in the 2020 election. It's a seemingly full circle moment with Congress certifying Trump's victory four years to the day that he encouraged his supporters to fight for him.
Donald Trump
We fight like hell, and if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore.
Jane Coston
Since then, almost 1,500 people have been charged with crimes for their actions that day. Close to 900 of them pleaded guilty and another 200 or so were found guilty at trial. More than 500 people served time in prison. Some are still serving time. Not Trump, though. He's managed to avoid any real consequences for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. And as he heads back to the White House, it raises a lot of big questions about what comes next. Will he really pardon the rioters like he says he will? What does it mean that a sizable portion of the country thinks the insurrectionists are heroes? Will they successfully rewrite the story of what happened that day? Could it happen again? So to reflect on the anniversary, I spoke with Hanna Rosen. She's the host of Radio Atlantic and co host of the Atlantic's narrative podcast. We live here now. It's all about the so called justice for January 6th movement and its leaders. Hannah, welcome to what a day.
Hanna Rosen
Thank you. Excited to be here.
Jane Coston
So you had a very unique experience of the justice for January 6th movement because the mother of Ashley Babbitt, who was killed in the capitol building on January 6, and the wife of the first person sentenced for crimes that took place on that day, moved in right by you. First and foremost, what was that like for you?
Hanna Rosen
Well, we didn't know that she was there until my partner and I were walking our dogs and my partner yelled something at her car because the car was full of January 6th stickers. We didn't know someone was in the car. And then that person rolled down the window and said, justice for January 6th right back at us. And then they had an altercation, you know, so that's how we figured out who lived in that house. Now it's obvious, because they have a big justice for January 6th sign up. Now they're out. So, you know, if I walk down the block right now, two blocks from here, there's the justice for January 6th sign on the house.
Jane Coston
And I have to ask, what do you think that experience of eventually speaking to you, you talk about this on the podcast and their experience of living in D.C. what do you think that's been like for them? Because they're still living there.
Hanna Rosen
Yeah, like, my partner would talk to them a lot about what they were doing every day, and it was always like, they're going to the Hill, they're going to the Supreme Court. I mean, they learned the work, the inner workings of the, of the D.C. government more than I did. And I've lived here, you know, for a couple of decades, so. So part of it was just an education. Then they'd be surprised by normal city stuff, like heartbroken by homeless people, like, why are there homeless people on the street? So they had a little bit of that, but they barely lived here. Like, they did their work. They. I wouldn't say they went to a. Went to a movie. What they did was go to the D.C. jail every single night, go to some hearing during the day. And that was the extent of their existence, except that they went to a tiny black church in our neighborhood across the street from them. That's like their one interaction with DC Interestingly.
Jane Coston
And you mentioned that your neighbors are out now. They've got a Big flag in front of their house. Do you think that's because Trump won the election?
Hanna Rosen
I think it's one because Trump won the election, and I think it's two because we did this podcast about them that all our neighbors listened to. So it allowed them to, you know, come out of their shell a little bit. Not that they were in their shell, but, you know, they were trying not to make trouble. And now I think they're like, we're here. We're not queer. Whatever. Finish the sentence, we're here, and get over it. You know, January 6th is today. They put up the sign a few days ago, and I think they want people to pass by and remember their version of January 6th.
Jane Coston
Were you living in D.C. on January 6th?
Hanna Rosen
Yes, I was.
Jane Coston
Did speaking with your neighbors change in any way how you saw that day?
Hanna Rosen
No, I would say all that happened was my brain broke because we lived it. We saw it. I lived not far from the Capitol. I biked by that day. I mean, it was like living in a different city. Like, there were barricades everywhere. We watched it on tv. You heard congressmen talking about their experiences and being barricaded and being under desks. I mean, it was real chaos. And so it was very visceral for those of us who lived in D.C. so I say my brain broke because it was like going deeper and deeper into a world of people who were actively, in the course of these four years, rewriting what I knew in my bones to be true and simultaneously accepting them as humans and neighbors, and particularly Ashley Babbitt's mother, because her daughter died. So it's not that one counteracted the other. You just kind of had to open up your brain to have both of those realities at the same time. Now, I will say going to the January 6th trials has been an interesting experience, which I have done, because watching people who, for the most part, have not had any experience with the justice system, you know, go through federal court, where in general it tends to be stricter, sentences are harsher, and at the same time, watching Donald Trump basically not be punished, the opposite. So. So that's been an interesting experience. That has changed my mind a little bit.
Jane Coston
You mentioned Ashley Babbitt's mother, Mickey Whithoft. How would you describe your relationship with her and with Nicole Reffet, who I mentioned earlier? Her husband is one of the first people who were sentenced for crimes that took place on January 6th?
Hanna Rosen
Well, in the podcast, which is called We Live Here Now, I would say my partner, Lauren Ober, who. Who's my partner in life, but also my co host in this podcast and a journalist. We have different relationships with those guys, and I would say she has a good and close relationship with them. Like, they'll still text, they'll see how each other is doing. Like, she really did get to know them in this deep and complicated way. I remained a little bit suspicious. I felt bad. You know, losing a child is. Is just an unbelievable tragedy. But it's just like my skin with the revisionist history was. Was a lot for me to take. It was just like, a lot for me to see day after day, people saying things that you just know are not true. Like, it's just hard to take.
Jane Coston
You did all of your reporting before Trump won the election. As we get closer to his inauguration, what do the people in the justice for January 6th movement think is going to happen when Trump returns to office?
Hanna Rosen
They absolutely think that he will pardon all of them. They absolutely will. They're already, you know, on social media issuing threats like, he, he there. There's just no line. There's nobody he can't pardon. I mean, the movement is pretty strong, and they've met with Trump over the years. I mean, they've. They've had meetings at Mar A Lago. He hasn't made explicit promises. The way he's put it is case by case basis. But I think their expectation is that if it is case by case basis, they're only like two or three people he wouldn't pardon, the people who got the harshest sentences and who really beat up cops. Other than that, they should all be pardoned.
Jane Coston
But will the pardons be enough, though? Is that really all the movement wants?
Hanna Rosen
I think that what they want is an accepted, settled understanding that they did the right thing, like a literal flip of what a lot of people understand to be true. It's not merely that we were overcharged. It's not merely that we didn't do anything bad. We were victims of the deep state. We actually did something noble and heroic. So they want the entire image and vision of that day to be flipped.
Jane Coston
I think that that leads to my last question, which is how do you think January 6th will be viewed in the future? And do you think that Trump's victory signifies that that kind of revisionist history is winning with some people?
Hanna Rosen
I really, really struggle with this because we saw this happen with the lost cause narrative. Now, how do people remember the Civil War differently? Like, it just changes over time. Like, the statues went up. They were there for decades and decades. You know, a few years ago they came down like you go to Richmond now, and a lot of those statues aren't there anymore. I think January 6th is going to be a struggle for a really long time. I think the big difference in a social media age is that people say things in a trolley way that they don't necessarily believe. Do they actually believe what happened on January 6th happened the way they say it, it's very hard to tell. Just very hard to tell if people are being serious and they actually believe what they say happened. So I don't know what that adds up to in the future. We're kind of in a new way of dealing with facts and making history.
Jane Coston
Hannah, thank you so much for joining me.
Hanna Rosen
Yeah, thank you so much.
Jane Coston
That was my conversation with Hannah Rosen. She's co host of the Atlantic's narrative podcast We Live Here now about the justice for January 6th movement. We'll get to more of the news in a moment, but if you like the show, make sure to subscribe. Leave a five star review on Apple Podcasts, watch us on YouTube and share with your friends. More to come after some ads the old adage you are what you eat rings very true to all of us in the modern day. And I am always looking for an on the go protein snack that satisfies me and I think I may have found one. Mosh Bars Mosh was founded by Maria Shriver and her son Patrick Schwarzenegger with a simple mission to create a conversation about brain health through food, education and research. Maria's father suffered from Alzheimer's and since then she and Patrick have dedicated themselves to finding ways to help other families dealing with this debilitating disease. MASH joined forces with the world's top scientists and functional nutritionists to go beyond your average protein bar with eight delicious flavors including a plant based one in peanut butter and chocolate. Each mash bar is made with ingredients that support brain health like ashwagandha, lion's mane, collagen and omega 3s. And now mosh bars come with a new look and new formulation featuring a game changing brain boosting ingredient you won't find in any other bar. Moch is now the first and only food brand boosted with Cognizant, a premium nootropic that supplies the brain with a patented form of citicoline. But here's the best part. Mosh donates a portion of all proceeds from your order to fund gender based brain health research to the women's Alzheimer's movement. Why gender based? Two thirds of all Alzheimer's patients are women. Mosh is working closely to close the gap between women and men's health research. If you want to find ways to give back to others and fuel your body and your brain, Mosh bars are a perfect choice for you. Head to moshlife.com wadpod to save 20% off plus free shipping on the bestsellers trial pack that's 20% off plus free shipping on the Bestsellers Trial Pack at M O S H l I f e.com wadpod thank you Mosh for sponsoring this episode. WADoday is brought to you by Lenovo. Lenovo is sponsoring Life With Machines, a new video podcast hosted by comedian and tech whiz Baratunde Thurston, where he discusses all things AI. Lenovo's Smarter AI is your AI preparation. Personalized and easy to scale. Smarter AI delivers outcomes that matter most to you and your business with full stack AI hardware, software and service solutions. Lenovo is bringing the transformative power of AI to industries, organizations and people of all kinds. Discover how Lenovo and Baratunde are using AI for good to power people forward. Listen to Life With Machines now streaming wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Jane Coston
USA and now the News Head of.
Hanna Rosen
Lines.
FBI Special Agent
Today we want to focus on filling in some of the gaps and giving you a greater understanding of the planning that went into this horrible attack by Shansud Din Jabbar.
Jane Coston
At a press conference Sunday, FBI Special Agent Lionel Merthyll released new details about the January 1st terrorist attack in New Orleans. Chomsuddin Jabbar drove his car into a crowd of people on Bourbon street in the city's historic French Quarter in the early hours of New Year's Day. Fourteen people were killed and dozens of others were injured. Jabbar was an army veteran who had reportedly posted his support for ISIS on social media and had an ISIS flag on his truck during the attack. Authorities found guns and improvised explosive devices in the vehicle and throughout the French Quarter. Jabbar died in a shootout with police after injuring two officers. Investigators say they believe he acted alone during the press conference. Merthel said Jabbar visited New Orleans in October of last year to plan the attack.
FBI Special Agent
During that time, Jabbar, using Meta glasses, recorded a video as he rode through the French Quarter on a bicycle.
Jane Coston
Merthale said Jabbar was wearing the metaglasses during the attack as well, but was not recording or live streaming. The White House says President Biden is visiting New Orleans today to, quote, grieve with the families and communities affected by the attack. He'll be joined by First Lady Jill Biden. They'll meet with local politicians and families of the victims. New York Justice Juan Marchan upheld Donald Trump's felony conviction in his hush money case, and he set a sentencing date for January 10th, just a week and a half before Trump will be sworn in for his second term as president. But Marchand said in the written decision Thursday that Trump won't see any jail time. The statement says the sentence will be a, quote, unconditional discharge, which means the conviction will stand, but there won't be any penalties of jail, fines or probation. Trump responded on Truth Social, saying the decision is nothing but a rigged charade. Merchand says his decision is an attempt to strike a tricky balance between allowing Trump to do his job as president, the U.S. supreme Court's July ruling on presidential immunity, and the public's expectation that nobody should be above the law. President Biden is keeping busy in the final days of his term. On Sunday, Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act. The bipartisan legislation rescinds two provisions that shrunk benefits for certain public workers. The new law is meant to boost Social Security payments for nearly 3 million people, including public workers like teachers, firefighters and police officers. On Saturday, Biden named 19 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Let's listen to part of Biden's speech at the White House.
Joe Biden
I have the honor of bestowing the Medal of Freedom on our nation's highest civilian honor, on a group of extraordinary, truly extraordinary people who gave their sacred effort, their sacred effort to shape the culture and the cause of America.
Jane Coston
Those honored included Bono, Hillary Clinton, Jane Goodall, Magic Johnson, Ralph Lauren, George Soros and Anna Wintour. And on Friday, Biden followed through on a long held promise to block a Japanese company from buying the U.S. steel company. The $14 billion acquisition of U.S. steel by Nippon Steel was announced a year ago. Biden used his executive authority to block the deal, sidestepping advice from top a Funeral services for former President Jimmy Carter started Saturday outside his family's farm in Plains, Georgia, where a farm bell rang 39 times in tribute to the 39th president. His body was then moved to the Carter Presidential center in Atlanta, where it will lie in repose until Tuesday morning before being transferred to DC For a capital service on Thursday. President Biden is expected to deliver A eulogy at Carter's state funeral. Carter will return to Georgia to be laid to rest in his Hometown. Born in 1924 in Georgia, Carter served seven years in the Navy before returning home to run his family's peanut farm. He entered politics as a Democrat in the 60s and later became Georgia's governor. And in 1976, he won the presidency after defeating incumbent Republican Gerald Ford. Carter's administration brokered the historic peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, as well as the 1977 Panama Canal Treaty. In his farewell speech in 1981, Carter said, Struggle for human rights overrides all differences of color or nation or language.
Joe Biden
The love of liberty is a common blood that flows in our American veins.
Jane Coston
Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his, quote, untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights. Jimmy Carter died on December 29th at 100 years old. And that's the news. One more thing. It feels weird to me to say that four years ago today, protesters intent on stopping Congress from certifying Biden's win in the 2020 presidential election stormed the Capitol because it seems like barely any time has passed at all. As we Talked about earlier January 6, protesters are still demanding pardons and arguing. What they did that day wasn't just understandable, but good. More than 170 police officers were assaulted by protesters that day, and the ripple effects of January 6th on the lives of those officers who came to work that day are still ongoing. Among those officers was Michael Fanone. When he testified before the House select committee on the January 6th attack in July of 2021, he talked about what he survived that day.
Michael Fanone
At one point, I came face to face with an attacker who repeatedly lunged for me and attempted to remove my firearm. I heard chanting from some in the crowd, get his gun and kill him with his own gun.
Jane Coston
Fanon retired from the police force in 2021. I talked to him about what he saw that day and what lessons, if any, he learned from January 6th. Michael, thank you so much for being here.
Michael Fanone
Of course.
Jane Coston
I want to start off by talking about your experience of the insurrection. What was it like to watch all of this unfold? Especially. And this is something that really gets me. So many of the rioters would think of themselves as being pro law enforcement and supposedly ideologically supportive of law enforcement. But on that day, they were trying to kill you.
Michael Fanone
Yeah. First, let me address that. Nobody's pro law enforcement. I mean, shit, even police officers aren't pro law enforcement. Nobody likes getting Stopped. Nobody likes getting a ticket. Nobody likes having interactions with the police. That's just the way that it is. And, you know, on that day, those individuals didn't like the police standing in the way of them interrupting Congress's attempt to certify a free and fair election.
Jane Coston
It's been four years, and now Trump is coming back to the White House, and all feels a little bit surreal. Do you think that this kind of thing could happen again?
Michael Fanone
Well, Trump won. And, I mean, while we did see violence in the aftermath of Trump's inauguration, the first go round, I didn't see any attempts to subvert democracy or prevent Congress from certifying the election like we did in 2020. I mean, I believe that we are going to continue to see violence in this country just because it has become the norm. Our politics now are violent. We have elected officials in our government who use violent rhetoric to inspire their supporters to commit these acts to suppress the vote and to scare their detractors into submission.
Jane Coston
Getting back to DC, do you think Capitol Police and DC's Metropolitan Police Department are more prepared for a large riot and political violence now than they were four years ago? And what does that kind of preparation even look like?
Michael Fanone
I don't have a clue. I would hope that they're more prepared than they were four years ago. That being said, you know, there is some truth in the fact that there's not a whole lot that you can do to prevent tens of thousands of people from storming a building, you know, short of using some extreme levels of violence that are just not appropriate for American law enforcement.
Jane Coston
Are there any lessons that you take away from what happened that day?
Michael Fanone
There are so many lessons. I don't know if we could fit them into this interview. I mean, the biggest lesson that I take from this is that, you know, I was a believer in American exceptionalism prior to January 6, 2021. And if there's one thing that the last four years have taught me is that America is not an exceptional country. We are susceptible to the same pitfalls that everyone else has experienced in their much older forms of democracy. We have some great people in this country who are deeply dedicated to the rule of law, to our Constitution, to the rights that our Founding Fathers intended for us to enjoy. But there's a lot that are only interested in themselves, in their own careers in making money. And unfortunately, I think that most of all, we have too many Americans who are completely indifferent. And to me, that indifference has risen to a level of cowardice. There's just too many cowards in America, too many cowards, too many people that are not willing to stand up and speak out. And, you know, we've seen in history time and time again what happens when that cowardice becomes the main characteristic of a people.
Jane Coston
Michael, thank you so much for joining me.
Michael Fanone
Yes, ma'am. Thank you for having me.
Jane Coston
That was my conversation with Michael Fanone, former Metropolitan Police Officer for the District of Columbia. That's all for today. If you like the show, make sure you subscribe. Leave a review Resolve to listen to Water Day every day and tell your friends to listen. And if you're into reading, not just about how New Year's resolutions could be for really anything like fun things like listening to podcasts or or eating more cereal like me. What a Day is also a nightly newsletter. Check it out and subscribe@crooked.com subscribe I'm Jane Costen and resolve to listen to me more often. What a Day is a production of Crooked Media. It's recorded and mixed by Desmond Taylor. Our associate producer is Raven Yamamoto. Our producer is Michelle Eloy. We have production help today from Tyler Hill, Johanna Case, Joseph Dutra, Greg Walters and Julia Claire. Our senior producer is Erica Morrison and our executive producer is Adrienne Hill. Our theme music is by Colin Gilliard and Kashaka.
Donald Trump
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What a Day Podcast Summary
Episode: What Trump's Win Means for Jan 6 Rioters
Release Date: January 6, 2025
Host: Jane Coston, Crooked Media
In this episode of What a Day, host Jane Coston delves into the ramifications of former President Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 election, particularly focusing on its implications for the January 6th rioters. The episode intertwines in-depth interviews, current events, and insightful analysis to explore the evolving political and social landscape in the United States.
The episode opens with Jane Coston highlighting the historic moment as Congress prepares to certify Donald Trump's election win on January 6, 2025—the exact four-year anniversary of the Capitol insurrection. This certification not only symbolizes a political comeback for Trump but also rekindles debates and questions surrounding the events of January 6, 2021.
Key Points:
Notable Quote:
Donald Trump: "We fight like hell, and if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore."
[01:48]
Jane Coston interviews Hanna Rosen, host of Radio Atlantic and co-host of The Atlantic's narrative podcast We Live Here Now. Hanna provides a personal perspective on the "Justice for January 6th" movement, shedding light on the motivations and expectations of its members.
Key Points:
Notable Quotes:
Hanna Rosen: "What they want is an accepted, settled understanding that they did the right thing... they actually did something noble and heroic."
[08:40]
Hanna Rosen: "January 6th is going to be a struggle for a really long time."
[09:17]
The episode features an interview with Michael Fanone, a former Metropolitan Police Officer for the District of Columbia who was present during the Capitol insurrection. Fanone shares his harrowing experiences and offers a critical analysis of the current political climate.
Key Points:
Notable Quotes:
Michael Fanone: "Nobody's pro law enforcement... they didn't like the police standing in the way of them interrupting Congress's attempt to certify a free and fair election."
[19:50]
Michael Fanone: "America is not an exceptional country. We are susceptible to the same pitfalls that everyone else has experienced in their much older forms of democracy."
[21:56]
Beyond the central theme of Trump's victory and its impact on January 6th rioters, the episode covers several significant news stories:
FBI Special Agent Lionel Merthyll discusses a tragic event where Chomsud Din Jabar, an army veteran with ties to ISIS ideology, orchestrated a deadly attack on Bourbon Street, resulting in 14 fatalities. The incident underscores ongoing concerns about domestic terrorism and radicalization.
Notable Quote:
FBI Special Agent Lionel Merthyll: "Jabbar visited New Orleans in October of last year to plan the attack."
[13:18]
Social Security Fairness Act: Biden signs bipartisan legislation to enhance Social Security benefits for nearly 3 million public sector workers, reversing previous cuts.
Notable Quote:
Joe Biden: "I have the honor of bestowing the Medal of Freedom on our nation's highest civilian honor..."
[15:55]
Presidential Medal of Freedom: Nineteen individuals, including Bono, Hillary Clinton, and Jane Goodall, are honored for their significant contributions to American culture and society.
Blocking U.S. Steel Acquisition: Biden vetoes Nippon Steel's $14 billion bid to acquire U.S. Steel, citing national interests and bypassing prior executive advice.
The episode pays homage to Jimmy Carter, detailing his contributions to peace and human rights, his recent passing at the age of 100, and the forthcoming state funeral. Carter's legacy as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and his pivotal role in historic treaties are highlighted.
Notable Quote:
Joe Biden: "The love of liberty is a common blood that flows in our American veins."
[17:38]
Jane Coston concludes by reflecting on the enduring impact of the January 6th insurrection. Despite the passage of four years, the event continues to influence political discourse, law enforcement experiences, and societal divisions. The certification of Trump's victory reignites debates about accountability, historical narrative, and the resilience of American democracy.
Final Thoughts:
This summary captures the essence of the episode, providing a comprehensive overview of the discussions, insights, and key moments presented by Jane Coston and her guests.