Sedition:

 The crime of sedition is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines sedition as “incitement of resistance to or insurrection against lawful authority.”

The American public got a good illustration of sedition in action today when hundreds of angry Trump supporters rioted at the United States Capitol, smashing windows and invading the building in an attempt to overthrow our democracy. Outraged because they lost a fair and free election, Trump’s supporters derailed the congressional ceremony to finalize President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory in the 2020 election.

Their violent attack on the heart of our government forced our elected leaders to evacuate the U.S. Capitol as police struggled to regain control of the situation. Anyone who took part in this astonishing attempt to subvert the will of the American voters should be arrested, charged and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. People should go to prison for this — and for a very 

Of course, the ringleaders of this coup attempt weren’t the people crashing through the Capitol’s windows. Many of them are sitting members of Congress who were in the building giving anti-democracy speeches as their supporters launched a treasonous insurrection. The main ringleader of this seditious and treasonous conspiracy — President Donald Trump — was sitting in the White House. 

“We love you, you’re very special,” said Trump in a video message in which he once again made false claims about the election.

These leaders must also be held accountable for their shameful efforts to overthrow our government and install a Trump dictatorship. These elected officials, Republicans all, have repeatedly betrayed their oaths of office and demonstrated an utter lack of loyalty to this nation and its people. Their seditious and treasonous behavior, which directly resulted in an attempt to 

Especially guilty of fomenting sedition are several prominent California congressmen. Chief among them: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, a soulless anti-democracy conspirator who would be glad to see this nation fall so that his political ambitions might live. He is joined by the following traitors to democracy who engaged in direct attempts to overthrow the results of the 2020 election:

• Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale
• Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove
• Ken Calvert, R-Corona
• Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita

McCarthy, LaMalfa, McClintock and Calvert all supported a Texas lawsuit to overturn Biden’s victory. Garcia announced plans to vote against the certification of Biden’s victory. All of their actions were designed to create the violent coup attempt that unfolded at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.

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Their attempt to overthrow our democracy will fail — this time. But this is only the beginning of a new movement to overthrow the legitimacy of our political system and install an authoritarian government. If the despicable actions of these leaders and their violent shock troops go unpunished, they will try again. And next time they might succeed at destroying democracy and the rule of law.

Sacramento Bee Editorial Board 

Read more here: https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/editorials/article248319910.html?ac_cid=DM358812&ac_bid=-940588554#storylink=cpy