| Notes |
We know that in the weeks before January 6, Steve Bannon was using every means at his disposal to play a “central role” in ensuring January 6 would be the “hell” he publicly predicted it would be—24 hours before the attack on the Capitol. The House January 6 Committee has found that Bannon occupied “multiple roles” relevant to the planning of the events of January 6. So with the news that he was a seminal partner with Thomas in creating Groundswell, and that Groundswell members Cleta Mitchell and Barbara Ledeen were on-the-ground operators in the insurrection effort (see the prior Proof report on this), it can hardly be doubted that Trump was able to reach out to Groundswell, either directly or through Bannon, to weaponize it in service of his political objectives during November and December of 2020. |