All the pieces of the coup were in place. We know Trump replaced the Pentagon leadership right after the election, we know the former Secretaries of Defense were spooked enough by what they were hearing to release a public letter, and even Bill Barr, Trump's Renfield, scurried on out of the White House right before Christmas.

Now we find out that somebody, somewhere (gee, I wonder who?), was blocking the National Guard from repelling the attack.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, said yesterday the Maryland National Guard was ready to help during the Capitol attack but was “repeatedly” told they did not have the authorization, despite pleas from House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. Via the Washington Post:

“I was actually on the phone with Leader Hoyer who was pleading with us to send the guard,” Hogan said. “He was yelling across the room to Schumer and they were back and forth saying we do have the authorization and I’m saying, ‘I’m telling you we do not have the authorization.' ”

Hogan said Maj. Gen. Timothy Gowen, the adjutant general of the Maryland National Guard, was repeatedly rebuffed by the Pentagon.

Gowen “kept running it up the flagpole, and we don’t have authorization,” Hogan said. “We don’t have authorization.”

Ninety minutes later, Hogan said, he received a call “out of the blue, not from the secretary of defense, not through what would be normal channels,” but from Ryan McCarthy, the secretary of the Army. McCarthy asked if the Maryland guardsmen could “come as soon as possible,” Hogan recounted.

“It was like, yeah, we’re waiting, we’re ready,” Hogan said.

Someone needs to be held responsible for this dead officer.

The Russians bought the right man for the job. We know this was Trump. We know this was what he was spending his time on since the election. I think it's clear he was coordinating parallel coups in statehouses (certainly, my own state of Pennsylvania) and yes, this time, finally, Donald Trump will pay a price.