Jan. 6 committee eyes rewriting 1807 Insurrection Act, would remove presidential powers to deploy military

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(Video Credit: MSNBC)

The January 6th House committee is now reportedly considering the radical move of recommending that the 1807 Insurrection Act be amended, removing presidential authority to deploy the military within the United States if necessary to quell an uprising.

According to The New York Times, the discussions are preliminary. Some leftists allegedly fear some sort of doomsday scenario where a rogue president could use the military to bolster an insurrection. Others are said to be worried that removing such power to quickly deploy armed troops would leave the nation vulnerable. The Civil War and the civil rights movement were touted as examples.

Former President Donald Trump never invoked the act while he was in office. At one point, he allegedly threatened to use it against protesters in Lafayette Square who were demonstrating against the police killing George Floyd.

The leftist media outlet is also claiming that Trump adviser Stephen Miller suggested that the act be invoked over illegal immigrants flooding the southern border but Defense Secretary Mark Esper nixed the idea.

The chief clause of the act at issue states: “An Act authorizing the employment of the land and naval forces of the United States, in cases of insurrections. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in all cases of insurrection, or obstruction to the laws, either of the United States, or of any individual state or territory, where it is lawful for the President of the United States to call forth the militia for the purpose of suppressing such insurrection, or of causing the laws to be duly executed, it shall be lawful for him to employ, for the same purposes, such part of the land or naval force of the United States, as shall be judged necessary, having first observed all the pre-requisites of the law in that respect.”

The act allows the president to deploy military and federalized National Guard troops to put down or control an insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination or conspiracy which results in the deprivation of constitutionally secured rights, and where the state is unable, fails, or refuses to protect said rights, according to the Legal Information Institute.

The act was originally signed by President Thomas Jefferson over concerns that his former vice president, Aaron Burr, was plotting a coup.

Since the Civil War and the civil rights unrest, it has only been invoked twice. Once following Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and during the Los Angeles riots in 1992.

Citing alleged actions by Trump and his supporters concerning plans to use the military to upend the 2020 presidential election and take back the country, the committee members are now pondering a review of the act.

“There are many of us who are of the view that the Insurrection Act, which the former president threatened to invoke multiple times throughout 2020, bears a review,” Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California told the New York Times.

The media piece gives a long list of accusations against Trump and his cabinet alleging insurrectionist activities and a purported grab for power. Many consider them to be baseless.

The changes under discussion could potentially up the threshold that a sitting president must meet before he could deploy troops domestically, including requiring consultation with Congress. Changes to the act would also have to go through Congress to be implemented.

Republicans have argued that Congress should not amend the Insurrection Act. They contend that consulting with lawmakers would slow down a president when swift action might be necessary.

“A president would not be able to act quickly and decisively in the event of riots that are not being controlled at the state or municipal level,” Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO) said during a floor debate in 2020 according to the New York Times. He added, “This would hinder and delay needed action to preserve domestic peace.”

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18 thoughts on “Jan. 6 committee eyes rewriting 1807 Insurrection Act, would remove presidential powers to deploy military

  1. Hmmm. I am seeing this from another angle. Could piglousi and her insurrection pushers be afraid if conservatives retake Congress, they might actually be held accountable, and this would be their protection? This can work two ways, like everything the demonrats do. Well, if republicans has cojones.

  2. OF COURSE, now that they have committed insurrection on 11/3/2020, lets change the law. What is it going to take to bring these tyrants up on charges?
    KAG Trump 2024 (or sooner)

  3. Sad that the Left thinks they have to rewrite everything….just so it will fit their narrative. Obama is even wanting to rewrite the First Amendment to the Constitution. These people have got to be removed from power…they are destroying our Great Country.

  4. The Democrats are frightened. Trump was not a tyrant and didn’t fill their bucket list of totalitarianism. They wish to take the teeth out of the presidency. But, ought they keep ahold of the power, one shall see no such revisions. They *know* President Trump will win 2024. Per usual, I’m Nancy Pelosi has a goodly hand in this, I’m sure.

  5. The law should be rewritten to allow states to recall and/or impeach State elected Members of Congress, and abolish Sovereign Immunity!

  6. “Some leftists allegedly fear some sort of doomsday scenario where a rogue president could use the military… “
    Yes that would be a communist/totalitarian “president” sicking the military against the people exercising their CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT to demonstrate against their “government”.
    In other words, the jan 6 incident would not have had fbi plants “welcoming” protestors into the capitol building or rabble rousing them; they would have simply had the gestapo mow them down in cold blood!!!!

  7. Hmmm. Well the president is commander in chief. Who’s going to have the final say? Pelosi? Lol

  8. Pelosi is so filled with hate, she won’t admit that Trump offered thousands of National Guard to watch over Capitol on Jan. 6.

  9. Since when was Trump planning to use the military?? He did ask for more Nat’l Guard for security at the rally, but what he asked for was not only denied (couldn’t have a FBI -induced breakin with Guards around) by it wasn’t enough to “take over” the government. This is more “shock and awe” by Jan 6 Cmte with more Schiff implications and suppositions. Jan 6 Cmte cannot change the Act.

  10. Oh please, these insane democrats will do anything to change docs that have been in place for hundreds of years. It is so insidious of them to even attempt. It is there for a reason and not for the left to use it against anyone who disagrees with them. Guaranteed they will use it after conservatives if they do not tow the line. Sad they need to go to extremes when thing don’t go their way

  11. Changing the insurrection act is not for protecting them from Trump it’s making it open house for a real insurrection by the leftist after the Repubs. regain the white house. Also protects the left’s boots on the soldiers, Antifa and BLM, during the upcoming riots that will start before and after the mid-terms and again in 2024.
    Haven’t heard any more on the special force the left was training to physically taken over the capital and white house if need be.

  12. They need to give up the ghost on Jan 6, as most know it was a sham. There are bigger things to be workin g on than their pet projects

  13. This so called committee is so partisan it’s sickening. While leftist damaged cities, businesses, injuring and killing people all in the name of social justice, yet they claim it is conservatives they need to be wary of. Hypocrisy is alive and well. They sure didn’t care about the billions in damage, in fact they supported it and paid for protestors. These people make me sick, the one we should be protected from are every democrat.

  14. The January 6 committee is so sad, so partisan and political…..if the military had been deployed as Trump offered there would have been no riots there! If Nancy hadn’t told the Cap Po to stand down there also wouldn’t have been any riots.

  15. The Constitution puts a President in charge of the military, as Commander in Chief. If Congress can take that away, who’s in charge, Congress? So if there’s ever a real insurrection, or Coup Dèta against the President then I doubt Congress will deploy the military to stop it… However: I guarantee Congress would deploy troops if an insurrection or Coup Dèta was against them!! This is dangerous, and needs to fail in voting! Sounds like Congress wants to be president too!

    1. It has to be about removing our constitutional checks and balances. Otherwise, the left can’t take over.

    2. There was an insurrection. It started on 1/20/2017 and was worked daily until 1/6/2021. I want to know, if we give Congress back to the Republicans, will they go after Piglousy, Slimy Schumer, Schitty Schifft, the corrupt FBI, CIA, Capital Police, ect.? What goes around SHOULD come around.
      KAG Trump 2024 (or sooner)

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