It Ain't Me, Babe

This blog post draws upon the following article for the facts of the case:

https://news.yahoo.com/still-unclear-who-ordered-action-against-protesters-at-lafayette-park-defense-secretary-says-222356838.html

*

Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee was incredulous:

I find that hard to believe. I’m sorry, but it’s like a pretty big decision, a lot of people there, everyone’s there, and it just sort of happened? 

Smith was reacting to testimony by Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who told Congress on Thursday that he did not know 

who gave the widely denounced order to clear peaceful antiracism protesters from Lafayette Park, across the White House, early last month.

       “It’s still unclear to me who gave the direction to clear the park at       that moment in time” . . .

Esper acknowledged to the House Armed Services Committee that the National Guard was present on the scene, but said that it played only “a static role” and did not take part in the controversial clearing. "The Guard did not advance on the crowd,” he told lawmakers.  

But under questioning, Esper could not say who had given the order for the National Guard to take even that limited role. 

Maybe it was Attorney General William Barr (who is so far up Trump’s ass that he won’t see daylight for at least ten years) who was the instigator of the riotous clearance of peaceful protestors from Lafayette Square. “I’m not involved in giving tactical commands like that,” claimed Barr. 

Well then, perhaps it was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, who trooped in his combat fatigues behind Trump to St. John’s church, where the narcissicist-in-chief posed with a Bible (as he pointed out, not “his” Bible, just “a” Bible). Milley said, “I don’t know with certainty,” who did what, claiming that there had been a planning session earlier in the day at FBI headquarters at which “they divided up who was gonna do what to whom.” 

But who were the “they?” Milley “seemed to suggest, as Barr did to the AP, that a commander of the Park Police was responsible.”

One somehow doubts that a Park policeman could deploy National Guard troops and helicopters.

Of course, this whole denial business fits the MO of the Trump administration, led as it is by Mr. “I-Take-No-Responsibility” himself. 

Speaking of whom, did Trump play no role in wanting the plaza cleared of peaceful demonstrators so that he could have his photo op?

And an even better question: what efficacy could 

And Attai begat Nathan, and Nathan begat Zabad,
And Zabad begat Ephlal, and Ephlal begat Obed,
And Obed begat Jehu, and Jehu begat Azariah,
And Azariah begat Helez, and Helez begat Eleasah,
And Eleasah begat Sisamai, and Sisamai begat Shallum,
And Shallum begat Jekamiah, and Jekamiah begat Elishama.

have as a riposte to “Black Lives Matter”?

*

No one was driving, officer. We were all in the back seat.

Peter Lind Hayes

*

No, no, no, it ain't me, babe,

It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe.

Bob Dylan

*

And the theme of the day: "I know nothing."