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There’s been some debate over whether or not the events at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, can be called an “insurrection.”

Ross: What would you do to preserve democracy?

The definition of an insurrection on Google from Oxford Languages is “a violent uprising against an authority or government.” Merriam-Webster, ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Radio’s Dave Ross says, seems to prefer “uprising” because an uprising is a “brief, limited and often immediately ineffective rebellion.” Whereas an insurrection implies “an armed uprising that quickly fails or succeeds.”

“The [Washington] Post has called it an insurrection,” said David Fahrenthold, reporter and weekly guest of Seattle’s Morning News. “And I think that’s an appropriate term. These folks, they didn’t succeed, but they broke into the U.S. Capitol intending to overturn the results of a democratic election.”

“The fact that they didn’t have much of a plan once they got into the building and they didn’t succeed doesn’t change their intent and the purpose of that whole event,” he added. “So I think insurrection is an appropriate phrase.”

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Does treason apply to Donald Trump’s call for moving on the capitol, Dave asked?

“Well, I mean treason is a crime in the Constitution with a specific definition. And I think it’s giving aid to the enemies of America,” Fahrenthold said. “So I can’t tell you if he’s ever going to be charged with something like that, and you’re right that he did say go down there and fight, go down there and demonstrate, he didn’t say ‘go storm the Capitol and stop Mike Pence from certifying the results.'”

“Although he had been saying Mike Pence should not certify the results. A lot of people put two and two together, but I think you’re right that Trump did not tell people go storm the capitol,” he added. “He said go to the capitol where something really bad is about to happen.”

To hear Fahrenthold weigh in on the president’s taxes, Congressman Matt Gaetz, the border crossings, and the Recovery Act, listen to the full interview below:

Listen to Seattle’s Morning News weekday mornings from 5 – 9 a.m. on ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Radio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.