Covering The Uprising

Pro-Trump protesters gather in front of the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. A pro-Trump mob later stormed the Capitol, breaking windows and clashing with police officers. Five people died as a result. (Photo by Brent Stirton/Getty Images)

News judgment involves prioritizing the most important story at a given moment. When there is trouble, reporters pride themselves on running towards the news. I want to make sure I am doing that with this newsletter. 

For the past few months, my sole plan for this site has been working on getting the most original, exclusive political stories I could in a given week whether they were about national figures, local races, or foreign policy. As much fun as I had doing that, for the foreseeable future, I want to focus on the January 6 attack and its aftermath.  

I was at the Capitol that day, and it was immediately apparent to me that the violence that unfolded was one of the biggest stories in our country’s history. And it’s only getting bigger. Every day we are learning more about the participation of organized militant groups, members of Congress, and the administration of former President Trump. The investigations by the House select committee and the Justice Department are heating up. There are going to be hearings, trials, and all sorts of political fallout in the coming weeks. This newsletter will be your guide to all of it. 

I initially envisioned this as a traditional morning newsletter, which led to its name. Luckily, that title still works for covering the insurrection that took place in the aftermath of the 2020 election.

What does this mean for readers? In the short term, expect more frequent updates. I will still work to bring exclusive stories — both directly to your inbox and sometimes through other outlets when I need some institutional support. However, I will also blast out smaller items when there is an important update. A major focus will be bringing together various articles and providing exclusive analysis to help you connect news and see the whole picture from the many different places covering this important story.  

Part of what drew me to the newsletter space is its experimental nature. This is something of a new frontier for the media industry, and I am eager to explore it. I may change this format again in the future. For now, it is clear to me that this story should be my sole focus on this page. 

I won’t just be writing about the people who were arrested on Capitol Hill or the ongoing investigations. The violence on January 6 was part of an effort to overturn the election that included organized political and propaganda campaigns. I have already broken news about these things on this newsletter and will continue to focus on that crucial larger context. 

The coming months will show us how the country responds to January 6 and the major threat it posed to our political system. I am going to be on top of the story and this newsletter will ensure that you are too.