There was only one real surprise in the January 6 TV show trial

 It certainly didn't surprise me to see the same video clip that had been played at President Trump's second impeachment trial.  That was the one showing Trump urging demonstrators to march to the Capitol, but conveniently edited to omit his telling them to "peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard."

American Thinker

. . ."I wasn't surprised by the complete lack of subtlety in the way the cynical purpose behind this theatrical production was revealed.  Rather than even purporting to "let the people watch and draw their own conclusions," the folks putting on this duplicitous production repeatedly uttered statements that would have raised objections in an actual trial because they assumed facts not in evidence and certainly not yet proven.  Objections would have also been raised for leading witnesses.

"There was also the fact that there was no opposing counsel.  Certain questions of witnesses were conspicuous because of what the interlocutors never asked.  I kept waiting, futilely, for a witness to be asked, "And what manner of weapons did you observe these 'insurrectionists' carrying or employing?"

"(Despite the repeated characterization of that day's events as "deadly," only one person was unquestionably killed, and that was Ashli Babbitt, a veteran of 14 years in the Air Force, shot by a Capitol policeman.  Neither her name nor her death was mentioned in the hearing.)

"I wasn't surprised at Democrats' unity in perpetuating their narrative about the events of January 6 — namely, that the evil Donald Trump orchestrated "an attempted violent overthrow of our government."  Nor was I surprised that ostensible Republicans and supposed erstwhile Trump loyalists had been trotted out in an attempt to lend a non-partisan artifice to the proceedings, with Liz Cheney (whose name almost rhymes with "chicanery") at the forefront.". . .

Stu Tarlowe has, since 2010, contributed well over 150 pieces to American Thinker.  For some 15 years, he was the personal editor for the late Barry Farber, who is in Stu's personal pantheon of heroes and role models (along with Jean Shepherd, Long John Nebel, Aristide Bruant, Col. Jeff Cooper, Rabbi Meir Kahane and G. Gordon Liddy). . .