The Big Sleep: CEO Mike Lindell’s Notes Reference Imposition of Martial Law

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell has long been a diehard supporter of President Donald Trump. Indeed, on the day of the infamous speech preceding the riot in the Capitol, Lindell told media that he was confident that the day would bring vindication for the President. The statement left many of us scratching our heads since the certification of the victory of Joe Biden was only hours away. Now, the Washington Post has blown up the notes of Lindell leaving the Oval Office, which appear to refer to the Insurrection Act and the imposition of martial law. Media reports state that President Trump “cut short his meeting with MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell within minutes, after the entrepreneur was spotted at the White House brandishing notes referencing martial law.”

I previously condemned General Michael Flynn for his suggestion of martial law and criticized the President for not promptly throwing him out of the Oval Office.

Lindell reportedly denied that the notes referenced ‘martial law,’ but the picture confirms the reference. One line said “martial law if necessary upon the first hint of any….”  The memo also refers to the use “if necessary upon the first hint of any . . .” Thus, it could have been a reference to the use of martial law with any additional violence but Lindell’s earlier reportedly denial left many wondering about the purpose of such a declaration. Moreover, I criticized an earlier tweet of Lindell referencing martial law. That was before the Capitol rioting.

Notably, it also seems to refer to various firings including White House Counsel Pat Cipollone and CIA Director Gina Haspel. It bizarrely refers to relatively low level replacements for positions by previously unknown figures.  The combination of wholesale replacement of reasonable officials and the imposition of martial law sounds quite tyrannical. 

After an assault on our Capitol during the certification of the presidential election, this is hardly the stuff to give us the “best night’s sleep ever.”

My objection remains the same as with the meeting with Gen. Flynn in the Oval Office.  The President continues to surround himself with figures who appear to harbor extreme views on the use of martial law. If a president could unilaterally declare martial law over his own election, it would not be an invitation to tyranny, it would be tyranny itself.