Today in newly released charging docs in the Jan. 6 insurrection: Proud Boys organizer Joseph Biggs. Prosecutors quote from one video recorded inside the Capitol:
"Hey Biggs, what do you gotta say?"
"This is awesome!" justice.gov/opa/page/file/…
Michigan man charged allegedly posted video inside the Capitol Visitor’s Center — "we kept it chill" — and re: being tear gassed messaged someone, "wtf I love masks now!" justice.gov/file/1357311/d…
"Officer Hodges was pinned between the clear police riot shield being held by MCCAUGHEY and the lower west terrace door. Officer Hodges appeared to be loudly crying out in pain."
Charging docs for Samuel Fisher, who sells something known as an "Attraction Accelerator," allegedly brought multiple guns to DC and posted on Facebook later: “people died . . . but it was fucking great if you ask me" (HT @SeamusHughes for docs) extremism.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/…
Update on Proud Boys organizer Joseph Biggs, who was arrested today in Florida: Biggs is being released to home detention, which means he can only leave home for work and a few other reasons without needing pre-approval first; also on a $25K unsecured bond assets.documentcloud.org/documents/2046…
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A hearing is getting underway in DC federal court before Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey in a batch of Capitol insurrection cases — defendants are making their initial appearances in DC federal court. Stay tuned for updates
First up was Kevin Lyons, from Chicago area — he'd been released with conditions after arrest in that district, govt didn't seek detention so he'll stay free pending trial with the same general conditions as before, incl. that he can't go to DC except for court
In second case, Josiah Colt, who was granted release in Idaho post-arrest, federal public defender Michelle Peterson explains they're working with the US atty's office to come up with general release conditions for ppl charged with misdemeanors (big one being stay away from DC)
A detention hearing is about to start in federal court in Arkansas in the case of Richard Barnett, the man photographed sitting in Nancy Pelosi's office (see: buzzfeednews.com/article/salvad…). He's been in custody since his arrest
Prosecutors alleged Barnett was carrying a stun gun. He's charged with entering a restricted area w/ a weapon, violent entry/disorderly conduct, and theft. There isn't anything on the docket indicating what the govt/Barnett will be seeking as far as detention v. release
We're still waiting for the Richard Barnett detention hearing to start in Arkansas. Meanwhile, follow @o_ema for updates on initial appearances in DC federal court today for a few of the Capitol insurrection arrestees -->
A hearing is about to start on whether Cleveland Meredith, charged with threatening to kill Nancy Pelosi and bringing guns + ammo to DC (see: buzzfeednews.com/article/salvad…) should be kept in custody. He's arguing for release, govt is arguing to keep him behind bars. Stay tuned.
As a threshold matter, US MJ G. Michael Harvey agrees with the govt that the crime of making interstate threats (Meredith is charged with that + two misdemeanor weapon possession charges) is a crime of violence — Meredith's lawyer had argued it didn't qualify under precedent
Harvey hasn't ruled yet on whether to keep Meredith in custody, just that he agrees with the govt that the crime Meredith is charged with — sending texts threatening Nancy Pelosi — is detention eligible. The lawyers are continuing to argue over whether he meets the other factors
We'll have a story soon on Night #2 of Trump's pardon-palooza, but in the meantime, a reminder of what it was that Manafort was convicted of — hiding millions of dollars in income overseas for years from US authorities and repeatedly committing bank fraud buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil…
Five Mueller defendants have gotten pardons now: Manafort, Stone, Flynn, van der Zwaan, Papadopoulos
That leaves:
- Michael Cohen (definitely not getting one!)
- Rick Gates (he cooperated, but maybe?)
- Richard Pinedo (buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil…)
- Russians + Konstantin Kilimnik
Manafort's legal troubles aren't totally over yet — he successfully argued for a state judge in NY to toss out the Manhattan DA's attempt at prosecuting him for financial crimes similar to what he was convicted of in federal court, but Vance's office is appealing that
A lawsuit was filed today accusing Trump and the RNC of conspiring to violate the rights of Black voters, and it not only asks a judge to halt current efforts to undermine the election, but to impose future limits on "post-election activities" buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil…
The amended lawsuit filed today by @NAACP_LDF comes just a few years after a judge lifted a decades old consent decree that imposed court oversight of the RNC's election activities after it was accused of trying to disenfranchise Black and Latino voters buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil…
The federal judiciary's administrative arm in DC can't centrally arrange to get judges and staff vaccinated nationwide. So judges are directly appealing to state and local officials, arguing there are critical court functions that can't be done remotely. buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil…
"We seek no special treatment, but the federal judiciary has no means to provide vaccination to any of our employees. ... Hence our appeal to you," the chief judges of the federal district courts in Wisconsin wrote to the governor last week buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil…