Hello from Chief Judge Beryl Howell's virtual courtroom, where a plea hearing is getting underway in the case of Jan. 6 defendant Leonard Gruppo of New Mexico. This is a misdemeanor-only case: s3.documentcloud.org/documents/2080… 
Tipsters ID'd Gruppo to the FBI after a complaint was filed in April against another defendant, Kenneth Kelly, that included a photo of an unidentififed man. In May, a lawyer who said they repped Gruppo contacted the govt to confirm the ID
Gruppo is pleading guilty to one misdemeanor charge, for parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building, which has a max sentence of 6 months in jail (this is the same charge featured in most plea deals so far)
A notable exchange:
Howell, going over the facts of Gruppo's case, asks if his purpose going inside the Capitol was to protest Congress certifying the electoral college results.
Gruppo pauses, then says: "Your honor, I was there to support the president," followed by a pause
Howell, going over the facts of Gruppo's case, asks if his purpose going inside the Capitol was to protest Congress certifying the electoral college results.
Gruppo pauses, then says: "Your honor, I was there to support the president," followed by a pause
Howell follows up by asking him, your purpose in walking through the Capitol wasn't to be a "tourist," right? Gruppo replies, "No ma'am." Howell presses him to then explain what exactly he was parading/demonstrating/picketing about, per the charge he's pleading guilty to...
Gruppo: "Well your honor. You know, I came to attend the rally, it moved to the Capitol, I got caught up in the events of the day and entered the building. I knew I shouldn’t have [pause] I did not intend to disrupt Congress [pause]
Howell's not quite done with him yet...
Howell's not quite done with him yet...
Howell asks if he was there to demonstrate in support of Trump. Gruppo says that's accurate: "The president asked his supporters to go and that’s why I went." Howell presses him to make clear that he understood he wasn't just on a walk, but there to demonstrate
Howell explains this questioning is aimed at making sure the conduct Gruppo is admitting to actually fits the elements of the crime that he's pleading guilty to. The AUSA says their understanding is they have to show there was a disruption, more than just "tourism"
Howell appears inclined to accept Gruppo's plea, but this is the latest notable instance of the judge pushing the govt/defense to be clear about having people who are pleading guilty to this low-level misdemeanor charge acknowledge the broader circumstances of the riot
Recall Howell recently pushed the govt to explain whether these misdemeanor plea deals were letting people off too lightly for being part of the mob involved in "stopping a constitutionally mandated duty of the Congress and terrorizing members of Congress" buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetil…
And voila, Howell has indeed accepted Gruppo's guilty plea, and set sentencing for Oct. 29
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