NEW: DOJ is seeking to prevent Bannon from deploying a key defense strategy — that his lawyers advised him to blow off the Jan. 6 committee. w/ @joshgerstein
Bannon has foreshadowed plans to say he was relying on advice of his lawyer when he decided to ignore a subpoena from the Jan. 6 committee. DOJ, though, says that’s not a valid defense to the charges against him. politico.com/news/2021/12/0…
JAN. 6 COMMITTEE UPDATES: Chairman Bennie Thompson had a lot to say tonight — on the work of the panel, on Mark Meadows, on Mike Pence and on his approach to the committee's final report. Some details:
-The committee has not had any "direct engagement" with former Vice President Mike Pence yet. "We will be talking to the Secret Service about what they did on that day to protect the vice president. We think that’s important for the report."
-He's still hopeful Meadows cooperates with the Jan. 6 committee but that criminal contempt was just "one option" among several the committee could pursue to pressure him if he doesn't show up for a deposition on Wednesday. "The goal is to get information from Mr. Meadows."
HAPPENING NOW: Oath Keeper James BEEKS is appearing for a hearing and immedaitely objects to being represented by a lawyer, claims he's there in his "divine" authority as an American citizen
Judge Howell is not pleased with his "gobbledygook."
DOJ is now seeking to detain Beeks pending trial. They say they didn't know until just now that he rejected the entirety of U.S. law and the court system.
NEW: Federal judge says Jan. 6 "pawns" are paying the price, while Donald Trump and those who led disinformation campaign about the 2020 election have not been held accountable.
Judge MEHTA: “We’re here today deciding whether Mr. Lolos should spend 30 days in jail when those who created the conditions that led to Mr. Lolos’ conduct, led to the events of Jan. 6 [haven’t been] held to account for their actions and their word.”
Mehta said other judges in D.C. hadn't fully expressed this point.
“Once you hear people who should know better tell you that an election was stolen and they say it loudly enough, frequently enough, it’s not surprising that people will believe it.”
BREAKING: The DC Circuit Court of Appeals has granted a brief hold on the Trump executive privilege decision, setting a schedule that includes arguments on Nov. 30.
THE PANEL:
Judge Patricia Millett (Obama)
Judge Robert Wilkins (Obama)
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson (Obama/Biden)
IMPORTANT: The House and DOJ did *NOT* oppose this temporary hold. They got a pretty quick briefing schedule out of it. Puts them on track to get documents in early December, if they prevail.