INDICTMENT: Grand jury returns seditious conspiracy charges against 5 Proud Boys, including ex-chairman Enrique Tarrio. That brings the total number of #CapitolRiot sedition defendants up to 16. Two, both Oath Keepers, have already pleaded guilty. Link: justice.gov/usao-dc/press-…
All 5 Proud Boys were already facing charges of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, which, like seditious conspiracy, carries a max of 20 years. The sedition charges accuse them of trying to prevent the govt. from enforcing the 12th Amendment. wusa9.com/article/news/n…
A sixth Proud Boy who would be in the indictment, Charles Donohoe, pleaded guilty in April to conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and assaulting a police officer. He's now cooperating with the government's investigation. wusa9.com/article/news/n…
MORE: Proud Boys Enrique Tarrio, Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl and Dominic Pezzola now face charges of seditious conspiracy for their alleged roles in the Jan. 6 #CapitolRiot. New indictment brings total # of sedition defendants up to 16. wusa9.com/article/news/n…
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Judge Nichols rejected the DOJ's request for reconsideration of his 1512(c)(2) ruling late last month, and today dismissed the obstruction count against a third defendant. An expedited appeal to the D.C. Circuit seems likely, as no other district judges agree w/ Nichols on this.
At issue is Judge Nichols' strict reading of the 1512 statute, which requires an action "with respect to a document, record or other object." Fellow Trump appointees, Judge Friedrich and Judge McFadden, have called that reading "unnatural" and "strained."
Judge Nichols' ruling on the 1512(c)(2) statute is also why Beverly Hills salon owner Gina Bisignano is now trying to withdraw her guilty plea to the obstruction count. She pleaded guilty 7 months before Nichols' ruling in the Garrett Miller case. wusa9.com/article/news/n…
At 11 a.m., Williamsburg, VA, resident Jonathan Genarro Mellis will be before Judge Sullivan to request bond. He wants the judge to allow his girlfriend to act as third-party custodian. DOJ argues against release generally, and against her specifically. wusa9.com/article/news/n…
DOJ says judges in other #CapitolRiot cases have previously rejected romantic partners as custodians, saying they couldn't be trusted to report release violations. A woman claiming to be Mellis' girlfriend spoke last September at a "Justice for J6" rally.
Mellis, who was indicted on 10 counts (including multiple counts alleging violent acts) has been in pretrial detention since last February. His attorney says other J6 defendants with more serious accusations have been granted bond, including Matthew Beddingfield.
Opening arguments have finished. DOJ told jury Timothy Hale-Cusanelli "genuinely believes" in civil war and that Jewish interests control President Biden. That's why, they said, he entered the Capitol. He lamented they didn't have enough people to hold it indefinitely.
Hale-Cusanelli's attorney, Jonathan Crisp, described his client as "bombastic" and "antagonistic."
Crisp: "He is the guy you have met who just wants to say things to agitate things." But, he said, that's all it is.
I've only been listening, not live tweeting, but Matthew Ryan Miller's attorney just told Judge Moss his client should only get a year and a day in prison because it would be more beneficial to focus on treatment for his drug addiction (to marijuana). Moss... skeptical.
“Seeing pictures of my inebriated behaviors that day sends shivers down my spine,” Matthew Ryan Miller tells Judge Moss. “My intentions that day were to wear a wild outfit, drink some beers and have a great time.”
"Every time I think of the events of that day, I feel sickened by what happened," U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss says.
Rep. @RodneyDavis releases 2nd statement calling for release of footage showing @RepLoudermilk meeting w/ what he's described as "constituent family" on 1/5.
Statement mischaracterizes @January6thCmte's letter, which does not accuse Loudermilk of leading "reconnaissance tours."
See @January6thCmte's letter below. More at issue seems to be that @RepLoudermilk was among @HouseAdmnGOP members who reviewed video and said there were no groups/tours prior to 1/6. Loudermilk now says he did meet w/ group on 1/5 while Capitol was closed.
Rep. Loudermilk and Rep. Davis were also among a group of GOP members who filed an ethics complaint against Democrats for alleging Republicans led tours prior to 1/6. wusa9.com/article/news/n…
Judge Nichols' novel reading of the 1512(c)(2) statute continues rippling outward. Now one of the #CapitolRiot defendants who pleaded guilty before him, Gina Bisignano, wants to withdraw that plea, citing his ruling in the Garrett Miller/Joseph Fischer cases.
Judge Nichols is the only judge in the D.C. District to find a document requirement in 1512(c)(2) — the obstruction statute under which many #CapitolRiot defendants are charged. Even his three fellow Trump appointees have explicitly rejected it. wusa9.com/article/news/n…
Gina Bisignano's plea deal was unusual: it was filed under seal and was one of only a handful that specifically mentioned witness protection.
That's likely because Bisignano had a meeting w/ other #CapitolRiot defendants after Jan. 6, including Danny Rodriguez & Ed Badalian.