BREAKING: Judge Cannon, as expected, denies Jack Smith's proposed gag order, warns sanctions could be next if he keeps violating the rules.
It would be hard to count the number of times in Judge Cannon has admonished special counsel for breaking the rules, citing vague claims of "threats" and "harassment," and just bad behavior in general.
NEW: Two Trump judges side with DOJ in denying appeal by Thomas Webster, former NYPD cop, related to change of venue and biased jurors that resulted in his conviction.
A full-throated endorsement of DC's rigged legal and judicial system by Gregory Katsas and Neomi Rao
The presiding judge in this case was Judge Amit Mehta, an Obama appointee and one of the toughest on J6ers. It was one of the first J6 trials.
Jury selected in one day.
He was convicted in a matter of hours.
Webster is a former Marine and once worked security detail at Gracie Mansion.
He approached the police line after he witnessed police officer assaulting protesters including a woman.
Mehta refused to let the jury see several minutes of video before Webster confronted police.
This is unbelievable. Appellate panel ENDORSED a sentencing enhancement bc Webster wore "body armor" to protect himself.
Hey @mrddmia you can take Katsas and Rao off any SCOTUS list for Trump.
NEW: Donald Trump just filed a response to Jack Smith's holiday weekend motion to modify release conditions to prohibit the former president from making statements about law enforcement involved in classified documents case:
I can tell you as someone who has covered these proceedings diligently including attending court hearings, Cannon will not take lightly Smith's failure to confer with defense in any meaningful way before posting the motion.
Trump motion on left, Smith's footnote on right:
My followers already know this because after Smith filed his motion, I noted how many times Judge Cannon has scolded prosecutors for making vague claims about witness safety in their requests to seal evidence.
Which is why my first reaction to Smith's motion is that DOJ just opened a can of worms.
Within the span of a half hour last week, one of Jack Smith's prosecutors in classified docs case called defense argument "garbage," told Judge Cannon the proceeding "is no way to run a railroad," and pounded on podium, clapped his hands in rage:
David Harbach threw a mini temper tantrum over claims that Jay Bratt, Harbach's co-counsel on Smith's team, threatened a defense attorney during an August 2022 meeting.
Stanley Woodward, who represents Walt Nauta, Trump's valet also charged in the case, has alleged that Bratt wanted Nauta to flip on Trump and become a government witness.
During the August 2022 meeting, Bratt--according to a court filing by Woodward--brought up Woodward's pending judicial application before DC Superior Court. Bratt said something like, "you don't want to do anything to mess that up." Meaning--get your client to cooperate.
The meeting is a subject of a congressional inquiry, a DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility probe, and Nauta's motion to dismiss for vindictive prosecution.
Cannon is considering the motion and Nauta's request for any discovery related to the meeting including correspondence.
This is how one exchange went down Wednesday morning as Cannon pressed for details about Harbach's knowledge of records about the meeting--Harbach had just described Woodward's account of the August 2022 meeting a "fantasy."
Bratt also allegedly said to Woodward something about "we don't view you as a Trump lawyer."
Cannon pushed Harbach to either confirm/deny that remark--you see here how he changed his tune:
NEW: Trump's latest motion to dismiss classified docs case just hit the docket.
Trump accuses Jack Smith of prosecutorial abuse and denial of due process.
Trump again accuses Biden White House of colluding with National Archives to concoct the case:
The Archivist at the time was David Ferriero, an Obama appointee who called Jan 6 the worst day of his life.
He started threatening Trump's transition team in spring 2021 that he would go to DOJ unless they returned unspecified presidential records. He warned he would notify the DOJ that Trump destroyed official papers:
What a dirty rat.
Time for a congressional subpoena of Mr. Ferriero.
This will certainly outrage many J6ers and their families.
A NY man was arrested last November for assaulting 2 Capitol police officers during a pro-Hamas demonstration outside the DNC. (V1 here is a female officer according to a Capitol Police press release.)
Ruben Camacho also resisted arrest and blocked an exit used by federal lawmakers.
Here is the incident report.
But unlike J6ers accused of assaulting police...
Camacho was not charged in federal court--he was charged in DC (local) Superior Court by DC US Attorney Matthew Graves, the same Biden appointed prosecutor continuing to arrest and charge J6ers with assault on federal officers.
Camacho did not have to face Judge Beryl Howell or Judge Tim Kelly or Judge Royce Lamberth in the DC federal courthouse. Camacho was not denied release from jail pending trial or plea; he was not condemned as an "insurrectionist" or "domestic terrorist" by federal prosecutors.
No, because Camacho participated in a protest sanctioned and funded by Democrats, he got a slap on the wrist:
Camacho--unlike Julian Khater or Thomas Webster or Ronald McAbee to name just a few--won't be sentenced to 6 or 8 or 10 years in federal prison while having his name dragged through the mud by the media and family bankrupted and reputation destroyed.
In fact, no one has ever heard of Camacho until now.
No harsh coverage at NBC News or WashPo or CNN about how a Democratic Party activist punched a female cop in the face.
Ryan Samsel did far less than that to Ofc. Caroline Edwards but he was incarcerated for 3 years denied release awaiting his trial.
Nope, Camacho only has to perform 48 hours of community service in DC then his case goes bye bye.