Heavy police presence and wide perimeter here in Valdosta, Ga — where Trump is planning campaign stop in front of this damage

Power is out for days in this community. Businesses closed

One restaurant owner told me: They’re ambivalent about “dignitary visits right now” Traffic lights are out regionwide. Trees down. Billboard toppled. Roofs ripped apart.

Valdosta businesses that have generators are serving food on sidewalks to those who need it.

IN COURT JUST NOW: Justice Dept prosecutor tells judge that the Bureau of Prisons "confirmed there was an error" ... mistakenly releasing Jan 6 defendant Leo Kelly from its prison facility in Rochester, MN

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https://twitter.com/MacFarlaneNews/status/1838335016977215509

Leo Kelly was sentenced to 30 months prison in August 2023, accused of breaching the Parliamentarian's office while amid the mob.. and of facing off against "an outnumbered line of officers"

Prosecutors say prison bureau "misread" or miscalucuated filing about Kelly prison term

The Justice Dept says the FBI located a semiautomatic rifle w/ scope near where Routh was hiding near Trump golf course

Feds: "The rifle was loaded with a total of 11 rounds and had a round in the chamber. The serial number on the rifle was obliterated and unreadable" Justice Dept court filing includes image of gun. And a backpack containing plates capable of "stopping small arms fire"

Justice Department says it WILL seek pretrial detention in the new criminal case of Sean "Diddy" Combs Justice Dept filing seeking court order to jail Sean Combs:

"The defendant poses an ongoing and significant danger to the community, has repeatedly engaged in obstructive conduct, and presents a serious risk of flight. The government respectfully submits that the defendant cannot meet his burden of overcoming the statutory presumption in favor of detention. There are no conditions of bail that would assure the appearance and compliance of the defendant, or the safety of others. Accordingly, any application for bail should be denied"

Initial appearance is complete for Ryan Routh in Florida

Charges include weapons possession. (So far)

He is qualified for public defender.

Government seeks pretrial detention

Per my teammates in courthouse In newly unsealed charging documents, prosecutors allege Ryan Routh was using a stolen license plate on his vehicle and ... when he was stopped by police... he was asked "if he knew why he was being stopped"

"He responded in the affirmative"

En route to the courthouse ... and courtroom 9

Updates begin at 10am REMINDER: Trump has waived his right to attend the hearing. Judge approved him doing so

Trump has instructed his defense attorneys to enter a NOT GUILTY plea, on his behalf, to the charges in the superseding indictment

We’re at Justice Dept HQ, where Atty General Merrick Garland is announcing case against Russian figures who have sought to interfere with 2024 elections. RT broadcasts included “RT and its employees” executed scheme to disseminate Russian propaganda…and to utilize social media influencers to do the same, says Atty Gen Garland

To shift opinion on war against Ukraine

Striking statements just now from federal prosecutor at a Jan 6 sentencing hearing for former Virginia police officer Thomas Robertson

Without explicitly mentioning upcoming election, she argues:

“The need for deterrence is at an all-time high”

(More) Prosecutor: Jan 6 was a “crime of historic magnitude”

“The damage done must be reflected in the (defendants) sentences”

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JUST NOW IN COURT: Standing in orange jail jumpsuit & facing judge, Jan 6 defendant Joseph Hutchison read this letter. He's serving as his own lawyer & asked for his case to be dismissed, citing delays in getting access to filings in jail and noting "230 days" in pretrial jail Hutchison is charged w/ multiple felonies and accused of physical confrontations with police (below)

But .. there's a twist to his case

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STAND BY: Justice Dept is about to ask for 57 months prison in Jan 6 case of Michael Sparks, arguing he was the very first rioter to enter the Capitol while fully aware of Congress's role that day. They say he wrote: "I believe in the constitution so I’ll die f[o]r it. Trump is my president.” Prosecutors will argue that Sparks was among the group ahead of the mob that confronted lone Capitol Officer Eugene Goodman, as Senators attempted to flee

A distinctively traumatizing American moment. Especially for the police who were beaten, taunted ... and subjected to epithets

https://twitter.com/CahnEmily/status/1826418529286893684

US House Members, some of whom were hiding and trapped in the upper level of House chamber on Jan 6, have described to me how they texted loved ones to say "goodbye" or to try to comfort their spouses at home

FLASH: Former Congressman George Santos pleads guilty to two federal counts - Wire fraud and aggravated identify theft

Two year mandatory minimum. But judge has estimated possible sentencing range between 6-8 years… later this year

Santos spoke softly, acknowledging series of crimes Plea agreement calls for Santos to make restitution of at least $373,749.97

THREAD: A rare occurrence in a Jan 6 criminal hearing just now.. A charge of heart from a defendant insisting on defending himself

Andrew Miller, who's accused of entering thru smashed window while carrying respirator mask & goggles, has been making court filings like this=>

Andrew Miller made a quite an entrance just now before Judge Tanya Chutkan.

Introducing himself in court, Miller said: "I come in peace"

Judge Chutkan, pausing a moment, responded....... "I'm glad to hear that"

ALERT: Judge hands down one of the longest Capitol riot prison terms so far

20 years for David Dempsey of California. Feds called him “one of the most violent”

Among other things, they argued he “threw a short pole-like object into the Tunnel, striking a police officer. Dempsey shouted, "F— you b—ass cops."” Jan 6 defendant David Dempsey could be in prison for the next FIVE Presidential elections

Calling him "one of the most violent" of Jan 6 attackers, Justice Dept has asked for approx. 22 year prison term for David Dempsey

Citing:

His body armor
His unleashing "torrent of pepper spray"
Striking officer w/ metal crutch
"Stomping" on officers' heads
Long criminal record Just a few excerpts from Justice Dept sentencing memo in USA v. David Dempsey

"Dempsey struck MPD Sergeant's.. head with such ferocity using a metal crutch that it cracked the protective shield of his gas mask, causing Sergeant.. to collapse in a daze"

ALERT: Inspector General releases report on US Secret Service response to Jan 6

Noteworthy findings.. including this image. Items seized at Ellipse before Trump speech

"Service official told us he'd never seen the number of ballistic vests & gas masks that he saw on Jan 6" So .... how many knives and cannisters of chemical spray were seized *before* Trump supporters arrived at Capitol?

Look at this number... items confiscated at White House Ellipse earlier in the day =====>

FLASH: The Donald Trump election conspiracy criminal case has returned to DC Judge Tanya Chutkan

As expected... after the 32-day wait after Supreme Court ruling

We'll see what hearings are added to the calendar in the coming days

Case was frozen on Feb 6 The hallmark of Judge Chutkan's (brief) stewardship of the Trump DC criminal case was her relentless ability to avoid delays and backlogs amid the torrent of Trump filings

FBI: Trump has agreed to "victim interview" as the feds probe the Butler, PA assassination attempt

Per agency briefing just now MORE: FBI has conducted approx. 150 interviews

Shooter was "highly intelligent", "loner", planned in advance, searched for info on Biden, searched for info on recent assassination attempt on Slovakian prime minister

We heard the explosive noise. Clear as day. As if someone lit 10 firecrackers. We immediately feared it was gunshots

We jumped beneath the press rafters Debris fell on our heads

We’ve since been evacuated by law enforcement We have been evacuated. Secret service ordered us off-site. Massive crime scene.

Two helicopter landings minutes after Trump was evacuated

Medical emergencies left and right at the Trump rally here in Butler County, PA. They’ve offered no shaded areas in audience .. and the small pallets of bottled water aren’t sufficient

Several calls of “medic, medic, medic” amid crowd

We’re here for @CBSEveningNews There were aspirations among the crowd that a VP candidate would be announced tonight. In interviews, some rallygoers are still blasting Mike Pence … who’s not supporting Trump … after Trump supporters sought to capture him on Jan 6. Some carrying weapons and with a gallows outside Capitol

As I head to President Biden's rally here in Madison, WI

A few notes about the impact of the polling and the election on the largest criminal prosecution in US history

(MORE) In a series of recent courtroom incidents I've witnessed .... Jan 6 defendants boasted that they anticipate pardons or some form of reprieve from a future President Trump

Bolstered by polls or by Trump's campaign rhetoric

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