Capitol Riot Investigation Thread

[Jaymann]

Another one bite off an 8.5 year sentence. Not bad for a sight seeing tour.

[Smoove_B]

NEW: Jay Johnston — of Mr. Show, Arrested Development, The Sarah Silverman Show, Bob's Burger's, and Anchorman fame — has been arrested in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Article here

Jay Johnston faces charges of felony obstruction of officers during civil disorder as well as several misdemeanor offenses, according to court documents.

The Daily Beast reported in December 2021 that Johnston had been "banned" from "Bob's Burgers," where he voiced the character of Jimmy Pesto Sr.

...

Court documents say that Johnston entered the upper west tunnel, where some of the most violent attacks of the Jan. 6 attack took place and "assisted at least three other rioters by pouring water on the rioters' faces." He then used a stolen U.S. Capitol Police shield as rioters battled with police, the documents say.

[Smoove_B]

What a day for news:

Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich testified Thursday before a federal grand jury investigating January 6, 2021, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Gingrich allegedly communicated with senior advisers to former President Donald Trump about television advertisements that relied on false claims of election fraud, according to documents obtained by the House select committee that investigated January 6. The panel also claimed Gingrich played a role in the effort to submit fake slates of electors in battleground states that Trump lost, according to committee documents.

[Smoove_B]

I hope every day is hell:

A Donald Trump supporter who drove a stun gun into the neck of a D.C. police officer who was abducted by the mob during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol was sentenced to 12.5 years in prison on Wednesday.

Daniel "D.J." Rodriguez, a California man who traveled to D.C. with fellow Trump supporters who belonged to a Telegram group called the "PATRIOTS 45 MAGA Gang," pleaded guilty in February to felony conspiracy, obstruction of an official proceeding, tampering with documents or proceedings, and inflicting bodily injury on officers using a deadly or dangerous weapon.

...

Ahead of his sentencing, Rodriguez spoke for about 20 minutes in a rambling speech, saying he “truly” thought a civil war was going to begin and that he believed the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers formed because police were standing down across the country. He acknowledged his actions against Fanone, but stopped short of an apology.

[Blackhawk]

No kidnapping? Boo.

[Smoove_B]

What a joke:

A federal judge nominated by former President Donald Trump gave a “break” Friday to a man who used bear spray during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, saying he did not deserve the prison sentence requested by prosecutors.

U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden sentenced Tyler Bensch, who pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts in connection with the riot, to two years of probation and 60 days home incarceration. Prosecutors had requested nine months in federal prison.

More:

“You participated in a national embarrassment,” McFadden said before imposing the sentence. “You came ready for trouble.”

But, he added, Bensch's involvement was “pretty minor” when compared to others, while noting that his age was a mitigating factor. Bensch was 19 years old on Jan. 6, 2021.

“I am giving you this break because of your age” at the time and a lack of criminal history, McFadden said. “This doesn’t need to define you or your life.”

"Pretty minor" using bear spray. But don't worry, everything is going to be fine for him:

Cooper went on to say that Bensch hopes to start a career in law enforcement, adding that it's "not beyond the realm of possibility" that he could do so even with his misdemeanors.

[Kurth]

That sucks, but it’s not that bad. If prosecutors were only seeking 9 months incarceration, the fact that the judge gave him 2 months home confinement and 2 years probation doesn’t seem like an incredible reach.

I’d rather have had the book thrown at him, but this sounds like it’s not a situation where someone who should be getting years in prison is getting let off the hook.

Plus, the kid was only 19 at the time . . . How could he possibly be responsible for his own decisions????

[LordMortis]

“This doesn’t need to define you or your life.”

Isn't that what white frat boy judges say about white frat boy college rapists before slapping them on the wrists after raping?

[Smoove_B]

I am...genuinely surprised?

! DOJ is appealing the sentences imposed by Judge Mehta against the Oath Keepers convicted of seditious conspiracy or obstruction, including the 18-year term for Stewart Rhodes.

All of the sentences, even Rhodes’, were well below what the sentencing guidelines called for.

Appeals have so far been noticed for:

-Stewart Rhodes
-Jessica Watkins
-Roberto Minuta
-Kenneth Harrelson
-Kelly Meggs
-Joseph Hackett

More likely to hit the docket

[Smoove_B]

Here's the article:

Nevertheless, the sentence for the Yale Law School graduate and disbarred attorney was seven years shorter than the 25-year prison term prosecutors recommended and four years below an agreed-upon “guidelines range” based upon Rhodes’ conduct.

...

Many of Rhodes’ coconspirators faced sentences that similarly fell below the guidelines ranges for their conduct — in some cases by several orders of magnitude. Among those who, like Rhodes, were convicted of seditious conspiracy:

Florida Oath Keeper leader Kelly Meggs received a 12-year term; DOJ sought 21 years.
Roberto Minuta of New York was sentenced to 4.5 years; DOJ sought 17 years.
Joseph Hackett of Florida received a 3.5-year sentence; DOJ sought 12 years.
Ed Vallejo of Arizona received a 3-year sentence; DOJ sought 17 years.
David Moerschel of Florida was sentenced to three years: DOJ sought 10 years.

DOJ also appealed the conviction of two Oath Keepers acquitted of seditious conspiracy but convicted of conspiring to obstruct Congress:

Jessica Watkins of Ohio, who was sentenced to 8.5 years in jail; DOJ sought 18 years.
Kenneth Harrelson of Florida, who was sentenced to 4 years; DOJ sought 15.

[malchior]

FWIW this action makes sense. There are appeals anyway from the defendants about conviction/sentencing so it seems like a good opportunity for DOJ to make their case and it appears to be a strong one.

[Isgrimnur]

Trump State Department appointee found guilty of seven felonies in Jan. 6 case

A Donald Trump political appointee who attempted to storm the Capitol on Jan. 6 was convicted of seven felonies on Thursday, the same day that a grand jury deciding whether to indict the former president for his efforts to stop the peaceful transfer of power was hearing testimony from former White House aide William Russell.

Federico Klein, who worked in the State Department during the Trump administration, was convicted by U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, also a Trump appointee, following a bench trial that unfolded last week. Klein was represented by Stanley Woodward, an attorney for several former Trump officials, including Russell, who was testifying elsewhere in the federal courthouse. Klein, who was 42 at the time of his arrest, faced charges of assaulting, resisting or impeding officers; obstruction of an official proceeding; civil disorder; as well as misdemeanor offenses.

[Grifman]

[Grifman]

Violent insurrectionist on the lam:

https://x.com/usao_dc/status/1692647736 ... NcXCfN8s1g

Way to rack up more prison time!

[Carpet_pissr]

Please advise when posting links to X. I REALLY don’t want to use that platform at all, or give them any clicks.

For whatever reason, it’s not possible (at least on my phone, via Safari) to see if it’s an X link or not until I click and open.

Thanks

Edit: weird, your last two posts are showing differently for me: first one shows the image from X, second one just a hotlink (truncated)

[Unagi]

Edit: weird, your last two posts are showing differently for me: first one shows the image from X, second one just a hotlink (truncated)

If the link is made with a "twitter.com" address, the forum knows how to embed it.
If the link is made with an "x.com" address, it just shows the hotlink.

[Exodor]

If the link is made with a "twitter.com" address, the forum knows how to embed it.
If the link is made with an "x.com" address, it just shows the hotlink.

Always best to just screenshot so we don't have to hotlink to Elon's Nazi Wonderland.

[Carpet_pissr]

If the link is made with a "twitter.com" address, the forum knows how to embed it.
If the link is made with an "x.com" address, it just shows the hotlink.

Always best to just screenshot so we don't have to hotlink to Elon's Nazi Wonderland.

Yes, please!

[Grifman]

“The photos must be fake”

https://x.com/macfarlanenews/status/169 ... NcXCfN8s1g

Another faces charges. FAFO.

[stessier]

A Proud Boy gets 17 years (the prosecution had asked for 33 years).

CNN - A leader of the Proud Boys who led the far-right organization’s infamous march to the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison – among the longest sentences handed down yet for a convicted rioter.

Joe Biggs was convicted by a Washington, DC jury of several charges including seditious conspiracy for attempting to forcibly prevent the peaceful transfer of power from then-President Donald Trump to Joe Biden after the 2020 election.

“Our Constitution and laws give you so many important rights that Americans have fought and died for and that you yourself put on a uniform to defend,” District Judge Timothy Kelly said in handing down the sentence. “People around the world would give anything for these rights.”

But January 6, 2021, Kelly said, “broke our tradition of the peaceful transferring of power” in the United States.

“The nature of the constitutional moment we were in that day is something that is so sensitive that it deserves a significant sentence,” he said.

[Smoove_B]

I'm sure he'll be a genial fellow when he's released at the age of 56.

If this is the extent of how we're punishing the leaders of a group that tried to disrupt democracy, I'm confident the next attempt isn't going to be nearly as pedestrian.

[Isgrimnur]

US Capitol attack: Proud Boys leader gets 18 years in prison, matching longest

The 18-year sentence for Ethan Nordean, a leader of the Proud Boys convicted of seditious conspiracy, fell short of the 27 years prosecutors had sought and tied the sentence handed down to Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes in May.
...
In a statement to the judge, Nordean called Jan. 6 a "complete and utter tragedy" and said he had gone to the Capitol to be a leader and to keep people out of trouble. His wife and sister pleaded for mercy.
...
Dominic Pezzola, a member of the Proud Boys, did not play a leadership role but was convicted of felonies including obstructing an official proceeding and assaulting police. He yelled, "Trump won!" as he left the courtroom after being sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Prosecutors said Pezzola's assault on former Capitol Police Officer Mark Ode, in which he stole Ode's riot shield and used it to smash at a window at the Capitol, helped to justify a lengthy prison term.

[Kurth]

I'm sure he'll be a genial fellow when he's released at the age of 56.

If this is the extent of how we're punishing the leaders of a group that tried to disrupt democracy, I'm confident the next attempt isn't going to be nearly as pedestrian.

17 years in prison is no joke. That’s a serious punishment for a serious crime. Seems appropriate to me, especially given the fact that these clowns were basically acting at the President’s behest.

[Smoove_B]

17 years in prison is no joke. That’s a serious punishment for a serious crime. Seems appropriate to me, especially given the fact that these clowns were basically acting at the President’s behest.

I'm sure it's going to suck, but I personally don't believe people that organized and attempted to overthrow a peaceful transition of power should be incarcerated.

I guess we'll see in 2024.

[Unagi]

I personally don't believe people that organized and attempted to overthrow a peaceful transition of power should be incarcerated.

I'm not sure I'm following what you are saying.

[Smoove_B]

I personally don't believe people that organized and attempted to overthrow a peaceful transition of power should be incarcerated.

I'm not sure I'm following what you are saying.

There's no value in pardoning a corpse.

[Unagi]

I personally don't believe people that organized and attempted to overthrow a peaceful transition of power should be incarcerated.

I'm not sure I'm following what you are saying.

There's no value in pardoning a corpse.

say no more, say no more.

[Smoove_B]

I wouldn't like to think of myself as the kind of person that would call for the death of someone else, but I'm happy to point out where my thoughts on our current handling of certain issues doesn't agree with what's actually happening.

[Kurth]

I personally don't believe people that organized and attempted to overthrow a peaceful transition of power should be incarcerated.

I'm not sure I'm following what you are saying.

There's no value in pardoning a corpse.

Ok, Stalin.

[Smoove_B]

Ok, Stalin.

You'll also probably not be surprised to learn that I think Sherman had the right idea.

[Kurth]

Ok, Stalin.

You'll also probably not be surprised to learn that I think Sherman had the right idea.

Too funny! Don’t fuck with Smoove. I think I see a superhero narrative here: Mild mannered public health expert by day, menacing Liberal Avenger by night.

Bigots and Proud Boys and corrupt Supreme Court justices . . . watch your backs.

[Smoove_B]

Apparently I'm a big fan of the Social Contract theory, and I'm just as surprised as everyone else. Violate the social contract and it's Cobra Kai time.

[Carpet_pissr]

Smoove rogue Hawkeye. Dealing vigilante style murdery death in his liberal vengeance rampage!

[Freyland]

Mild mannered public health expert by day, menacing Liberal Avenger by night.

Wearing a mask during either Identity, oddly enough.

[Kurth]

Mild mannered public health expert by day, menacing Liberal Avenger by night.

Wearing a mask during either Identity, oddly enough.

There really should be a public health themed superhero: Pushed too far by our pathetic response to COVID or some other infectious disease, our mild mannered public health worker finally loses his shit and goes postal on those undermining public health and good government.

The Masked Marauder? Someone needs to run with this!

[GreenGoo]

Mild mannered public health expert by day, menacing Liberal Avenger by night.

Wearing a mask during either Identity, oddly enough.

[Carpet_pissr]

Mild mannered public health expert by day, menacing Liberal Avenger by night.

Wearing a mask during either Identity, oddly enough.

There really should be a public health themed superhero: Pushed too far by our pathetic response to COVID or some other infectious disease, our mild mannered public health worker finally loses his shit and goes postal on those undermining public health and good government.

The Masked Marauder? Someone needs to run with this!

Weapon of choice: Kleenex box full of Covid tissues. He comes up behind his targets and chloroforms them, except with a Covid positive cloth instead of chloroform.

[LawBeefaroni]

I'm sure he'll be a genial fellow when he's released at the age of 56.

If this is the extent of how we're punishing the leaders of a group that tried to disrupt democracy, I'm confident the next attempt isn't going to be nearly as pedestrian.

17 years in prison is no joke. That’s a serious punishment for a serious crime. Seems appropriate to me, especially given the fact that these clowns were basically acting at the President’s behest.

14 1/2 years if he behaves himself.

[Unagi]

Mild mannered public health expert by day, menacing Liberal Avenger by night.

Wearing a mask during either Identity, oddly enough.

There really should be a public health themed superhero: Pushed too far by our pathetic response to COVID or some other infectious disease, our mild mannered public health worker finally loses his shit and goes postal on those undermining public health and good government.

The Masked Marauder? Someone needs to run with this!

Weapon of choice: Kleenex box full of Covid tissues. He comes up behind his targets and chloroforms them, except with a Covid positive cloth instead of chloroform.

Wait, wouldn't he go around vaccinating people?

[Carpet_pissr]

Nope. He’s turned rogue, remember?

Though that would make more sense if I put 3 seconds of thought into it.