Trump loyalists in Congress to challenge Electoral College results in Jan. 6 joint session (Update: Insurrectionists storm Congress)(And now what?) (4 Viewers)

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    superchuck500

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    I guess it's time to start a thread for this. We know that at least 140 members of Congress have pledged to join the objection. Under federal law, if at least one member of each house (HOR and Senate) objects, each house will adjourn the joint session for their own session (limited at two hours) to take up the objection. If both houses pass a resolution objecting to the EC result, further action can take place. If both houses do not (i.e. if one or neither passes a resolution), the objection is powerless and the college result is certified.

    Clearly this is political theater as we know such a resolution will not pass the House, and there's good reason to think it wouldn't pass the Senate either (with or without the two senators from Georgia). The January 6 joint session is traditionally a ceremonial one. This one will not be.

    Many traditional pillars of Republican support have condemned the plan as futile and damaging. Certainly the Trump loyalists don't care - and many are likely doing it for fundraising purposes or to carry weight with the fraction of their constituencies that think this is a good idea.


     
    Facing prison time and dire personal consequences for storming the U.S. Capitol, some Jan. 6 defendants are trying to profit from their participation in the deadly riot, using it as a platform to drum up cash, promote business endeavors and boost social media profiles.

    A Nevada man jailed on riot charges asked his mother to contact publishers for a book he was writing about “the Capitol incident.” A rioter from Washington state helped his father hawk clothes and other merchandise bearing slogans such as “Our House” and images of the Capitol building. A Virginia man released a rap album with riot-themed songs and a cover photograph of him sitting on a police vehicle outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

    Those actions are sometimes complicating matters for defendants when they face judges at sentencing as prosecutors point to the profit-chasing activities in seeking tougher punishments. The Justice Department, in some instances, is trying to claw back money that rioters have made off the insurrection.


    In one case, federal authorities have seized tens of thousands of dollars from a defendant who sold his footage from Jan. 6. In another case, a Florida man’s plea deal allows the U.S. government to collect profits from any book he gets published over the next five years. And prosecutors want a Maine man who raised more than $20,000 from supporters to surrender some of the money because a taxpayer-funded public defender is representing him.

    Many rioters have paid a steep personal price for their actions on Jan. 6. At sentencing, rioters often ask for leniency on the grounds that they already have experienced severe consequences for their crimes.

    They lost jobs or entire careers. Marriages fell apart. Friends and relatives shunned them or even reported them to the FBI. Strangers have sent them hate mail and online threats. And they have racked up expensive legal bills to defend themselves against federal charges ranging from misdemeanors to serious felonies.

    Websites and crowdfunding platforms set up to collect donations for Capitol riot defendants try to portray them as mistreated patriots or even political prisoners.

    An anti-vaccine medical doctor who pleaded guilty to illegally entering the Capitol founded a nonprofit that raised more than $430,000 for her legal expenses. The fundraising appeal by Dr. Simone Gold’s group, America’s Frontline Doctors, didn’t mention her guilty plea, prosecutors noted.


    Before sentencing Gold to two months behind bars, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper called it “unseemly” that her nonprofit invoked the Capitol riot to raise money that also paid for her salary. Prosecutors said in court papers that it “beggars belief” that she incurred anywhere close to $430,000 in legal costs for her misdemeanor case.

    Another rioter, a New Jersey gym owner who punched a police officer during the siege, raised more than $30,000 in online donations for a “Patriot Relief Fund” to cover his mortgage payments and other monthly bills. Prosecutors cited the fund in recommending a fine for Scott Fairlamb, who is serving a prison sentence of more than three years……..

     
    Facing prison time and dire personal consequences for storming the U.S. Capitol, some Jan. 6 defendants are trying to profit from their participation in the deadly riot, using it as a platform to drum up cash, promote business endeavors and boost social media profiles.

    A Nevada man jailed on riot charges asked his mother to contact publishers for a book he was writing about “the Capitol incident.” A rioter from Washington state helped his father hawk clothes and other merchandise bearing slogans such as “Our House” and images of the Capitol building. A Virginia man released a rap album with riot-themed songs and a cover photograph of him sitting on a police vehicle outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

    Those actions are sometimes complicating matters for defendants when they face judges at sentencing as prosecutors point to the profit-chasing activities in seeking tougher punishments. The Justice Department, in some instances, is trying to claw back money that rioters have made off the insurrection.


    In one case, federal authorities have seized tens of thousands of dollars from a defendant who sold his footage from Jan. 6. In another case, a Florida man’s plea deal allows the U.S. government to collect profits from any book he gets published over the next five years. And prosecutors want a Maine man who raised more than $20,000 from supporters to surrender some of the money because a taxpayer-funded public defender is representing him.

    Many rioters have paid a steep personal price for their actions on Jan. 6. At sentencing, rioters often ask for leniency on the grounds that they already have experienced severe consequences for their crimes.

    They lost jobs or entire careers. Marriages fell apart. Friends and relatives shunned them or even reported them to the FBI. Strangers have sent them hate mail and online threats. And they have racked up expensive legal bills to defend themselves against federal charges ranging from misdemeanors to serious felonies.

    Websites and crowdfunding platforms set up to collect donations for Capitol riot defendants try to portray them as mistreated patriots or even political prisoners.

    An anti-vaccine medical doctor who pleaded guilty to illegally entering the Capitol founded a nonprofit that raised more than $430,000 for her legal expenses. The fundraising appeal by Dr. Simone Gold’s group, America’s Frontline Doctors, didn’t mention her guilty plea, prosecutors noted.


    Before sentencing Gold to two months behind bars, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper called it “unseemly” that her nonprofit invoked the Capitol riot to raise money that also paid for her salary. Prosecutors said in court papers that it “beggars belief” that she incurred anywhere close to $430,000 in legal costs for her misdemeanor case.

    Another rioter, a New Jersey gym owner who punched a police officer during the siege, raised more than $30,000 in online donations for a “Patriot Relief Fund” to cover his mortgage payments and other monthly bills. Prosecutors cited the fund in recommending a fine for Scott Fairlamb, who is serving a prison sentence of more than three years……..

    Take it all. Every dime...
     
    Florida sheriffs, acting under the orders of a local politician, gave a security briefing to an armed right-wing group heading to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to videos obtained by the Daily Dot.

    The Flager Liberty Coalition (FLC) recommended its members pack body armor, mace, and knives—which they said were for protection—and were working with Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins to bring crowds to D.C. that day. Mullins has faced criticism from his fellow local politicians for attending the protests that turned into the Capitol insurrection.

    Together, the group brought three buses of people to Washington on Jan. 6.

    The briefing is one of the best publicly available videos illustrating connections in advance of Jan. 6 between right-wing activists, pro-Trump protestors, MAGA politicians, and law enforcement.

    Flagler authorities, Mullins, and the FLC did not respond to requests for comment. After the Daily Dot reached out, the FLC deleted all videos off YouTube referenced in this article.

    The video of the briefing was first taken by independent journalist Tracey Eaton and reviewed by the Daily Dot.

    The briefing is alternatively absurd, banal, and telling. In one moment, a sheriff warns that antifa will be at the Capitol and that “as a weapon, they’re using fire.”........

     
    Florida sheriffs, acting under the orders of a local politician, gave a security briefing to an armed right-wing group heading to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to videos obtained by the Daily Dot.

    The Flager Liberty Coalition (FLC) recommended its members pack body armor, mace, and knives—which they said were for protection—and were working with Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins to bring crowds to D.C. that day. Mullins has faced criticism from his fellow local politicians for attending the protests that turned into the Capitol insurrection.

    Together, the group brought three buses of people to Washington on Jan. 6.

    The briefing is one of the best publicly available videos illustrating connections in advance of Jan. 6 between right-wing activists, pro-Trump protestors, MAGA politicians, and law enforcement.

    Flagler authorities, Mullins, and the FLC did not respond to requests for comment. After the Daily Dot reached out, the FLC deleted all videos off YouTube referenced in this article.

    The video of the briefing was first taken by independent journalist Tracey Eaton and reviewed by the Daily Dot.

    The briefing is alternatively absurd, banal, and telling. In one moment, a sheriff warns that antifa will be at the Capitol and that “as a weapon, they’re using fire.”........

    I’m stunned.

    OK, I’m not.
     
    Florida sheriffs, acting under the orders of a local politician, gave a security briefing to an armed right-wing group heading to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to videos obtained by the Daily Dot.

    The Flager Liberty Coalition (FLC) recommended its members pack body armor, mace, and knives—which they said were for protection—and were working with Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins to bring crowds to D.C. that day. Mullins has faced criticism from his fellow local politicians for attending the protests that turned into the Capitol insurrection.

    Together, the group brought three buses of people to Washington on Jan. 6.

    The briefing is one of the best publicly available videos illustrating connections in advance of Jan. 6 between right-wing activists, pro-Trump protestors, MAGA politicians, and law enforcement.

    Flagler authorities, Mullins, and the FLC did not respond to requests for comment. After the Daily Dot reached out, the FLC deleted all videos off YouTube referenced in this article.

    The video of the briefing was first taken by independent journalist Tracey Eaton and reviewed by the Daily Dot.

    The briefing is alternatively absurd, banal, and telling. In one moment, a sheriff warns that antifa will be at the Capitol and that “as a weapon, they’re using fire.”........

    Any chance DeSantis suspends any of these fools?
     
    The U.S. Secret Service did not inform Capitol Police about a threat made against Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) related to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot until after the attack was underway, according to a watchdog group.

    Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) published a report on Wednesday that included a copy of email communications the group said it had obtained between officials around the time of the Capitol riot.

    In one of the emails, which was sent from the Secret Service to Capitol Police, the Secret Service said in a correspondence dated Jan. 6 at 5:55 p.m. that it was “passing notification to the US Capitol Police regarding discovery of a social media threat directed toward Speaker Nancy Pelosi.”

    The Secret Service noted that it became aware of threatening posts made on a Parler account at least as early as Jan. 4, 2021, according to CREW. Among some of the posts the agency found, was one made on Dec. 31, 2020.

    “January 6 starts #1776 all over again!! Fight for God! Fight for Your Freedom!! Fight for Your Children!! Fight for Trump!! Fight for America!! Fight for EVERYTHING… Enemies: #MSM #BarackObama #HillaryClinton #GeorgeSoros #JoeBiden #AndrewCuomo #GavinNewsom #NancyPelosi #BillDeBlasio.”............

    It is not immediately clear when Secret Service learned about the specific post, but the agency’s correspondence with Capitol Police indicated that the same user and its linked accounts on other social media platforms showed the user making threats elsewhere, CREW noted.

    “Biden will die shortly after being elected. Patriots are gonna tear his head off. Prison is his best case scenario,” the user reportedly wrote on Parler on Jan. 2, 2021.

    The email exchange adds to controversy around how law enforcement agencies responded to the Capitol riot during which a pro-Trump mob ransacked the Capitol to stop lawmakers from certifying President Biden’s win.

    It also comes amid increasing scrutiny over how the Secret Service has preserved their text communications following the rioting – correspondences that are being sought by the House select committee investigating the attack................

     
    The U.S. Secret Service did not inform Capitol Police about a threat made against Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) related to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot until after the attack was underway, according to a watchdog group.

    Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) published a report on Wednesday that included a copy of email communications the group said it had obtained between officials around the time of the Capitol riot.

    In one of the emails, which was sent from the Secret Service to Capitol Police, the Secret Service said in a correspondence dated Jan. 6 at 5:55 p.m. that it was “passing notification to the US Capitol Police regarding discovery of a social media threat directed toward Speaker Nancy Pelosi.”

    The Secret Service noted that it became aware of threatening posts made on a Parler account at least as early as Jan. 4, 2021, according to CREW. Among some of the posts the agency found, was one made on Dec. 31, 2020.

    “January 6 starts #1776 all over again!! Fight for God! Fight for Your Freedom!! Fight for Your Children!! Fight for Trump!! Fight for America!! Fight for EVERYTHING… Enemies: #MSM #BarackObama #HillaryClinton #GeorgeSoros #JoeBiden #AndrewCuomo #GavinNewsom #NancyPelosi #BillDeBlasio.”............

    It is not immediately clear when Secret Service learned about the specific post, but the agency’s correspondence with Capitol Police indicated that the same user and its linked accounts on other social media platforms showed the user making threats elsewhere, CREW noted.

    “Biden will die shortly after being elected. Patriots are gonna tear his head off. Prison is his best case scenario,” the user reportedly wrote on Parler on Jan. 2, 2021.

    The email exchange adds to controversy around how law enforcement agencies responded to the Capitol riot during which a pro-Trump mob ransacked the Capitol to stop lawmakers from certifying President Biden’s win.

    It also comes amid increasing scrutiny over how the Secret Service has preserved their text communications following the rioting – correspondences that are being sought by the House select committee investigating the attack................

    That agency is severely tainted. No wonder Biden has trust issues and personally selected his detail.
     
    A man at the US Capitol building during the January 6 insurrection confronted two law enforcement officers this week at a federal courthouse in Washington DC where another individual was on trial for charges related to the riot.

    In one video, Tommy Tatum, who describes himself as an independent journalist from Mississippi, verbally harassed a law enforcement officer who NBC News reported appeared to be Aquilino Gonell, a former US Capitol Police sergeant who defended the Capitol building on January 6.

    "He's not that smart. So his lawyer has to tell him which lies to say on the stand. Every time he tells a lie or gets a hard question, he has to look at that piece of trash lawyer to get the question," Tatum said in the video to the officer.

    In another video, Tatum was seen harassing another law enforcement officer who protected the US Capitol building on January 6. "Do you think you honored your father's memory by trying to kill me that day?" Tatum said to the officer outside the federal courthouse just a few blocks from the Capitol.

    He added: "I was one of the people you tried to kill that day, sir."

    The officer in the second video appeared to be DC Police Sergeant Phuson Nguyen.

    Both Gonell and Nguyen testified in the trial of Kyle Fitzsimons, who faces criminal charges including assaulting and injuring three law enforcement officers, Gonell, Nguyen, and DC Police Officer Sarah Beaver.

    During the trial, Beaver described how Fitzsimons hit her on the head with a stick or a pole at the time of the attack, according to WUSA9.

    Tatum has not been arrested or charged with any crime at this time related to the January 6 insurrection. NBC News reported that a federal prosecutor asked for an order to have Tatum removed from inside the E. Barrett Prettyman United States Courthouse. The outlet later reported that Tatum was ordered to be removed.

    After his removal, the January 6 participant later posted on his blog denying that he "harassed Gonell," according to NBC News............

     
    In the days before the attack on the Capitol, Allen Groat wrote in a since-deleted tweet that the results of the 2020 presidential election were fraudulent, and that he was going to support Donald Trump on Jan. 6 by a “show of force,” according to a screenshot of the post.

    The IT analyst for the City of Charlottesville told a police official that he traveled to Washington and was inside the Capitol that day, saying he was working as an independent journalist and left when violence began, according to an internal city probe.

    This month, Charlottesville made an announcement that stunned and angered some residents: Groat would keep his job.

    The controversy has drawn local and national attention, putting officials on the defensive in a city which was host to an earlier episode of far-right violence: the 2017 “Unite the Right” white supremacist rally, which saw an avowed neo-Nazi plow his car into a crowd, killing one woman and injuring dozens more. Local activists say it is disappointing to see Groat on the government payroll, given what the city has been through.

    Interim City Manager Michael Rogers said at an Aug. 1 city council meeting that Groat had provided a letter of apology and that an FBI investigation into Groat’s actions had not produced any charges after a year-and-a-half. Groat did not respond to numerous requests for comment.

    “He is very sorrowful of his activities,” Rogers said. “He has experienced a great deal of personal loss. Considering the totality of circumstances including that it’s been a year-and-a-half without any action, I conclude that no further action or review is warranted in this case.”

    That did not sit well with some in the city. Molly Conger, a local activist and journalist, has questioned the city’s handling of Groat’s case repeatedly in recent weeks and highlighted his social media postings on Twitter. Groat is tasked with providing tech help to the city’s police and fire departments. She did not respond to a request for comment.

    “Whether or not groat’s conduct on january 6th rose to the level of being federally prosecutable is entirely separate from the question of whether this person’s conduct is consistent with what this city should expect from public safety professionals,” Conger tweeted.............

    Charlottesville Mayor Lloyd Snook said in an interview that city code did not allow officials to fire Groat unless he was charged with a crime. He said some towns and cities have codes of conduct that allow employees to be fired if they act disreputably, but Charlottesville does not.

    “That is something we may look at,” Snook said of a code of conduct.

    He added he did not want to fire Groat because he had become a “political football.” He said it would send a bad message to other employees.

    Groat’s presence inside the Capitol on Jan. 6 became public in June, when former Charlottesville police chief RaShall Brackney tweeted about it, saying the city had “downplayed” the affair. Charlottesville fired Brackney late last year, and she is now suing the city for racial and gender discrimination.

    In an interview, Brackney said a city official had tipped her off in mid-January 2021 that a Charlottesville police officer had been at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Brackney said she assigned her deputy chief to investigate the matter.

    The deputy chief discovered the man was not an officer, but a city IT employee detailed to the police and fire departments. The deputy chief interviewed Groat, who said he had been inside the Capitol on Jan. 6 and showed photos, according to an internal probe of the matter that Brackney posted on Twitter...........

     

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