Lt. Mike Byrd (photo, left), the Capitol Police officer who shot rioter Ashli Babbitt, told NBC News, “I know that day I saved countless lives.” (Read story here.) A Republican congressman who witnessed the shooting agrees. Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) “felt that the Capitol police off[...]
Posts Tagged ‘Insurrection’
August 24th, 2021 - 12:11 am § in Law and Courts, Politics
Proud Boys leader goes to jail
A judge rejected the prosecutor’s recommendation of 3 months and gave Enrique Tarrio, leader of the violent rightwing Proud Boys group, 5 months in jail on Monday, August 23, 2021. Read story here. Tarrio pleaded guilty to property destruction (viz., burning a Black Lives Matter banner stolen [...]
August 14th, 2021 - 12:19 pm § in Law and Courts, Politics
Capitol rioters ID’d who allegedly beat cop who later died
Cybersleuths “have tracked down two men who allegedly attacked police officer Jeffrey Smith at the US Capitol during the 6 January insurrection, leaving him with injuries that have been linked to his death days later,” the Guardian reported on Saturday, August 14, 2021 (read story here)[...]
August 6th, 2021 - 2:08 pm § in Law and Courts, Politics
Capitol riot consequences begin taking shape
GOP leaders have falsely called the Capitol insurrection “peaceful” and the rioters “tourists” in their efforts to downplay and whitewash their party’s violent reaction to losing the 2020 election. This is nonsense. Among other things, they’ve claimed the rioters [...]
August 6th, 2021 - 1:22 am § in Donald Trump, Politics
Trumpers plan Sept. 18 Capitol rally
Matt Braynard (photo, left), a veteran of Trump’s 2016 campaign, is organizing a Capitol rally to display solidarity with jailed January 6 rioters, whom he calls “political prisoners.” It’s supposed to happen on September 18, 2021. He’s promising “high profileR[...]
August 4th, 2021 - 2:17 pm § in Law and Courts, Politics
A judge explains patriotism
“A federal judge rejected the argument that US Capitol rioters … are being prosecuted for their political views,” CNN reported on Wednesday, August 4, 2021 (read story here). She’s right, of course. They’re being prosecuted for illegal acts, not their be[...]
July 30th, 2021 - 1:25 pm § in Politics
Our politics have been worse, and could be again
America’s politics have always been rowdy, and sometimes violent; if it’s bad now, it’s been much worse. Here, Texas Democratic politician Beto O’Rourke describes some incidents from his state’s political past. For example: “After Reconstruction, states throughout[...]
What if the president loses his keys?
“Former military aide who carried ‘nuclear football’ reveals a gaping hole in security that could enable a marauder to obtain the access card and pose as the president,” the tabloid headline screeched here. (Click on image to enlarge.) It’s been known for years our mil[...]
July 29th, 2021 - 12:41 pm § in Politics
DoJ to pro-riot congressman: You’re on your own
The government won’t defend at taxpayer expense a GOP congressman being sued for allegedly helping to incite the Capitol riot. He’s on his own. Read story here. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) wanted to invoke the Westfall Act (read about it here), which shifts legal responsibility for actions by [...]
Ex-cop Capitol rioter jailed after buying 37 guns
An ex-cop arrested in January and fired from his police job for participating in the Capitol riot had his bail revoked and was ordered to jail after buying 37 guns, being caught with bomb-making materials, and advocating violent revolution in online posts, CNN reported on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 (r[...]