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Judge lets Jan. 6 attacker who stole Pelosi's laptop out to go to Renaissance festival
August 18, 2022
Most convicted felons are locked up until their time is served, but not Riley Williams. According to PennLive, the 25-year-old Capitol attacker who stole House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's laptop will be allowed out of house arrest to attend the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, a court order detailed.
Williams explained she's been doing some light cleaning while under home detention for the past year and a half.
“She is confined to her home 24/7 with exceptions. Every once in a while, if there is an activity that interests her, we ask if she can attend," her attorney explained.
But that 24/7 will be put on pause for 8 hours because Williams simply must be at the festival over the weekend.
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Prosecutors have opposed any end to her home confinement but are amenable to Williams being able to go out and about every once in a while, her lawyer explained.
Williams was arrested on Jan. 18 mere weeks after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. She was later indicted on charges related to the stealing of Pelosi's laptop. Attackers went into Pelosi's office and wrecked her office, urinated and dedicated on her desk and terrorized staff hiding behind locked doors in a conference room.
"The FBI investigation into the Jan. 6 insurrection revealed video and photos of a woman that appears to be Williams encouraging people to go inside the Capitol during the riot and directing members of the mob once inside," Penn Live also reported. "Posts and video on social media apps, apparently made by Williams, also claimed that she stole Pelosi’s laptop."
Williams hasn't been to trial yet, but she will attend a status hearing on Friday.
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DOJ counterintel chief tells court there's 'real concern for the safety of witnesses' in Trump docs case
August 18, 2022
Jay Bratt, the Chief of the Counterintelligence at the United States Department of Justice's National Security Division, told a court in Florida on Thursday that there was real reason to fear for the safety of witnesses identified in an unredacted affidavit related to the search of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.
As reported by the Washington Post's Jacqueline Alemany and Josh Dawsey, Bratt argued against the release of the affidavit in court on the grounds that it could undermine the DOJ's investigation.
Specifically, Bratt said that there is "real concern... for the safety of these witnesses" listed in the affidavit. He also said that revealing these witnesses could "chill other witnesses who may come forward and cooperate" with the probe.
Bratt also raised "the threat of possible obstruction and interference" with the investigation if the witnesses are revealed, which indicates the DOJ believes Trump or his allies could engage in witness tampering upon learning the witnesses' identities.
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Bratt also rejected calls for releasing a redacted version of the affidavit, as "there would be nothing of substance" after the redactions.
The DOJ has already released the search warrant and inventory from its search of Trump's resort, although Trump and his allies have called on the department to release the full affidavit that would contain more information about the witnesses who have been cooperating with the DOJ.
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Steve Bannon ridiculed without mercy after claiming Pennsylvania Senate candidate is 'satanic'
August 18, 2022
Dr. Mehmet Oz’s U.S. Senate campaign in the key swing state of Pennsylvania has not been going well. Some polls are showing his Democratic challenger, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, with a double-digit lead, and Oz has been inundated with brutal mockery in response to a shopping video that was meant to disparage President Joe Biden and other Democrats but, according to critics, misfired badly. Fetterman, in fact, has fundraised more than $500,000 from Oz’s widely ridiculed “crudité” video.
MAGA Republicans have been hoping to find a way to derail Fetterman’s campaign. One of them is Steve Bannon, host of the “War Room” podcast and former White House chief strategist in the Trump Administration. But Bannon’s line of attack is being slammed by critics as both ridiculous and desperate; Bannon is implying that Fetterman has a “satanic” appearance.
In a Gettr post on Wednesday, August 17, Bannon shared an over-the-top article from the right-wing Washington Free Beacon; the article showed Fetterman’s family members next to someone who was dressed as an animé character and claimed that Fetterman was part of a “Democratic grooming scandal.”
Bannon wrote, “Is Fetterman satanic?? His look, his vibe, his associations ... has there been anyone in the history of the country that exudes more just pure evil than this guy.... the Citizens of the Commonwealth need to ask themselves — do we want someone who hangs with Satanic Groomers to represent us in the US Senate."
When Bannon’s Gettr post was shared on Twitter — a platform that the “War Room” host was banned from after saying that Dr. Anthony Fauci and FBI Director Chris Wray should be beheaded — it didn’t take long for him to be inundated with ridicule and mockery. Florida-based attorney Ron Filipkowski, on August 17, tweeted, “Pretty sure when Steve Bannon calls you ‘satanic’ that means you are winning.” And similarly, journalist/author James Surowiecki tweeted, “To me, this just seems like clunky, self-evidently false nonsense from Bannon, and it really shows is how Republicans are scrambling to find a line of attack against Fetterman…. Fetterman ‘exudes pure evil’ is so distant from reality that it has no force.”
Another Twitter user, Seth Daire, @SethDaire, posted, “That's not even subtle QAnon rhetoric by Bannon, which dehumanizes and demonizes those they scapegoat. Also, have you seen Bannon's look, his vibe, his associations?”
Daire, in another tweet, argued that Bannon and other MAGA Republicans on the far right promote violence when they push ridiculous conspiracy theories. Daire wrote, “For those who asked, Satanic Groomers aligns with ideas central to Pizzagate and QAnon, and by framing his opposition that way, it dehumanizes and demonizes, which makes it easier for them to justify violence and harassment. Bannon has QAnon followers, even though he isn't QAnon.”
Writer Mark Russell mocked the appearance of Bannon, who former President Donald Trump describes as “Sloppy Steve” even though he considers him an ally. Russell, talking about Bannon, tweeted, “Says the guy who perpetually looks like he just stepped out of a panel van to buy duct tape.”
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