All posts tagged "Jan 6"

A prominent conservative former federal judge is warning that House Republicans may attempt to block Democrats from being seated in the next Congress even if voters hand Democrats a decisive midterm victory, calling the coming months a potential "Final Battle for America's Democracy."

J. Michael Luttig, appointed to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals by President George H.W. Bush, laid out the scenario in a scathing New Republic op-ed, arguing today's House Republicans have become so loyal to President Trump that they'd refuse to accept an election outcome that removes them from power.

"Today's congressional Republicans took a blood oath six years ago not just to put their party before their country, but to put Donald Trump before their country," Luttig wrote. "And so it is that only weeks before the midterm elections, House Republicans have already sworn their allegiance to Donald Trump and doomed the U.S. to another Jan. 6 next Jan. 3."...

A federal judge expressed confusion and surprise at the Department of Justice's defense for a convicted Jan. 6er.

In a Tuesday ruling, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, called out the DOJ's defense of its move to clear a group of convicted January 6 rioters whose sentences President Donald Trump had commuted.

Mehta granted the DOJ's request to dismiss the indictment against eight members of the Oath Keepers, including Stewart Rhodes, the group's founder, but made it clear he found the government's reasoning baffling and did so only because the law left him no choice....

One of President Donald Trump's own lawsuits is forcing him to expose his finances, according to new reporting.

A federal magistrate judge in Florida ruled on Tuesday that Trump has to turn over detailed financial information to the BBC, according to reporting by Politico. Trump is suing the BBC for defamation because of how a documentary framed his January 6 speech.

After a three-hour hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett found that Trump's financial information was fair game for the BBC to explore because his lawsuit put his businesses' reputation at issue. The ruling opened the door for the BBC to look at the financial information of more than 400 companies owned by a Trump family trust, Politico reported. ...

President Donald Trump's miscalculations of an opponent are now dragging an unsuspecting family member into a lawsuit, per a legal expert.

During an episode of the Legal AF podcast, Michael Popok explained that the BBC offered an apology to Trump as a way to resolve a $10 billion defamation lawsuit. After Trump refused, the BBC sent out dozens of subpoenas, with one possibly reaching his youngest son, Barron Trump.

"Attention, Barron Trump, you may be coming in to testify in a court of law," Popok said. "Donald Trump is not only a loser but a frequent miscalculator of the conduct of people on the other side. You can sue who you want, but you can't dictate how they're going to defend the case."...

The Trump Department of Justice is again asking a federal court to erase a January 6 rioter's gun conviction, per a new court filing.

In a renewed motion on Tuesday, the Trump DOJ asked the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to vacate the conviction of Benjamin John Martin, who was found guilty of possessing firearms despite a prior misdemeanor domestic violence conviction.

DOJ prosecutors argued the guns surfaced only as "the unexpected byproduct of executing a search warrant" tied to Martin's actions at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Trump pardoned Martin and other January 6 rioters, and the DOJ contended the pardon should reach Martin's gun case....

A convicted January 6 rioter hired by the Trump administration will be working in a "sensitive" Pentagon office, the New York Times reported.

Elias Irizarry, who was just 19 years old when he entered the Capitol through a broken window, carrying a metal pole, will work for the Pentagon's Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict office, per the NYT.

The office is responsible for defending against terrorist acts and asymmetric warfare and supporting U.S. commandos, according to the NYT....