2020 Election: Predictions, Results and Reactions

[Frelga]

New Zealand Designates Proud Boys a Terrorist Group

New Zealand’s prime minister can designate groups terrorist entities if they have carried out at least one terrorist act, and the government believed the Proud Boys’ involvement in the Jan. 6 attack was “consistent with the definition of a terrorist act,” it said in a statement from June 20. It said that the group’s “extreme right-wing ideology was founded on racist and fascist principles” and that it had shown a consistent fondness for violence.

[RoseMorninStar]

We were in New Zealand when the Christchurch massacres occurred. The response across the country was so united and visceral and they acted to protect one another. It makes the inaction regarding mass shootings here all the more gut wrenching.

This seems like an odd ruling:

AP News Wisconsin court: Conservative holdover can stay on DNR board

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s conservative-controlled Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that a conservative member of the Department of Natural Resources policy board may remain on the panel indefinitely in a far-reaching decision that leaves Democratic Gov. Tony Evers all but powerless to seat any of his appointees who need legislative approval.

The court ruled 4-3 that Fred Prehn can stay until the state Senate confirms his successor. Prehn’s term expired more than a year ago, but the Republican-controlled Senate has declined to hold a confirmation vote on his replacement.

That has effectively blocked Evers from filling a seat and preserved a conservative majority on a board that controls environmental and hunting policy in Wisconsin. Since his term expired, Prehn has voted with that majority to scale back restrictions against PFAS — an abbreviation for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as “forever chemicals” — and increase a quota for a fall wolf season. (...)

Wells are being shut down in our area due to PFAS.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

For what it is worth:

Cheney says January 6 committee could make multiple criminal referrals, including of Trump

[N.E. Brigand]

This man was given VIP seating at Trump's January 6th rally and was asked by Trump's team to lead the mob to the Capitol:

[N.E. Brigand]

I'm trying to imagine what it would have been like if the Secret Service hadn't stopped President Trump from traveling to the Capitol.

If he were right there with the mob trying to storm the building, would there have been a battle between the Capitol Police and the Secret Service?

I asked what would have happened if "the Secret Service hadn't stopped President Trump from traveling to the Capitol." ...

I was thinking of this: Trump's Lawyer Argues President Can't Be Prosecuted for Shooting Someone on Fifth Avenue (Oct. 23, 2019)

By the logic that Trump's attorneys made during that hearing before the Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals -- although this specific question wasn't addressed directly in that hearing -- not only could Trump not be prosecuted for killing someone, but law enforcement couldn't even prevent him from killing someone if he chose to do so. (Judge Denny Chin: "Nothing could be done? That's your position?" -- Trump attorney William Consovoy: "That is correct, that is correct.") It's essentially the same argument that Nixon made made years ago: "When the President does it, that means it's not illegal."

So if Trump were leading a mob against the Capitol, as he apparently wanted to do, the Capitol Police, as per Trump's own legal position, wouldn't have been allowed to hold them back, because doing so would impede the President. And if the Capitol Police did determine it was necessary, for example, to use pepper spray against that crowd in order to defend the Capitol -- as they did on January 6th -- would Trump have ordered the Secret Service to start firing on the Capitol Police?

The Washington Post is catching up to my question: "Does the vice president’s detail now protect the vice president from the presidential detail?"

[RoseMorninStar]

Alex Jones That man is not well.

[Sunsilver]

N.E.'s post about Alex Jones should go in the WTF thread!

[N.E. Brigand]

Earlier today it was reported that the special grand jury hearing testimony in Fulton County, Georgia regarding Donald Trump's alleged interference in that state's election has issued subpoenas to various Trump associates, including attorneys Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, Cleta Mitchell, Kenneth Chesebro and Jenna Ellis, as well as Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Here's a bit more about the Lindsey Graham subpoena, which is by far the most surprising.

Lindsey Graham may not be able to use Senate immunity to avoid Georgia subpoena in Trump case: legal experts

Meanwhile, the Select Committee has announced that its next hearing will be on July12.
House Jan. 6 committee announces next hearing; expected to focus on the Capitol mob

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., a member of the panel, indicated over the weekend that the next hearing would focus on the formation of the mob that ultimately descended on the Capitol last year, including the participation of several far-right groups.

"Who was participating, who was financing it, how it was organized, including the participation of these white nationalist groups like the Proud Boys, the Three Percenters, and others," Schiff said on CBS News' "Face the Nation" on Sunday.

Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., who served as the lead impeachment manager for the House proceedings against then-President Donald Trump after the insurrection, is anticipated to play a large role.

[Sunsilver]

Anyone else remember then-President Trump telling the Proud Boys to 'stand by'?

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/ ... t-n1241512

[RoseMorninStar]

That was a pretty memorable comment Sunny.. along with the 'I could shoot someone on 5th avenue and not be charged' statement.

V: I've been finding the hearings well laid out, interesting, and easy to follow. Small correction; the next hearing is JULY 12 (not Jan.) I was a little shocked when I wondered why it was going to take that long!

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Thanks Rose. Of all the bizarre mistakes that I have made in my life, that one is pretty high up there.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Two other big pieces of news from the committee. One is that another Trump aide, Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Matthews (who resigned the evening of January 6, 2021), will be testifying at a public hearing, as early as next week (but presumably not the one that I mentioned earlier, which is scheduled for January July 12).

Another top Trump aide agrees to publicly testify before J6 committee: CNN

Potentially even more important, former White House Counsel Pat Cippollone has agreed to testify under oath.

Cipollone Reaches Deal With Jan. 6 Panel To Testify In Transcribed Interview Friday

[N.E. Brigand]

Two other big pieces of news from the committee. One is that another Trump aide, Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Matthews (who resigned the evening of January 6, 2021), will be testifying at a public hearing, as early as next week (but presumably not the one that I mentioned earlier, which is scheduled for January July 12).

Another top Trump aide agrees to publicly testify before J6 committee: CNN

Potentially even more important, former White House Counsel Pat Cippollone has agreed to testify under oath.

Cipollone Reaches Deal With Jan. 6 Panel To Testify In Transcribed Interview Friday

Here's hoping that Marcy Wheeler is wrong in her guess (based on an earlier agreement by which Cipollone "informally" spoke to the Committee in April) that Trump's discussions about pardoning some of his co-conspirators is not outside the scope of the new interview. Here is how the Times describes the scope of the upcoming interview:

The agreement, according to an email reviewed by The New York Times, allowed discussions of a meeting with Jeffrey Clark, a Justice Department official who tried to help Mr. Trump cling to power; Mr. Trump’s interactions with John Eastman, the conservative lawyer who drafted a legal strategy for overturning the election; any interactions with members of Congress; and Mr. Cipollone’s recollections of the events of Jan. 6.

The agreement said that the two men could not discuss conversations they or others had with Mr. Trump, other than one discussion in the Oval Office with Mr. Clark in a pivotal meeting on Jan. 3, 2021.

However, both were permitted to discuss the timeline of where they were, with whom they met and conversations they had on Jan. 6. Assuming those conditions hold for Mr. Cipollone’s forthcoming testimony, they would presumably cover conversations such as ones he may have had with Ms. Hutchinson or other officials that day.

A Guardian reporter says that the Committee will be free to ask questions on any subject, but Cipollone may cite privilege in order not to answer some.

[Dave_LF]

[RoseMorninStar]

It's funny where lines are drawn sometimes, isn't it?

[N.E. Brigand]

The Washington Post is reporting that "Trump considers waiving claim of executive privilege for Steve Bannon" as regards the events of January 6th, never mind the sheer ridiculousness that someone who hadn't worked in the White House for more than three years could be covered by Executive Privilege. However, despite what I wrote here last October, I can't actually find any documentation showing that Donald Trump actually ever claimed executive privilege regarding Bannon's January 6th testimony in the first place. (If someone else can find proof that Trump did so, please share!) As Marcy Wheeler wrote in February, FBI interviews from November 2021 with Bannon's lawyer, Robert Costello -- who today filed a motion to withdraw as Bannon's lawyer, supposedly after he finally agreed with the Department of Justice's suggestion last December that Costello himself might be called as a witness in Bannon's case -- indicate at most that Trump's attorneys suggested to Costello that Trump might try to claim Executive Privilege over Bannon's testimony.

Both this last-minute letter and Costello's departure appear to be ploys to undermine Bannon's impending trial for contempt of Congress.

[Frelga]

This is a grim moment in the history of the nation, but am still giggling at this.

Screenshot_20220701-130624.png (442.45 KiB) Viewed 1649 times

[N.E. Brigand]

The Department of Justice has notified the court of certain evidence it plans to submit in the Oath Keepers seditious conspiracy trial, to include:

First, evidence that certain co-conspirators traveled to Washington, D.C., in November 2020 and, like for January 6, 2021, organized an armed Quick Reaction Force ("QRF"). Second, evidence that co-conspirator Jeremy Brown transported explosives to the Washington, D.C., area on January 6, 2021. Third, evidence that certain co-conspirators including Stewart Rhodes, Kelly Meggs, and Jessica Watkins discussed and prepared for violent conflict with government actors after January 6 and before January 20, demonstrating the co-conspirators' plan to oppose the lawful transfer of power before Inauguration Day. Fourth, evidence that co-conspirator Jessica Watkins possessed bomb-making instructions during the charged conspiracy as evidence of Watkin's [sic] preparation to use force against the government. And fifth, evidence that co-conspirator Thomas Caldwell possessed a "death list" with the names of Georgia election officials and, later, attempted to have someone build him firearms before January 20, showing Caldwell's intent to oppose government actors by force to stop the transfer of presidential power.

Explosives and bomb-making instructions, you say?

- - - - - - - - - -
Edit: Also, from earlier today, the Guardian reported that there was a *second* documentary film crew recording Roger Stone in the days before January 6th.

[N.E. Brigand]

The Department of Justice has notified the court of certain evidence it plans to submit in the Oath Keepers seditious conspiracy trial, to include:

First, evidence that certain co-conspirators traveled to Washington, D.C., in November 2020 and, like for January 6, 2021, organized an armed Quick Reaction Force ("QRF"). Second, evidence that co-conspirator Jeremy Brown transported explosives to the Washington, D.C., area on January 6, 2021. Third, evidence that certain co-conspirators including Stewart Rhodes, Kelly Meggs, and Jessica Watkins discussed and prepared for violent conflict with government actors after January 6 and before January 20, demonstrating the co-conspirators' plan to oppose the lawful transfer of power before Inauguration Day. Fourth, evidence that co-conspirator Jessica Watkins possessed bomb-making instructions during the charged conspiracy as evidence of Watkin's [sic] preparation to use force against the government. And fifth, evidence that co-conspirator Thomas Caldwell possessed a "death list" with the names of Georgia election officials and, later, attempted to have someone build him firearms before January 20, showing Caldwell's intent to oppose government actors by force to stop the transfer of presidential power.

Explosives and bomb-making instructions, you say?

- - - - - - - - - -
Edit: Also, from earlier today, the Guardian reported that there was a *second* documentary film crew recording Roger Stone in the days before January 6th.

Apparently none of the information in the DOJ filing is actually new to those who have been paying close attention to the many January 6th court filings. For example, that one of the Oath Keepers brought explosives to D.C. has been public information since February.