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March 6, 2021

Ed Walker

We all flourish in democracy, the best form of government.

2020 Presidential Election, emptywheel, January 6 Insurrection

FBI and DHS Aren't Using the Free Expertise on Right Wing Terrorism While Looking to Pay for It

13 Comments

March 6, 2021

emptywheel

On Wednesday, a DHS witness responded to Mark Warner's suggestion that DHS and FBI avail themselves of experts on right wing extremism by explaining the agency is looking to contract for such skills. On Friday, HuffPo published its second story about FBI failing to act on open source tips about January 6 culprits.

Terrorism, WikiLeaks

On January 12, UK Granted Exception to Rule of Specialty in Minh Quang Pham Case

9 Comments

March 5, 2021

emptywheel

In January, the UK agreed to an exception to the Rule of Specialty in the case against Minh Quang Pham.

2020 Presidential Election, January 6 Insurrection

Unpacking a January 6 Phone Warrant

22 Comments

March 5, 2021

emptywheel

This is what a warrant application for the phone of a minor January 6 insurrectionist looks like.

2020 Presidential Election, January 6 Insurrection

Insurrection Inciters Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley Only Want the Violent January 6 Criminals Prosecuted

33 Comments

March 5, 2021

emptywheel

Both Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley are already working to undermine any investigation into non-violent action that contributed to the insurrection on January 6.

2020 Presidential Election, emptywheel, January 6 Insurrection

Chain of Command: The AWOL Descriptions of the Commander in Chief's Role in the National Guard Non-Response on January 6

94 Comments

March 4, 2021

emptywheel

DOD's selected witness for a Homeland Security hearing on January 6 yesterday said that DC Guard Commander General William Walker couldn't send the Guard to help protect the Capitol because of the chain of command. But the Commander-in-Chief seems to be AWOL from that chain of command.

2020 Presidential Election, January 6 Insurrection

Federal Protective Services Looking for Terrorists on Facebook, Not TheDonald or Parler

11 Comments

March 4, 2021

emptywheel

Federal Protective Services was figuring out how to prepare for January 6 by monitoring Facebook, not Parler or TheDonald.

2020 Presidential Election, January 6 Insurrection

The Passport and the Antifa Hunt: The Militia Counter-Stories Emerge

53 Comments

March 3, 2021

emptywheel

Ethan Nordean and Thomas Caldwell are both telling stories. Neither of the stories rebuts the central charges against them.

2020 Presidential Election, January 6 Insurrection

Josh Hawley Shocked and Alarmed to Discover the FBI Would Follow the Money behind Right Wing Terrorists

95 Comments

March 2, 2021

emptywheel

The January 6 insurrection happened on social media. And yet Josh Hawley seems shocked that, more than 270 arrests into the investigation of that insurrection, the FBI might have spoken to the social media companies and, pursuant to legal process, obtained evidence from them.

2020 Presidential Election, emptywheel, January 6 Insurrection

Journalists May Be Most at Risk (as Described) from a Presumed January 6 GeoFence Warrant

38 Comments

March 2, 2021

emptywheel

The innocent bystanders most significantly impacted from a likely geofence warrant obtained from Google in conjunction with the January 6 riot are most likely journalists, because they had legal reason to be present but may not, yet, be excluded from investigative databases.

2020 Presidential Election, emptywheel, January 6 Insurrection

Oath Keepers Learn the Hard Way: Don't Plan an Insurrection on Facebook

89 Comments

February 28, 2021

emptywheel

Two of the Oath Keeper co-conspirators, Thomas Caldwell and Graydon Young, tried to delete the Facebook records of their plans for insurrection. It didn't work.

January 6 Insurrection

Beryl Howell Takes an Early Swipe at the Trump Made-Me-Do-It Defense and Other Detention Standards

88 Comments

February 27, 2021

emptywheel

In an opinion ordering pre-trial detention for Proud Boy William Chrestman, Chief DC Judge Beryl Howell lays out a framework that the DC District judges might use to establish some consistency in they way they review detention decisions -- including the claim that Trump invited defendants to break the law.

January 6 Insurrection

The Expected Plateau in New January 6 Defendants became a Stream of New Assault Suspects

81 Comments

February 26, 2021

emptywheel

There are still upwards of 100 assault suspects from January 6 at large. But a greater percentage of recent arrests have been for assault.

2020 Presidential Election, Department of Justice, Impeachment, January 6 Insurrection, Terrorism

Congress versus the Constitution: Merrick Garland's Second Reconstruction

30 Comments

February 26, 2021

emptywheel

Merrick Garland will be confirmed without cowing to Republican efforts to equate their own assault on the Constitution with political protest. But such efforts will intensify after he assumes office, particularly if Durham fails to find the crimes that really don't exist and as DOJ gets closer to Trump or members of Congress.

Pezzola

emptywheel

Dominic Pezzola Guesses Wrong, Gets Labeled a Terrorist for His Troubles

17 Comments

February 26, 2021

emptywheel

In a bid to have his bail reconsidered, Proud Boy Domonic Pezzola guessed that a key government witness against him was the guy who recruited him into the Proud Boys. According to the government, Pezzola guess wrong. Along the way, Pezzola gave the government the opportunity to describe his actions as terrorism.

Financial Fraud

Government Refuses to Let Steve Bannon Sneak Away from His Federal Fraud Indictment

22 Comments

February 26, 2021

emptywheel

Last week, Steve Bannon's lawyer attempted to get him struck his Federal indictment with no repercussions. That effort will probably fail.

Left Theory

Dewey’s Functional Description Of Democracy

24 Comments

February 25, 2021

Ed Walker

Turning theory into practice is hard.

2020 Presidential Election, January 6 Insurrection

A Tale of Two Zip Tie Guys: The Different Fates of Eric Munchel and Larry Brock

130 Comments

February 23, 2021

emptywheel

The government is pushing hard to keep one Zip Tie Guy, Eric Munchel, in jail awaiting trial. With the other, retired Colonel Larry Brock, they're already moving towards a plea on trespass charges.

2020 Presidential Election, January 6 Insurrection

Government Uses T-Word about the Oath Keepers

79 Comments

February 23, 2021

emptywheel

The government has shown Oath Keeper Jessica Watkins planned and trained a cell to fight Joe Biden's government starting even before the election. Watkins herself has now shown that the Secret Service told her to take off her tactical gear when entering a secured area, but put that gear back on to enter a different secured area. The government has now shown she doubled down on her allegiance to the Oath Keepers after the destruction of the insurrection became clear. We'll see later today whether that's sufficient cause to label someone a terrorist.

2020 Presidential Election, Democrats, Department of Justice

Merrick Garland Is Killing It

48 Comments

February 22, 2021

bmaz

The SJC hearing is on the major cable channels and CSPAN. Streaming everywhere too I assume. It is really good viewing, as these things go. Yes, Ted Cruz came across as applicant to replace Sean Hannity. Yes Chris Coons preened for the cameras.…

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tweets from our circle

Ed Walker 🍞🌹@MasaccioEWDemocrats cut desperately needed unemployment assistance. Republicans gave a trillion bucks in tax cuts to a few pe… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…3 hours ago07 March 2021

bmaz@bmazRT @OrganizingPow3r: Kavanaugh committed perjury in 2018. The statute of limitations for federal perjury is 5 years. Is Merrick Garland goi…4 hours ago07 March 2021

bmaz@bmazRT @babadookspinoza: Not to open up this can of worms on here but I just saw a dolphin’s brain for the first time yesterday and there’s no…7 hours ago07 March 2021

Jim White@JimWhiteGNVRT @ArmandoNDK: You tweeted it. WTF? twitter.com/jaketapper/sta…7 hours ago07 March 2021

emptywheel@emptywheelRT @jake_zuckerman: Must read investigative journalism from @lbischoff connecting the dots between FirstEnergy and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWIne.…8 hours ago06 March 2021

bmaz@bmazRT @BrendanNyhan: Amazing to me Ds aren’t talking about this constantly. There are a lot of geriatric senators. twitter.com/mattyglesias/s…9 hours ago06 March 2021

Ed Walker 🍞🌹@MasaccioEWIt's a great day to read about John Dewey. emptywheel.net/?p=900819 hours ago06 March 2021

Jim White@JimWhiteGNVRT @RevDrBarber: I give thanks for the relief that will come through this bill. But we cannot pretend that the people who are suffering the…11 hours ago06 March 2021

Jim White@JimWhiteGNVThis is fucking awesome. Great move by Schumer to use Republicans' chaos against them. twitter.com/MzStrega/statu…12 hours ago06 March 2021

Jim White@JimWhiteGNVRT @AnnaForFlorida: @AP No offense, but I don’t really care if Senators are exhausted. People are exhausted, especially as we keep waiting…12 hours ago06 March 2021

Jim White@JimWhiteGNVRT @TheAmandaGorman: In a sense, he was right. I AM A THREAT: a threat to injustice, to inequality, to ignorance. Anyone who speaks the tru…12 hours ago06 March 2021

Ed Walker 🍞🌹@MasaccioEWIt's infuriating to watch the Senate do nothing because of zombie adherence to archaic rules.15 hours ago06 March 2021

RayneToday@raynetodaySounds fishy to me, like a cover story. twitter.com/kylegriffin1/s…3 months ago19 December 2020

RayneToday@raynetodayGee whillikers, I wonder why and when a county in Arizona was breached?? /snark twitter.com/Reuters/status…3 months ago18 December 2020

RayneToday@raynetodayRT @JustinPHicks: “I still cannot get a straight answer out of the Trump administration about why Michigan, like many other states, is rece…3 months ago18 December 2020

RayneToday@raynetodayRT @mcsweeneys: We've updated our catalog of Trump's cruelties, collusions, corruptions, and crimes. He's up to 1,028 now. https://t.co/zis…3 months ago15 December 2020

RayneToday@raynetodayRT @LoopEmma: Saudi Arabia hires new crop of lobbyists ahead of Biden administration cnbc.com/2020/12/15/sau…3 months ago15 December 2020

Dewey’s Aspirational View of Democracy

FBI and DHS Aren’t Using the Free Expertise on Right Wing Terrorism While Looking to Pay for It

On January 12, UK Granted Exception to Rule of Specialty in Minh Quang Pham Case

Unpacking a January 6 Phone Warrant

Insurrection Inciters Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley Only Want the Violent January 6 Criminals Prosecuted

Dewey’s Aspirational View of Democracy

FBI and DHS Aren't Using the Free Expertise on Right Wing Terrorism While Looking to Pay for It

On January 12, UK Granted Exception to Rule of Specialty in Minh Quang Pham Case

Unpacking a January 6 Phone Warrant

Insurrection Inciters Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley Only Want the Violent January 6 Criminals Prosecuted

Chain of Command: The AWOL Descriptions of the Commander in Chief's Role in the National Guard Non-Response on January 6

Federal Protective Services Looking for Terrorists on Facebook, Not TheDonald or Parler

The Passport and the Antifa Hunt: The Militia Counter-Stories Emerge

Josh Hawley Shocked and Alarmed to Discover the FBI Would Follow the Money behind Right Wing Terrorists

Journalists May Be Most at Risk (as Described) from a Presumed January 6 GeoFence Warrant

Oath Keepers Learn the Hard Way: Don't Plan an Insurrection on Facebook

Beryl Howell Takes an Early Swipe at the Trump Made-Me-Do-It Defense and Other Detention Standards

The Expected Plateau in New January 6 Defendants became a Stream of New Assault Suspects

Congress versus the Constitution: Merrick Garland's Second Reconstruction

Dominic Pezzola Guesses Wrong, Gets Labeled a Terrorist for His Troubles

Government Refuses to Let Steve Bannon Sneak Away from His Federal Fraud Indictment

Dewey’s Functional Description Of Democracy

A Tale of Two Zip Tie Guys: The Different Fates of Eric Munchel and Larry Brock

Government Uses T-Word about the Oath Keepers

Merrick Garland Is Killing It

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