Steve Bannon sentenced to 4 months in jail for defying subpoena from House committee investigating January 6 Capitol riot



Steve Bannon was sentenced Friday to four months in jail for defying a subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, the Associated Press reported.

What are the details?

Bannon — a longtime confidant of and White House adviser to former President Donald Trump — also was fined $6,500 as part of the sentence, the AP said, adding that U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols allowed Bannon to stay free pending appeal.

Earlier this week the Justice Department recommended a six-month sentence and $200,000 fine for Bannon, who was found guilty in July of two charges of contempt of Congress by a federal jury.

The AP said Nichols imposed the sentence after saying the law was clear that contempt of Congress is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of at least one month behind bars; Bannon’s lawyers had argued the judge could instead have sentenced him to probation.

“In my view, Mr. Bannon has not taken responsibility for his actions,” Nichols said before he announced the sentence, the AP noted.

More from the outlet:

The House panel had sought Bannon’s testimony over his involvement in Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Bannon has yet to testify or provide any documents to the committee, prosecutors wrote.

Prosecutors argued Bannon, 68, deserved the longer sentence because he had pursued a “bad faith strategy” and his public statements disparaging the committee itself made it clear he wanted to undermine their effort to get to the bottom of the violent attack and keep anything like it from happening again.

“He chose to hide behind fabricated claims of executive privilege and advice of counsel to thumb his nose at Congress,” prosecutor J.P. Cooney said, according to the AP.

Bannon’s lawyer, David Schoen, argued that his client did what his lawyer told him to do under Trump’s executive privilege objections, the outlet said.

“Quite frankly, Mr. Bannon should make no apology. No American should make any apology for the manner in which Mr. Bannon proceeded in this case,” Schoen also said, according to the AP.

The outlet added that Schoen also defended Bannon’s public remarks about the committee: “Telling the truth about this committee or speaking one’s mind about this committee, it’s not only acceptable in this country, it’s an obligation if one believes it to be true."

'Illegitimate regime'

“This illegitimate regime, their judgment day is on 8 November when the Biden administration ends," Bannon told reporters as he walked into court Friday, the AP said.

After the hearing, Bannon said he believed Attorney General Merrick Garland would be impeached, the outlet added.

Anything else?

After his July guilty verdict, Bannon told Fox News' Tucker Carlson, "If I go to jail, I go to jail. I will never back off. ... I support Trump and the Constitution, and I'm not backing off one inch."

He added during the TV appearance that "the law is with us" and warned viewers "they're coming for everybody. ... This is an ideological war and we cannot lose. The fate of the country is over the next couple years."

\u201cSteve Bannon joined us for his first interview since his guilty verdict.\u201d
— Tucker Carlson (@Tucker Carlson) 1658608218

Report: Investigators recommend Capitol Police officer face no criminal charges for lethally shooting Ashli Babbitt



The Capitol Police officer who fatally shot Ashli Babbitt will not face criminal charges, according to a report of the recommendation made by investigators.

The recommendation was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, which cited people familiar with the investigation.

Babbitt was among those killed during an hourslong siege on Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters who were seeking to stop Congress from confirming the official election results proclaiming then-candidate Joe Biden the victor.

The incident was captured on video and has become a source of heated debate over those who accused the police officer of an improper use of force and those who emphasize the violent nature of the assault on Congress.

Babbitt, a 35-year-old Air Force veteran from California, was shot in the neck just outside of the Senate chambers as rioters began to break through the doors. A graphic video appears to show Babbitt trying to climb into the chambers before a shot rings out and she falls to the ground. She was declared deceased at a hospital later.

The woman's husband told KUSI-TV that she was a "strong supporter" of former President Donald Trump.

A day after the Capitol riot, the officer who shot Babbitt was placed on administrative leave and suspended from their official duties while the matter was investigated.

At least eight people who were at the Capitol rioting have died, including one officer who was lethally injured during the attack and three other demonstrators who experienced medical emergencies.

Babbitt worked at a pool service company that her family had purchased in San Diego three years ago. She also appeared to believe in the QAnon conspiracy theory that posits that Democrats are involved in a Satanic global child murder and sex trafficking cult.

Here's more about Babbitt's death:

Ashli Babbitt, Woman Who Died in Coup, Served in US Air Forcewww.youtube.com

Capitol Police union accuses department leadership of failing officers during the riot



The union that represents the Capitol Police said that its leadership entirely failed officers during the U.S. Capitol riots that took place in early January.

What are the details?

According to a Wednesday report from NPR, the Capitol Police Labor Committee said that the force's leadership "failed to relay the known threat of violence adequately ahead of the Jan. 6 deadly riot, calling the acting chief's recent admission of prior knowledge of the threat to Congress a 'disclosure that has angered and shocked the rank-and-file officers.'"

In Tuesday testimony, acting Chief Yogananda Pittman said, "By January 4th, the Department knew that the January 6th event would likely not be like any of the protests held in 2020. We knew that militia groups and white supremacist organizations would be attending. We also knew that some of these participants were intending to bring firearms and other weapons to the event. We knew that there was a strong potential for violence and that Congress was the target."

Pittman also apologized for the department's "failings," and said that former Chief Steven Sund requested the Capitol Police Board to declare a state of emergency for Jan. 6 and to request the assistance of the National Guard — a request that was reportedly denied.

In response to Pittman's remarks, union head Gus Papathanasiou said that the revelation was "unconscionable."

"We have one officer who lost his life as a direct result of the insurrection," he began. "Another officer has tragically taken his own life. Between USCP and our colleagues at the Metropolitan Police Department, we have almost 140 officers injured. I have officers who were not issued helmets prior to the attack and who have sustained brain injuries. One officer has two cracked ribs and two smashed spinal discs. One officer is going to lose his eye, and another was stabbed with a metal fence stake."

Papathanasiou added, "The disclosure that the entire executive team ... knew what was coming but did not better prepare us for potential violence, including the possible use of firearms against us, is unconscionable. The entire executive team failed us, and they must be held accountable. Their inaction cost lives."

After the riot, top security officials at the Capitol, including Sund; the House sergeant-at-arms, Paul Irving; and the Senate sergeant-at-arms, Michael Stenger, resigned their posts.

Black diversity vice chancellor rebukes white people for Capitol riot, demands they 'fix' their 'freaking families'



Stephany Rose Spaulding, the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs vice chancellor for equity, diversity, and inclusion, said in an emotionally charged video that white people should fix their families.

Her remarks came in response to the U.S. Capitol riot that unfolded Jan. 6 in Washington, D.C., according to Campus Reform.

What are the details?

In a lengthy Facebook video, Spaulding — who is a pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Colorado Springs and a former U.S. congressional candidate — said that it was up to "white people" to fix their families, thus repairing democracy, which is "failing because of racism."

"Black justice workers are not OK," she began the video and later said that black justice workers will not be OK until "every doggone white person out here recognizes that this is the result of white supremacy, this is your fault, this is on your watch for sitting by silently."

Spaulding also said that white people ought to put their money where their mouths are and to do the work of fixing their families so things like this don't happen in the future.

"I don't need a hug, I need you [white people] to fix your freaking families, I need you to fix yourselves, I need you to fix this!" she demanded and insisted that democracy is a failure in the United States because of racism.

Of the storming of the Capitol, Spaulding said, "You are seeing how white privilege plays out for the whole entire globe and this country right now."

She also said that if it were black people who stormed the Capitol, the outcome would have developed through an entirely different playing field.

"We recognize that we would be dead right now in this moment," she said, later adding that "this is [white people's] fault for allowing whiteness to manifest in some BS like this."

Spaulding also said that she believes there were "sympathizers even in the Capitol Police," and "even in the National Guard that allowed this to happen."

According to the outlet, Spaulding is the author of two published books, "Abolishing White Masculinity from Mark Twain to Hiphop: Crisis in Whiteness," and "Recovering From Racism: A Guidebook to Beginning Conversations."

Spaulding is also founder of an activist group called Truth and Conciliation, a movement dedicated to "dismantling systemic racism and all forms of oppression in order to build an inclusive, diverse, and equitable future for all our relations."

Mitch McConnell says mob that rioted at the US Capitol was 'provoked by the president'



Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday that President Donald Trump is responsible for provoking the mob that rioted at the U.S. Capitol earlier in January.

What are the details?

In remarks from the Senate floor, McConnell said that the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol was "provoked by the president and other powerful people."

"The mob was fed lies," McConnell said. "They were provoked by the president and other powerful people, and they tried to use fear and violence to stop a specific proceeding ... which they did not like."

He continued, "But we pressed on, we stood together, and said an angry mob would not get veto power over the rule of law in our nation, not even for one night. We certified the people's choice for their 46th president."

His remarks came as he and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) prepare for Trump's forthcoming impeachment trial.

The House impeached Trump last week for inciting an insurrection but has yet to transmit the article of impeachment to the Senate. Once the House transmits the article, the trial can begin, but McConnell has yet to offer up how he plans to vote in the Senate impeachment.

Following McConnell's remarks, Schumer insisted that Trump "should not be eligible to run for office ever again."

"Healing and unity will only come if there is truth and accountability," he added. "There will be an impeachment trial in the United States Senate, there will be a vote on convicting the president for high crimes and misdemeanors, and if the president is convicted, there will be a vote on barring him from running again."

Trump is the only president in U.S. history to be impeached twice.

As Axios pointed out, "A McConnell vote to convict would likely open the floodgates for other Republican senators to do the same." Undisclosed sources also told the outlet that the chances of McConnell voting to convict the president are "higher than 50%."

Sen. Mitch McConnell: "The mob was fed lies. They were provoked by the president..."www.youtube.com

SARAH SILBIGER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

DOJ: 'Hundreds' to be charged after Capitol riots, number of crimes is 'mind-blowing' and includes 'sedition and conspiracy'



The U.S. Department of Justice held a news conference Tuesday with acting U.S. Attorney Michael Sherwin and FBI Washington Field Office ADIC Steven D'Antuono discussing charges and arrests made in connection with last Wednesday's riot at the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters.

According to the DOJ officials, there are more than 170 active subject files seeking individuals identified as potential persons that committed crimes, a number that is expected to swell into the "hundreds" in coming weeks. The DOJ has launched investigations into serious felony charges of "sedition and conspiracy," as well as a "mind-blowing" number of crimes related to the events that transpired last week.

"That's just the tip of the iceberg," D'Antuono said in his statement.

He revealed that the FBI has collected more than 100,000 pieces of digital media from the public that authorities are using to investigate an extraordinarily broad range of crimes committed by the pro-Trump mob.

"I want to stress that the FBI has a long memory and a broad reach. Agents and our partners are on the streets investigating leads not only here in the D.C. area, but also across the country through the FBI's 56 field offices," D'Antuono added.

"Even if you've left D.C., agents from our local field offices will be knocking on your door if we find out you were a part of the criminal activity at the Capitol," he said.

JUST IN: FBI briefs on US Capitol riots• Opened 160 case files: "That's just the tip of the iceberg."• Received… https://t.co/AMQMbEnqiJ
— NBC News (@NBC News)1610483202.0

Last Wednesday, tens of thousands of President Donald Trump's supporters gathered in Washington, D.C., in protest of the congressional certification of the Electoral College. Having been told by the president and his allies for months that the November election was fraudulent, and after news broke that Vice President Mike Pence would not attempt to reject slates of electors from disputed battleground states, some protesters led a mob to storm the Capitol, succeeding in infiltrating the building as lawmakers were assembled for debate.

In the ensuing violence, several police officers were assaulted by rioters, congressional offices were raided, various crimes ranging from trespass to felony murder were committed, and five people lost their lives in what the media proclaimed was an insurrection attempt. Additionally, two pipe bombs were discovered near the Capitol at the headquarters of the RNC and the DNC, though both were safely detonated by law enforcement and no one was injured.

The DOJ officials confirmed Tuesday that the pipe bombs were real explosive devices with igniters and timers. Investigators do not know why the bombs didn't go off, they said. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of the individual(s) who planted the bombs.

Federal and local law enforcement has come under intense scrutiny as critics accuse Capitol Police of having been woefully unprepared to prevent the events that transpired.

According to D'Antuono, the FBI knew that the rally last Wednesday would take place and sought information about potential violence that might occur. Intelligence gathered through social media and through sources indicated that "a number of individuals were planning to travel to the D.C. area with intentions to cause violence."

"We immediately shared that information and action was taken," D'Antuono claimed, citing the Metropolitan Police Department arrest of Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio the night before the rally on destruction of property and weapons charges.

D'Antuono took pains to clarify that the FBI can't open a criminal investigation into social media posts, which fall under First Amendment protections, without a threat of violence or alleged criminal activity.

The DOJ has launched multiple investigations into the criminal activity that did take place, acting U.S. attorney Sherwin told reporters.

"The scope and scale of this investigation into these cases are really unprecedented, not only in FBI history but probably DOJ history," he said, describing the Capitol grounds on the inside and outside as "essentially a crime scene" with "literally thousands of potential witnesses" and "hundreds of criminal cases" that will be filed at all levels of the court system.

"This is going to be a long-term investigation," Sherwin emphasized. He referred to the growing list of crimes to be investigated as "mind-blowing."

So far, the DOJ has filed charges in over 70 cases, a number he expects will "grow into the hundreds." The types of cases being investigated include simple trespass, theft of mail, theft of digital devices, assaults on police officers, theft of potential national security or defense information, felony murder, and even civil rights excessive force investigations.

Law enforcement officials are making it a priority to file simple charges against as many people as they can as quickly as possible to catch criminals. Most of these are misdemeanors or trespass cases, Sherwin explained. Some of them may be related to firearms charges.

"This is only the beginning, so after these criminal charges are filed via criminal complaints, that allows us, that allows law enforcement across the United States to arrest people," Sherwin elaborated. "After those charges are filed, then we have the ability to then indict these individuals on more significant charges."

"We're looking at significant felony cases tied to sedition and conspiracy," he revealed.

Sherwin also announced the organization of a "strike force" of national security and public corruption prosecutors to build seditious and conspiracy charges "related to the most heinous acts that occurred in the Capitol" with potential sentences of up to 20 years in jail for those convicted.

"Regardless of if it was just a trespass in the Capitol or if someone planted a pipe bomb, you will be charged and you will be found," he warned the perpetrators.

The DOJ is also focusing on prosecuting assaults on police officers.

"In some instances, MPD and Capitol Police were in open-handed combat with some of these persons inside the Capitol, where tear gas was used on the Capitol Police and federal officers and they were also used against some of these rioters," Sherwin said.

"People are going to be shocked with some of the egregious conduct that happened within the Capitol."