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A Jan 6 rioter convicted of assaulting police scored a visit to the White House

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A Jan 6 rioter convicted of assaulting police scored a visit to the White House

Shane Jenkins, seen here in police bodycam footage from Jan. 6, 2021, was convicted of multiple charges in connection with the Capitol riot, including assaulting police. Months after receiving a pardon from President Trump, Jenkins visited the White House along with another former Jan. 6 defendant.

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Just months after being freed through a pardon from President Trump, two men convicted of felonies for their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol scored visits to the secure grounds of the White House.

During their visit, the men took turns posing for pictures and videos behind the lectern in the White House press briefing room.

“Thank you so much President Trump, if you’re seeing this, we appreciate you setting us free,” said Shane Jenkins, in a video he posted on social media.

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Jenkins, who had a criminal record before Jan. 6, was sentenced to seven years in prison for assaulting police protecting the Capitol and using a metal tomahawk to try to smash a window. The day after the attack, Jenkins wrote in a text message, “I have murder in my heart and my head.”

“Never would have thought in only a few short months I would be going from the big house to the White House,” said another pardoned Jan. 6 defendant, Dominic Box, who also recorded a video from the briefing room.

Dominic Box appeared exuberant as he recorded videos for social media in the White House press briefing room this month. Box was convicted of felony civil disorder and other nonviolent misdemeanors in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021 breach of the U.S. Capitol. His case was dismissed by the Justice Department before he was sentenced.

Dominic Box appeared exuberant as he recorded videos for social media in the White House press briefing room this month. Box was convicted of felony civil disorder and other nonviolent misdemeanors in connection with Jan. 6. His case was dismissed by the Justice Department before he was sentenced.

Screenshot by NPR/@DomFreePress


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Box was convicted of felony civil disorder and nonviolent misdemeanor charges related to the Capitol breach. He had not yet been sentenced when Trump returned to office and issued mass clemency to all Jan. 6 defendants, including the most violent offenders. Separately, in 2023, Box was arrested in Florida on a DUI charge. According to the police report, while in the back of the squad car, Box used “various racial slurs,” including the n-word. In a message to NPR, Box said , “I am not racist,” and noted that he did not use “the hard r” when he said the n-word.

The circumstances of the visit to the White House were somewhat murky.

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“An individual within the Trump Administration extended the invitation,” Box told NPR, “but I am not at liberty to disclose their identity.”

In a message to NPR, Jenkins said he was also “not at liberty to discuss” how the tour was arranged, adding, “but of course J6 Hostages were wronged and will be welcomed to the White House.”

The two men said that, in addition to the press briefing room, they saw the Oval Office and the Roosevelt Room, though they did not post any videos or photos of those areas.

The White House did not respond to NPR’s messages seeking comment.

Since taking office, Trump has continued to embrace Jan. 6 defendants as “political prisoners.”

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“I pardoned J6 people who were assaulted by our government,” Trump told reporters in February. The Department of Justice estimated that 140 police officers were injured in the attack.

The Trump administration is also currently negotiating a settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the estate of Ashli Babbitt, the rioter who was shot and killed by a Capitol police officer while trying to climb through a broken window.

Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger condemned the news of the pending settlement.

“I am extremely disappointed and disagree with this settlement,” Manger said in a written statement. “In 2021, the DOJ investigation determined no wrongdoing by police. This settlement sends a chilling message to law enforcement nationwide, especially to those with a protective mission like ours.”

Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the far-right extremist group the Proud Boys, also said he briefly met with Trump while visiting the president’s Mar-a-Lago resort earlier this month. Tarrio was convicted of seditious conspiracy for his role in the Jan. 6 attack and sentenced to 22 years in prison.

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According to Tarrio, Trump called him over while he was dining at the resort.

“I thanked him for giving me my life back,” Tarrio wrote on social media. “He replied with…I Love You guys.”

There is no indication that Jenkins or Box met with Trump when they visited White House. (Trump spent most of the day at his golf club in Virginia, according to his public schedule.) Both men have declined to disclose the precise details of their visit.

“Thank you to our friend, who shall go unnamed, for giving us that opportunity,” Box said on a video live stream.

The visit occurred on a Sunday – outside of the regular public tour schedule, which typically runs from Tuesday through Saturday, according to the White House website. In a break with the Biden administration, the Trump White House has stopped releasing visitor logs.

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Jenkins, who also had a criminal record before Jan. 6, posed for photos and videos behind the lectern in the White House press briefing room. Just months earlier, he was serving a seven-year prison sentence for his actions during the Capitol riot.

Jenkins, who also had a criminal record before Jan. 6, smiled and posed for photos and videos behind the lectern in the White House press briefing room. Months earlier, he was serving a seven-year prison sentence for his actions during the Capitol riot.

Screenshot by NPR/TheRealJ6Shane


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Jenkins’ appearance at the White House was especially striking given his convictions for assaulting police on Jan. 6, and his extensive criminal record, which stretches back to the late 1990s.

“I was in and out of prison from 23 on,” Jenkins said at his sentencing hearing.

Prosecutors said Jenkins assaulted police officers on Jan. 6 using nine different objects, including “a flagpole, a metal walking stick, and a broken wooden pole with a spear-like point on one end which he launched like a javelin.” At his trial, prosecutors pointed out his large neck tattoo reading “MAMA TRIED.”

In his defense, Jenkins’ lawyer said he was a victim of “the poisonous propaganda of a former president.”

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“[Trump] cares nothing about his supporters, nor anyone else,” defense attorney Dennis Boyle said in closing arguments. “To him they’re just cannonfodders [sic] to serve his needs and his needs alone.”

Jenkins told NPR he disagrees with his lawyer’s remarks. He maintains that he did not injure any police officers on Jan. 6, and said his actions were justified.

“We were standing not for Trump but in opposition to a stolen election,” Jenkins said in a message. “It was my duty as a citizen to object. In the process we were assaulted and responded in kind.”

“I’m thankful no one was hurt by what I did but am I sorry, f[***] no!” he wrote.

Jenkins’ legal troubles began long before Jan. 6. According to court documents filed by the Department of Justice, he had prior convictions for assault, resisting arrest, drug possession, making a “terroristic threat” and driving while intoxicated.

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When he was 20 years old, Jenkins shot and killed his stepfather. At his sentencing, he testified that he acted in self defense and murder charges against him were ultimately dropped.

Like Jenkins, Box has also faced criminal charges unrelated to Jan. 6.

In Aug. 2023, while awaiting trial for his Capitol riot case, Box was arrested in Florida for driving under the influence. According to the police report, a witness saw Box back into a pole and pass out. When officers arrived, they found Box slurring his speech, along with an open can of Natural Light beer and a bottle of Skol vodka in the car.

NPR asked Box about the allegation that he used “various racial slurs” after the arrest.

“At one point, in an admittedly & regrettably intoxicated state after being woken up while in the back of the squad car I said, ‘what’s up n[****]?’” Box wrote. “I am not a racist, have dated women of all racial backgrounds & the majority of my friends in both Jacksonville & Savannah are black.”

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Following the DUI arrest, Box was jailed for violating the terms of his pretrial supervision orders in the Jan. 6 case. He later pleaded no contest to the Florida DUI charge, and said he is “actively working a program of recovery” from substance abuse.

In a statement to NPR, the Secret Service said it followed standard protocol when they allowed Jenkins and Box to enter the White House.

“Mr. Jenkins and Mr. Box were subject to a rigorous security screening prior to their entry being approved,” the agency wrote. “In all cases, the U.S. Secret Service works in conjunction with White House staff to review pertinent visitor information and develop plans to ensure a safe and secure visit for all.”

“Secret Service knew who we were and they were cool,” Box said in a livestream video. “They weren’t looking at us like we were suspicious.”

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Map: 2.3-Magnitude Earthquake Reported North of New York City

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Map: 2.3-Magnitude Earthquake Reported North of New York City

Note: Map shows the area with a shake intensity of 3 or greater, which U.S.G.S. defines as “weak,” though the earthquake may be felt outside the areas shown.  All times on the map are Eastern. The New York Times

A minor, 2.3-magnitude earthquake struck about 12 miles north of New York City on Tuesday, according to the United States Geological Survey.

The temblor happened at 10:17 a.m. Eastern in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., data from the agency shows.

The Westchester County emergency services department said in a statement that it had not received any reports of damage.

As seismologists review available data, they may revise the earthquake’s reported magnitude. Additional information collected about the earthquake may also prompt U.S.G.S. scientists to update the shake-severity map.

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Source: United States Geological Survey | Notes: Shaking categories are based on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale. When aftershock data is available, the corresponding maps and charts include earthquakes within 100 miles and seven days of the initial quake. All times above are Eastern. Shake data is as of Tuesday, March 10 at 10:30 a.m. Eastern. Aftershocks data is as of Tuesday, March 10 at 2:18 p.m. Eastern.

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Ed Martin, outspoken Justice Department lawyer, is formally accused of ethical violations | CNN Politics

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Ed Martin, outspoken Justice Department lawyer, is formally accused of ethical violations | CNN Politics

Ed Martin, an outspoken Trump administration official, is facing attorney discipline proceedings in Washington, DC, for a letter he sent to Georgetown Law about its diversity programs, the district’s professional conduct investigator announced on Tuesday.

Martin is formally accused of violating his ethical codes as an attorney for telling Georgetown Law’s dean last year that his Justice Department office wouldn’t hire students because of the school’s diversity, inclusion and equity initiatives programs, according to the filing from Hamilton Fox, the disciplinary counsel for DC who acts as a quasi-prosecutor on attorney discipline matters.

Unlike unsolicited complaints, Fox’s formal disciplinary complaint kicks off professional conduct proceedings for Martin in which he will need to respond and could be sanctioned or ultimately lose his law license.

Fox’s announcement on Tuesday marks the first major bar discipline proceeding against a high-profile administration official or attorney supporting President Donald Trump during Trump’s second term. Several Trump lawyers faced disciplinary proceedings after the efforts to overturn Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election, including Rudy Giuliani, who lost his law license.

“Acting in his official capacity and speaking on behalf of the government, he used coercion to punish or suppress a disfavored viewpoint, the teaching and promotion of ‘DEI,’” Fox wrote in the complaint. “He demanded that Georgetown Law relinquish its free speech and religious rights in order to continue to obtain a benefit, employment opportunities for its students.”

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Martin was removed from the top prosecutor job in DC after senators made clear he would not be confirmed to the role, but has remained at the Justice Department in several roles, including as pardon attorney.

“Mr. Martin knew or should have known that, as a government official, his conduct violated the First and Fifth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States,” Fox wrote.

Martin is being represented by a Justice Department attorney, a source told CNN.

A spokesperson for DOJ attacked Fox’s complaint. “The DC bar’s attempt to target and punish those serving President Trump while refusing to investigate or act against actual ethical violations that were committed by Biden and Obama administration attorneys is a clear indication of this partisan organization’s agenda,” DOJ said.

Martin had sent the letter to Georgetown Law while serving temporarily as US attorney for DC, a prominent Justice Department position, and told the school his federal prosecutors’ office wouldn’t hire Georgetown’s law school students. It came at a time when the Trump administration was beginning to crack down on universities for their DEI efforts.

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In his letter, Martin claimed a whistleblower told him that the school was teaching and promoting DEI.

Martin also violated attorney ethics rules by contacting judges of the DC court directly, Fox alleged, rather than going through official channels, once he was informed he was under investigation for his professional conduct. The DC Court of Appeals ultimately signs off on attorney discipline findings.

Early last year, Fox’s office had formally asked Martin to respond to a complaint it received by a retired judge regarding the Georgetown letter.

Martin instead wrote to the judges on the DC court complaining about Fox.

“In that letter, he stated that he would not be responding to Disciplinary Counsel’s inquiry, complained about Disciplinary Counsel’s ‘uneven behavior,’ and requested a ‘face-to-face meeting with all of you to discuss this matter and find a way forward,’” Fox wrote.

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“He copied the White House Counsel ‘for informational purposes because of the importance of getting this issue addressed,’” Fox said.

The top judge in the DC courts told Martin the court wouldn’t meet with him about the disciplinary matter and that he would need to follow procedure.

With Fox’s complaint, there will now be several steps ahead of bar discipline authorities looking at Martin’s action, and Fox didn’t specify how Martin should be reprimanded or punished if the discipline boards and the court ultimately determine he violated his ethical codes.

Spokespeople for the Justice Department didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday morning.

In recent days, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced her office would have a more powerful role in reviewing attorney discipline complaints against Justice Department attorneys, potentially setting up an approach that could keep the department at odds with the bar on behalf of DOJ attorneys facing their own individual disciplinary proceedings.

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CNN’s Paula Reid contributed to this report.

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Europe and Asia battle for LNG as Iran war chokes supply

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Europe and Asia battle for LNG as Iran war chokes supply

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Asian and European buyers are battling to source liquefied natural gas after the war in the Middle East choked off shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, blocking a fifth of global supplies.

In an indication of the intensifying contest for LNG since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, a handful of gas carriers have abruptly changed course while sailing to Europe and swung towards Asia instead, according to ship monitoring data analysed by the FT.

Countries across Asia are highly dependent on oil and gas sent through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway where shipping has slowed to a near standstill.

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Most of the LNG produced in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates is ordinarily shipped through the strait to Asia, and Asian LNG prices surged almost immediately after war broke out, creating an incentive to divert US gas to the region.

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Taiwan, South Korea and Japan are among the countries that need to source LNG to make up for supplies they will not receive from the Gulf, said Massimo Di Odoardo, head of gas and LNG analysis at consultancy Wood Mackenzie.

Taiwan relied on Qatar for more than 30 per cent of its gas consumption in 2025, according to Citigroup, while for South Korea and Japan the figures were 15 per cent and 5 per cent respectively. Asia typically uses more gas than Europe in the hotter summer months because of more air-conditioning use, creating urgency for Asian utilities to secure cargoes.

The vast majority of LNG is sold under long-term contracts rather than on the spot market, but some buyers are able to change the final destination of their purchases and some sellers are willing to break contracts if prices rise high enough.

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By Thursday, surging European gas prices and rocketing shipping rates had swung the balance back against diversion of US LNG to Asia, according to data company Spark Commodities.

The decision on where to send gas carriers can depend on the relative levels of the European gas price, Asia’s JKM benchmark for LNG and shipping rates.

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For European buyers, the battle with Asia for LNG supplies is eerily familiar to the situation four years ago after Russia slashed pipeline natural gas flows to the continent following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Competition for spare cargoes then pushed prices to record levels.

On Monday, European gas prices reached as high as €69.50 per megawatt hour, more than double their level before the Iran conflict began. Even so, prices are still far from the €342 per megawatt hour reached in 2022.

JKM gas prices also more than doubled since the start of the war to $24.80 per 1mn British thermal units by Monday, equivalent to €73.10/MWh.

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European buyers have learnt from their experience in 2022. “Europe has more weapons at its disposal in this extreme price scenario to try and fight,” said Alex Kerr, a partner at law firm Baker Botts.

Buyers had started putting clauses in contracts to say that suppliers would face much higher penalties if they diverted cargoes for commercial gain, Kerr said.

There is also much more LNG on the market now that is not committed to set destinations, largely because of new projects starting in the US.

While producers such as Qatar impose strict rules on where its LNG can be sent, almost all US exports are allowed to sail wherever buyers want. Several analysts said there had also been an increase in the willingness of some producers to break contracts for financial advantage.

This makes diversions more likely, while the reluctance of some European buyers to sign long-term supply contracts before the outbreak of war this month could prove costly.

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Expectations of a global supply glut convinced some European buyers that it would be cheaper to wait until later in the year to sign supply deals.

Wood Mackenzie’s Di Odoardo said the buyers had also held off on LNG purchases because new EU legislation on methane emissions made it unclear whether they could incur penalties in the future.

The risk of prices rising as Europe and Asia fight for available cargoes is increasing every day the Strait of Hormuz stays almost closed.

Gas is more difficult to store and to carry in tankers than oil, making its markets more vulnerable to shortages and price shocks.

“The longer the Strait remains shut, the greater the risk that the shipping disruption turns into a genuine gas shortage, as tankers cannot load and facilities have limited storage,” said consultancy Oxford Economics in a research note.

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Additional reporting by Harry Dempsey in Tokyo. Data visualisation by Jana Tauschinski

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