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Four other Oath Keepers found guilty of Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy

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Four other Oath Keepers found guilty of Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy


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4 members of the far-right Oath Keepers group had been convicted of seditious conspiracy Monday, becoming a member of founder Stewart Rhodes in being discovered responsible by a jury of plotting to maintain President Donald Trump in energy by drive.

Seditious conspiracy prices are not often used and much more not often profitable, making the decision a big victory for the Justice Division. Of the practically 1,000 individuals charged with committing crimes on the Capitol on Jan. 6, fewer than 20 had been charged with seditious conspiracy, recognized by the Justice Division as not simply contributors in a violent mob however leaders utilizing brutality to additional a political plot.

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At Rhodes’s trial, solely he and Florida Oath Keepers chief Kelly Meggs had been discovered responsible of conspiring to commit sedition, whereas three associates had been convicted of much less politically loaded felonies that didn’t require plans to make use of drive. Monday’s verdict — which got here after the jury deliberated for about 13 hours — comes as 5 members of the Proud Boys face trial down the corridor on seditious conspiracy prices.

The convictions underscore the federal government’s competition that the Jan. 6, 2021, assault was not a peaceable protest gone awry however a deliberate assault on democracy.

Joseph Hackett, 52; Roberto Minuta, 38; David Moerschel, 45, and Edward Vallejo, 64, had been all additionally convicted Monday of obstructing lawmakers and Congress usually and conspiring to do the identical. Hackett was convicted of destroying proof by deleting it from his gadgets, whereas Minuta and Moerschel had been acquitted on that cost. Hackett and Moerschel had been acquitted of accountability for damaging the Capitol’s historic Columbus doorways.

Each the obstruction and sedition convictions carry penalties of as much as 20 years in jail, however sentencing tips are more likely to be within the vary of 5 to 7 years.

The Oath Keepers had been described by federal prosecutors as armed and harmful traitors, and by their attorneys as hapless has-beens who stumbled into chaos.

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“They claimed to wrap themselves within the Structure, however they trampled it,” prosecutor Jeffrey Nestler mentioned in closing arguments. “They ignored the need of the individuals,” he mentioned, however “had the audacity to assert to be oath-keepers.”

U.S. District Choose Amit P. Mehta allowed all 4 males to await sentencing on 24-hour home arrest, noting that none of them had prior legal historical past or points on pretrial launch.

The 9 Oath Keepers associates accused of seditious conspiracy had been cut up into two trials for sensible causes, with prosecutors saying the primary group was extra culpable. Protection attorneys for the second group steered their shoppers suffered as a result of the jury couldn’t evaluate their actions to extra egregious proof laid out towards Rhodes within the first trial.

Hackett and Moerschel traveled to D.C. from Florida with Meggs and adopted him into the Capitol at 2:38 p.m. Minuta was in a separate Oath Keeper group offering safety for Trump confidant Roger Stone that morning. Stone refused to go away his lodge as a result of the Oath Keepers couldn’t assure him entry to the presidential stage, in line with the testimony. When the riot began, Minuta and the others left Stone and rode lodge golf carts over to the Capitol. They entered round 3:15 p.m. and had been pushed out a couple of minutes later, as Minuta shouted on the officers, “All that’s left is the Second Modification!”

Vallejo got here with mates from Arizona; he spent the morning of Jan. 6, 2021, attempting to determine the place he parked his truck the day earlier than. Then surveillance video reveals he went again to the Ballston Consolation Inn the place the Oath Keepers had stashed their weapons. Throughout the riot he repeatedly provided by textual content to return in as a “Fast Response Power,” and the following morning he went again to the Capitol to “probe the protection line,” however he bought no response both time.

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After the riot, the Oath Keepers dined at an Olive Backyard in Tysons. At first, they had been eagerly planning subsequent steps, attendee Joe Harrington testified, like “getting ready for a visit to Disney World.” Then they realized that federal brokers had been in search of them, and it was “like when the lights come on and the cockroaches scatter.” A number of members wakened the following morning to seek out that their leaders had swiftly left D.C.

Audio excerpts from a convention name with Stewart Rhodes and different Oath Keepers on Nov. 9, 2020, element plans for a “guerrilla combat” on Jan. 6, 2021. (Video: U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace for the District of Columbia)

Federal prosecutors alleged extra emphatically than within the earlier trial that the Oath Keepers got here near committing lethal violence. Rhodes expressed remorse after Jan. 6 about not having rifles that day. Assistant U.S. Legal professional Louis Manzo informed jurors that each Minuta and Vallejo may need killed lawmakers had they not been deterred by the Capitol Police on Jan. 6, 2021, and the Nationwide Guard the day after.

Noting testimony that Florida Oath Keeper Kenneth Harrelson pushed Capitol Police to see if he may really feel physique armor, Manzo argued that “capturing officers … was on the desk.” That allegation was not made earlier than Harrelson, who was tried with Rhodes, was acquitted of seditious conspiracy in November.

“This isn’t Twitter fingers,” Manzo mentioned, referring to protection attorneys’ claims that their shoppers had been all discuss. “These are traitors. They had been prepared for violence.”

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By attorneys, the defendants claimed their motives and actions, whereas silly, had been idiosyncratic and unplanned. They had been drawn to the Oath Keepers to not overthrow the federal government however for cover from the antifascists, criminals and covid restrictions right-wing media led them to concern, they argued. Rhodes then satisfied them he was more likely to obtain orders immediately from Trump to muster as a protection drive below the Revolt Act.

“Duty actually rests at our legislators’ ft,” Moerschel’s lawyer, Scott Weinberg mentioned. “The president and Stewart Rhodes had been claiming that the world is coming to an finish even earlier than the election.” He mentioned most Oath Keepers stop after a couple of yr, after they realized it was simply Rhodes’s “piggy financial institution” — and that those that joined the fray on Jan. 6, 2021, had been principally “rookies.”

Trump didn’t invoke the Revolt Act. Prosecutors say that’s when the Oath Keepers determined to behave on their very own. One former member, 21-year-old Caleb Berry, testified that Meggs explicitly directed the group to cease the vote depend.

The defendants mentioned that was a fabrication from an unreliable narrator, and that those that entered the Capitol did so spontaneously. Berry was not referred to as to testify towards Meggs within the first trial.

Throughout Tuesday’s Jan. 6 listening to, former Oath Keeper spokesman Jason Van Tatenhove mentioned it was “fortunate” the Capitol assault did not lead to extra bloodshed. (Video: The Washington Publish)

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“The breach of the U.S. Capitol was a shock to every one of many Oath Keepers,” Hackett’s lawyer, Angie Halim, mentioned in her closing argument. Weinberg in contrast it to “a soccer stampede.” Minuta “misplaced his cool” when pushed by an officer however hadn’t deliberate to get violent, his lawyer, William Shipley, mentioned: “All people has their type of worst moments.”

Halim accused the Justice Division of doing a “curiously restricted” investigation, with inexperienced FBI brokers who “didn’t perceive and didn’t trouble to study” about their targets past textual content messages and social media posts.

“There’s an comprehensible want to demand accountability,” she mentioned. “They failed right here.”

Brian Ulrich, a 44-year-old Oath Keeper who pleaded responsible to seditious conspiracy in April, testified that he arrived on the Capitol with Minuta and paused for a number of minutes on the doorways.

“I used to be battling out this undeniable fact that I knew getting in there was flawed with this sense that I’ve bought to do one thing,” he mentioned.

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In crossing the brink, he informed jurors, he turned a part of an try to dam the switch of energy by drive that he now regrets. “It was all type of build up so far,” he recalled considering. “We’ve gotten this far.” However he testified that he didn’t count on when he agreed to protect Stone to be storming the Capitol later that day.

“I didn’t know the sixth could be the sixth,” he mentioned.

After the decision, Weinberg mentioned the defendants weren’t “evil insurrectionists” however “actual individuals who bought … swept up within the ‘Cease the Steal’ nonsense that was pushed by the president.”

The Home committee investigating Jan. 6, 2021, advisable legal prices towards Trump and different Republican leaders, and a particular counsel is trying into the false claims of election fraud.

“I don’t know in the event that they’re legally accountable,” Weinberg mentioned. “I believe they’re morally accountable.”

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Washington

Jayden Daniels Will Keep Commanders Competitive vs. Lions

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Jayden Daniels Will Keep Commanders Competitive vs. Lions


The Washington Commanders have made many changes to go from a four-win team to three wins away from winning the Super Bowl, but none have been more impactful than drafting quarterback Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick.

Daniels may be a rookie, but he plays like an established veteran. That’s why Bleacher Report writer Maurice Moton believes that the Commanders will be competitive this weekend against the 15-2 Detroit Lions in the Divisional Round.

“The Commanders slowed down the Buccaneers’ third-ranked offense in a road victory last week, and Daniels helped position them to kick the game-winning field,” Moton writes.

“Head coach Dan Quinn and coordinator Joe Whitt have molded the team’s defense into a respectable unit throughout the season. In clutch moments, Daniels is far beyond his years.

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“Washington won’t shut down the Lions offense, but along with Daniels, it can do enough to keep the score margin in the single digits.”

The Commanders are still underdogs since the Lions have arguably been the best team in the NFL this season, but Daniels won’t allow Washington to fold. He hasn’t done so yet, so there’s no reason why it would happen now.

Kickoff between the Commanders and Lions is scheduled for tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET.

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.

• Commanders Preparing for Lions OC Ben Johnson Who Will ‘Test Your Discipline’

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• Dan Quinn Details Commanders Rookie’s Performance in Playoff Game, He Was Impressed

• What Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown Said About Commanders WR, It’s Come Full Circle

• Analyst Predicts Commanders Upset vs. Lions



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George Washington stays unbeaten with 68-41 victory at Capital – WV MetroNews

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George Washington stays unbeaten with 68-41 victory at Capital – WV MetroNews


CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A Capital team short on experience and playing for the first time since New Year’s Eve faced quite a challenge Thursday night as it welcomed one of the state’s most polished teams in nearby rival George Washington.

The Patriots showed no sign of letting a nearby rival hang around and continued their stellar start to the season by never trailing in a resounding 68-41 victory.

“Shooting takes pressure off how we have to defend, but our defense has been the key to everything we’ve done to this point,” veteran GW head coach Rick Greene said.

The result prolongs GW’s unbeaten start to the season through at least its first eight games.

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This one was never in doubt as the Patriots’ combination of efficient offense and lockdown defense left the Cougars playing catch-up throughout.

GW’s Chuck Kelley accounted for the game’s first two field goals and scored his team’s first six points, before Gale Lamb got in on the action and went on a personal 7-0 run that upped the Patriot lead to 14-4.

David Robinson, who led Capital with 17 points, scored five in the opening frame to keep his team within striking distance as it faced a 14-7 deficit entering the second.

After Capital’s Grant Barclay provided a bucket to start the second quarter, it was all GW the remainder of the opening half.

Lamb hit a pair of three-pointers around a Kelley transition layup, forcing the Cougars to call timeout 5:05 before halftime as they trailed 22-9.

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At that point, Lamb was 5 for 5 with 14 points.

“He didn’t take a shot he couldn’t hit,” Greene said. “He is a really good shooter and he’s shooting with a lot of confidence. The kids want him to shoot the ball, so if you’re a shooter and you know your teammates want you to shoot it, it gives you that little bit of freedom and relaxation.”

Out of the break in the action, GW’s Noah Lewis scored inside twice, with teammate Sai’Vyon Brown knocking down a three in between. It was 29-9 at that point, and Kelley accounted for the final points of the half on a follow-up basket to send the visitors to the locker room with a commanding 33-11 advantage.

While Lamb and Kelley were both 5 for 5 with 24 combined points through two quarters, the Cougars were shooting 5 for 16 and being out-rebounded, 15-5.

“The guys coming off the bench are trying to match the defensive intensity of the first five, and that’s making us really good,” Greene said.

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Kelley picked up where he left off to start the second half, scoring five points over the first 1:03.

Capital (2-4) upped the pace itself and Trevaun Tyson was the main beneficiary, scoring all nine of his points in the third quarter.

The Cougars doubled the first-half field goal total in the third period alone, making 10-of-15 shots to keep pace with the Patriots for that 8-minute stretch.

“It was a nice conversation at halftime,” Capital head coach Cookie Miller said. “We got them going a little bit and we have to come out like that at the beginning. It was a rough 18 days, but that’s not excuse. We had great practices for us to give that showing, but at the end of the day, hats off to them for knowing their plays and getting into things. They’ve been together for a long time.”

Unfortunately for Miller’s team, Lamb maintained his efficient play and scored nine points in the frame to spark GW’s 22-point quarter.

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That allowed the Patriots to lead 55-32 entering the fourth, and they cruised from there.

GW made 25-of-44 shots to shoot better than 56 percent. Lamb led all players with 24 points and made 7-of-8 shots. Kelley was also 7 for 8 and scored 15.

Noah Lewis chipped in with seven points and a game-high 10 rebounds, while Jeff Harris added five points and eight boards. That duo was instrumental in allowing GW to finish with a convincing 36-16 rebounding edge.

Tyson had half of his team’s boards. 

The Cougars made 18-of-45 shots, but only one three-pointer to the Patriots’ five.

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“Those guys have been together for a long time. Kudos to them,” Miller said. “Greene has them moving and doing what they’re supposed to doing. We’re trying to get on their level and soon we will be on their level.”



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Lawmakers again trying to lower legal alcohol limit for drivers in Washington • Washington State Standard

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Lawmakers again trying to lower legal alcohol limit for drivers in Washington • Washington State Standard


A measure to lower the legal limit for drunk driving in Washington cleared its first legislative hurdle Thursday.

If passed, Washington would join Utah as the only state with a 0.05% blood alcohol concentration limit. Other states have considered similar legislation, but haven’t passed it.

Utah made the move in 2018. The state was also the first to lower the limit from 0.1% to 0.08% in the 1980s.

After the switch from 0.08% to 0.05%, Utah saw a 20% drop in fatal crashes, but that figure crept back up during the COVID-19 pandemic, in line with national trends.

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The bill in Washington is sponsored by Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek. Lovick was a longtime Washington State Patrol trooper before serving as Snohomish County sheriff. 

“I see driving behavior beyond anything I could have imagined when I started as a state trooper,” Lovick told the Senate Law & Justice Committee this week. “Drivers are speeding, following too close, passing on the shoulders, running red lights, driving aggressively. Drunk drivers have made our communities unsafe.”

Opponents argue the legislation, Senate Bill 5067, would elevate the liability risk for bars and other establishments that sell alcohol.

Traffic deaths have risen rapidly in recent years, from 538 in 2019 to 809 in 2023, according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. The 2023 figure was the most deaths on Washington roads since 1990.

Of those 809 deaths, impaired drivers were involved in about half.

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Compared to those driving sober, drivers with a blood alcohol concentration over 0.05% are twice as likely to crash, said Mark McKechnie, the director of external relations for the traffic safety commission. When that rises to 0.07%, the risk triples.

Early estimates for the first half of 2024 showed a marked decline in deaths on Washington roads, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The lower legal limit would take effect July 1, 2026. 

As part of the legislation, the Washington Traffic Safety Commission would run a campaign to inform the public of the new legal limit. The Washington State Institute for Public Policy would have to evaluate the impacts of the new law in a report submitted to the Legislature.

By way of background

Lovick and others have tried repeatedly in recent years to lower the legal limit. The measure has never reached the Senate floor.

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Last year, one of the proposal’s chief backers, Sen. Marko Liias, D-Edmonds, expressed frustration after the Senate passed over his drunk driving bill and instead took up legislation to solidify “The Evergreen State” as Washington’s official nickname.

Experts have said consuming a beer or a glass of wine with dinner wouldn’t land drivers above the lowered legal limit.

Two hours after his first drink, a 180-pound man would reach 0.05% after drinking three beers or three glasses of wine. The same is true after two hours for a 140-pound woman, after two beers or glasses of wine.

Worldwide, more than 100 countries have legal limits of 0.05% or lower. 

The concerns

As in years past, hospitality industry groups oppose the legislation. They have argued the proposal could hurt bars and other establishments that rely on alcohol sales to stay afloat.

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Julia Gorton, a lobbyist for the Washington Hospitality Association, noted it’s already illegal to drive with a 0.05% blood alcohol concentration if officers see clear signs of impairment.

This legislation “will impact those who decide to stop drinking before they are impaired,” she said. “These are individuals choosing to behave responsibly, who will now be subject to the strongest and strictest DUI penalties in the country.”

The Washington Wine Institute’s Executive Director Josh McDonald said it would be hard for servers to identify impairment at the lower legal limit so they could cut off service.

Jason Lantz, of the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, noted Colorado and New York also have 0.05% limits, but violations at that level come with lower penalties.

He recommended a similar two-tier system, with the 0.05% limit considered “driving after consumption” instead of driving under the influence.

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Amy Freedheim, the chair of the Felony Traffic Unit in the King County prosecutor’s office, tried to assuage concerns. She argued the lower limit wouldn’t lead to more arrests or lawsuits against bars held liable for crashes caused by impaired drivers.

On Thursday, Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, offered an amendment to Lovick’s bill, lowering a blood alcohol concentration limit already in state law that brings stiffer penalties. The amendment would have dropped the limit from 0.15% to 0.12%. 

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Penalties for first-time offenders at the higher threshold include a minimum $500 fine and at least two days in jail, 30 days of electronic home monitoring or a 120-day 24/7 sobriety program.

Below the 0.15% level, drunk driving penalties drop to a minimum fine of $350 and at least one day in jail, 15 days of electronic home monitoring or a 90-day sobriety program.

“Right now you go from .08 to .15. There’s nothing in the middle,” Fortunato said.

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Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, said she didn’t disagree with Fortunato’s change, but recognized the political reality for the proposal.

“I think it has been very challenging to get this bill out of the Senate with even the decrease to .05,” she said. “Let’s try to focus on getting the limit to .05, and then let’s continue working toward making sure that we are addressing the penalties.”

The committee approved Lovick’s proposal without Fortunato’s amendment. 

The House version of the bill is set for a committee hearing Tuesday.

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