Falsehoods Unchallenged Only Fester and Grow
https://thefogbow.com/forum/
Seems very touristy.Court hearing MONDAY in Jan 6 case of Kyle Fitzsimons
Fitzsimons is accused of pushing police & trying to pull police into mob, while wearing butcher coat
Feds say Fitzsimons also pulled an officer's gas mask off, as another in mob sprayed officer
A Florida man who was seen carrying a large red "Trump 2020" flag on the floor of the U.S. Senate during the Capitol riot received eight months in prison Monday in the first felony sentence from the Jan. 6 attack.
Paul Allard Hodgkins, 38, of Tampa, was arrested Feb. 16 after the FBI received a tip identifying him among the hundreds of people seen in photos and videos inside the Capitol. He pleaded guilty in June to a single felony count of obstructing an official proceeding, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
"Although you were only one member of a larger mob, you actively participated in a larger event that threatened the Capitol and democracy itself," said U.S. District Court Judge Randolph Moss of Washington.
Glenn Kirschner has a great "not-thread" on this hearing from this morning. A stream of his posts:AndyinPA wrote: ↑Mon Jul 19, 2021 1:06 pm https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justic ... t-n1274353
A Florida man who was seen carrying a large red "Trump 2020" flag on the floor of the U.S. Senate during the Capitol riot received eight months in prison Monday in the first felony sentence from the Jan. 6 attack.
Paul Allard Hodgkins, 38, of Tampa, was arrested Feb. 16 after the FBI received a tip identifying him among the hundreds of people seen in photos and videos inside the Capitol. He pleaded guilty in June to a single felony count of obstructing an official proceeding, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
"Although you were only one member of a larger mob, you actively participated in a larger event that threatened the Capitol and democracy itself," said U.S. District Court Judge Randolph Moss of Washington.
Defense attorney is now up . . .
Defendant addressing the judge personally.
Defendant Hodgkins, “I came to DC to participate in an event for a president I love.”
Defendant Hodgkins, “Joseph R. Biden is rightfully and respectfully the president of the United States.”
Defendant Hodgkins, “I do not blame any politician or journalist” for my conduct.
Defendant Hodgkins made an effective statement to the judge (IMO). However, his attorney is undercutting it by attacking the notion the this was domestic terrorism. He said people calling 1/6 “domestic terrorism” are “gaslighting” country. Not effective lawyering (IMO).
To put it bluntly, defendant Hodgkins behaved like the lawyer and the lawyer ranted like an out-of-control client. Strange choice by the lawyer.
The judge is pushing back on the defense attorney’s obvious, transparent and offensive mischaracterizations of what happened on 1/6.
The defense attorney is now calling his client “Paul” and, when being corrected by the judge on some facts, he shoots back, “well, that’s my best guess.” This is poor lawyering.
At this point, the defense attorney should consider quitting while he’s behind.
Defense asks for a sentence of “no confinement” suggesting this will “heal the nation.”
Defense attorney just agued, “this man lives in the poorest section of Florida.” It’s “like Southeast, DC.” He should stop talking. This is offensive.
I doubt prosecutors will be willing to drop charges on people who do not take a plea deal and are not willing to take responsibility like this defendant did.humblescribe wrote: ↑Mon Jul 19, 2021 3:12 pm Finally, this is a precedent that future defendants can use at their sentencing, even if they go to trial and are convicted by a jury.
Paul Hodgkins will be permitted to self surrender to federal prison at later date. He's released until then
And he'll have to chip in $2,000 to offset his share of the $1.4 million+ in property damage at US Capitol
(Hodgkins was *not* accused of any damage)
I really like his reporting, but he really needs to invest in a tripod, or at least learn to stand still.
Eight months in federal prison can still be a big thing for somebody who has no past history for things like this if that be the case. It will be following him for the rest of his life and will go on every job application he ever has. In addition, if he had a job before, that is gone as well.humblescribe wrote: ↑Mon Jul 19, 2021 3:12 pm I was disappointed with the meager eight-month sentence imposed by the judge. Perhaps the prosecution's eighteen months was too stringent. I'll leave that to the scholars.
This is also a felony conviction so no more guns at all, ever, and I believe he can no longer vote in Florida.northland10 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 19, 2021 8:12 pmEight months in federal prison can still be a big thing for somebody who has no past history for things like this if that be the case. It will be following him for the rest of his life and will go on every job application he ever has. In addition, if he had a job before, that is gone as well.humblescribe wrote: ↑Mon Jul 19, 2021 3:12 pm I was disappointed with the meager eight-month sentence imposed by the judge. Perhaps the prosecution's eighteen months was too stringent. I'll leave that to the scholars.
Is this too high or too low in comparison with other crimes, IANAL so I do not know, but it is not just a slap on the wrist. As for those who go to trial, the feds will most likely not be dropping charges on them and will probably be less helpful at sentencing. They will also be saving their big guns for higher-level defendants. I'd rather slap some hands on the idiots, enough to give them a nice boo boo, and save our big efforts for the top dogs, the ones who helped move it way out of control (Proud Boys, Oathkeepers, militia folks, etc.).
IANAL, but it seems to me that this rule would be very easy to challenge on Constitutional grounds.
A court hearing for MAGA rioter Pauline Bauer went off the rails on Monday after she began yelling at the judge while declaring herself a "sovereign citizen."
NBC 4 Washington's Scott MacFarlane reports that Bauer, who infamously called for the hanging of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) during the Capitol riots, immediately went off the deep end by telling the judge that she is not subject to American laws.
According to MacFarlane, Bauer during her court hearing repeatedly interrupted the judge while also demanding that the court recognize her own personal judicial authority.
"Every man is independent of all laws, except those of nature," declared Bauer, who decided to represent herself in court.
According to MacFarlane, the hearing got even crazier from there.
"This case... is going off-the-rails," he reported on Twitter. "January 6 defendant Pauline Bauer says she won't let pre-trial services come into her home, won't turn over her passport, calls the search of her home 'illegal'' -- and refuses to let judge move forward and get her lawyer. Ugly."
As far as we know, Robert E. Lee only led one Civil War.humblescribe wrote: ↑Mon Jul 19, 2021 3:12 pm I was disappointed with the meager eight-month sentence imposed by the judge. Perhaps the prosecution's eighteen months was too stringent. I'll leave that to the scholars.
What galls me is that we are supposed to consider this individual's past history. Yes, he had no previous record. In this case that is irrelevant. Is it possible that this person had committed bad acts in his past, but never got caught? Yeah, assumes facts not in evidence. He had ample opportunity to see the error of his ways. He could have turned back within five minutes and left the building (or at least made strides to exit.)
No, he was caught up in the moment. He should be incarcerated for longer than eight months. His lack of a prior record and his altar-boy life to date can be considered whether to confine him at Florence or Lompoc.
Finally, this is a precedent that future defendants can use at their sentencing, even if they go to trial and are convicted by a jury.
BOOM! Down goes another accused OathKeeper
A 4th Oathkeeper (3rd accused of conspiracy) scheduled to plea guilty at 3pm today. Caleb Berry.
Let's see if he agrees to cooperate too
Big early wins for US Justice Dept
Yes, this is true. There have been many stories out at this point of people trying to find out what they owe and basically just getting the brush off and vague answers. It is absolutely deliberate. The people of Florida spoke, and the majority believe that once someone fulfills their sentence they should be allowed to regain the right to vote. But Republicans control the executive (and pretty much everything else) in Florida which means they still hold the keys to the ballot box and they are not going to let go.