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    January 6 rioter who used stun gun on officer Michael Fanone pleads guilty

    January 6 rioter who used stun gun on officer Michael Fanone pleads guiltyDaniel Rodriguez, 40, from California, admitted his part in violent assault of then Metropolitan police officer A California man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to using a stun gun to attack Michael Fanone, the Washington DC police officer who was seriously injured while trying to defend the US Capitol from Donald Trump’s supporters on 6 January 2021.‘Devoid of shame’: January 6 cop Michael Fanone on Trump’s Republican partyRead moreDaniel Rodriguez, 40, of Fontana, admitted to taking part in the violent assault on Fanone, now a former Metropolitan police officer, after another rioter dragged Fanone into a crowd outside a tunnel where police were trying to beat back the mob.Fanone, who lost consciousness and suffered a heart attack, was heard on camera screaming he had kids, in a desperate appeal for his life, as rioters beat him.Rodriguez’s guilty plea came about two weeks before jury selection in his trial in federal court in Washington. He pleaded guilty to four felony charges including conspiracy and assaulting a law enforcement officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon.An email seeking comment was sent to his lawyers. He was scheduled to be sentenced in May. Federal sentencing guidelines call for about seven to 10 years in prison.Rodriguez admitted in an FBI interview in March 2021 that he drove a stun gun into Fanone’s neck. Rodriguez told agents he believed that he was doing the “right thing” and had been prepared to die to “save the country”. He cried as he spoke, saying he was “stupid” and ashamed of his actions.Rodriguez’s attorneys tried to stop prosecutors using his FBI interview at trial, arguing that the agents used “psychologically coercive tactics”.Authorities say Rodriguez and others were part of a Telegram group chat called “PATRIOTS 45 MAGA Gang” in the run-up to January 6, in which they advocated violence and discussed Trump’s claim of a stolen election.In a post on 29 December 2020, Rodriguez wrote: “Congress can hang. I’ll do it. Please let us get these people dear God.”At the Capitol, Rodriguez was part of the mob that pushed into the tunnel, prosecutors said. Inside, another rioter handed him the stun gun he would apply to Fanone’s neck. After assaulting Fanone, Rodriguez entered the Capitol through a broken window. Later, he texted his friends: “Tased the fuck out of the blue.”Others charged with assaulting Fanone include Albuquerque Cosper Head, who wrapped his arms round Fanone’s neck and dragged him into the crowd. Head restrained Fanone while others attacked him. Head was sentenced in October to more than seven years in prison after pleading guilty to assault.Fanone said at Head’s sentencing he suffered a heart attack and a traumatic brain injury, injuries that cost him his police career. He has written a book about his experience and testified before the House January 6 committee.January 6 rioter with Confederate flag sentenced to three yearsRead moreAnother man, Kyle Young, who helped in the assault, was sentenced in September to seven years and two months in prison. Young grabbed Fanone by the wrist while others yelled “Kill him!” and “Get his gun!”The sentences handed to Fanone’s attackers are among the longest handed down in relation to January 6.Nearly 1,000 people have been charged with federal crimes. More than 500 have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanors. Approximately 400 have been sentenced, with more than half given prison sentences ranging from seven days to 10 years.The House January 6 committee made four criminal referrals to the Department of Justice regarding Trump’s incitement of the attack. Federal investigations continue.TopicsUS Capitol attackUS politicsUS crimeUS policingnewsReuse this content More

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    Federal investigators arrive at Mike Pence’s Indiana home – live

    Mike Pence is weighting a response to a subpoena he received related to January 6, ABC News first reported.Jack Smith was appointed in 2020 to lead the January 6 investigation. Smith is also leading a separate inquiry into classified documents that were found at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.The issued subpoena related to January 6 is viewed by many as an escalation in the investigation on Trump and his allies’ efforts to overturn the 2020 election.The subpoena was reported by at least two people on the matter, both who spoke on the condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to discuss investigation proceedings publicly.It is unclear if Pence will attempt to resist the subpoena or invoke executive privilege, which could trigger a lengthy legal battle, reported ABC.The subpoena came after months of negotiation between Pence’s team and the Department of Justice, suggesting to many that negotiations had reached a breaking point.We know that the subpoena issued after months of negotiation b/t Pence team and DOJ. So eventually Smith just said screw it, see you at the Grand Jury or in court. Compare Mueller and his timidity with subpoenaing Trump, which he never did.— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) February 10, 2023
    Federal investigators have arrived at the Indiana home of Pence, blocking off his driveway.Carmel Police have blocked off the driveway to the home of former Vice President Mike Pence. @Mike_Pence We have been reporting the FBI was expected to search his home this week for any other classified documents. He turned over about a dozen already. @FOX59— Angela Ganote (@angelaganote) February 10, 2023
    It is unclear what this is related to, but an FBI search of his home was expected in relation to other classified documents.More on this as the situation develops.Meanwhile, a number of investigations related to Trump are underway.Trump faces probes into his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago residence.Trump also could soon face criminal charges in Georgia related to interfering with the 2020 election, with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis saying on Monday that her decision is “imminent” on whether to indict Trump, reported Bloomberg.Here’s more on Willis’ decision to pursue criminal charges and its potential impact from Bloomberg..css-cumn2r{height:1em;width:1.5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;}That decision will have a ripple effect on the Justice Department’s special counsel probe and other investigations circling Trump.
    If Willis goes first, that case would road-test possible testimony, helping to determine what evidence holds up in court and providing a blueprint for prosecutions involving other battleground states where Trump and his supporters tried to undermine President Joe Biden’s win.
    Legal experts say nothing stops a US special counsel overseeing the federal Trump probe from pursuing similar charges at the federal level, regardless of what Willis ultimately does.Read the full article here (paywall).Pence faces limited options on how to respond to a subpoena issued in relation to January 6 but may evoke executive privilege, experts say.CNN reported that Pence’s team may choose to argue that at least some of the sought testimony is covered by executive privilege:.css-cumn2r{height:1em;width:1.5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;}Pence’s attorney Emmet Flood is known as a hawk on executive privilege, and people familiar with the discussions have said Pence was expected to claim at least some limits on providing details of his direct conversations with Trump. Depending on his responses, prosecutors have the option to ask a judge to compel him to answer additional questions and override Trump’s executive privilege claims.But others have pointed out that Pence has already divulged privileged information in his book, “So Help Me God”.From the Guardian’s Hugo Lowell:On the VP Pence subpoena: worth noting that he pierced what would have otherwise been executive privileged when he discussed key moments with Trump in his book — including Dec. 19 chat about Jan. 6 rally, Jan. 5 chat with Eastman, Jan. 6 call with Trump— Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) February 10, 2023
    Notable that VP Pence made public privileged material with Trump in his book some of the key moments right before Jan. 6 — but also notable what he mostly left out, including details about the Dec. 21 WH meeting with Trump and GOP members about plans for stopping certification— Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) February 10, 2023
    Read the full article here.Mike Pence is weighting a response to a subpoena he received related to January 6, ABC News first reported.Jack Smith was appointed in 2020 to lead the January 6 investigation. Smith is also leading a separate inquiry into classified documents that were found at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.The issued subpoena related to January 6 is viewed by many as an escalation in the investigation on Trump and his allies’ efforts to overturn the 2020 election.The subpoena was reported by at least two people on the matter, both who spoke on the condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to discuss investigation proceedings publicly.It is unclear if Pence will attempt to resist the subpoena or invoke executive privilege, which could trigger a lengthy legal battle, reported ABC.The subpoena came after months of negotiation between Pence’s team and the Department of Justice, suggesting to many that negotiations had reached a breaking point.We know that the subpoena issued after months of negotiation b/t Pence team and DOJ. So eventually Smith just said screw it, see you at the Grand Jury or in court. Compare Mueller and his timidity with subpoenaing Trump, which he never did.— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) February 10, 2023
    Good morning!Former vice-president Mike Pence is weighting his response to a subpoena he received related to an investigation into the January 6 insurrection and Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, according to a person familiar with the matter.Jack Smith, the special counsel in charge of the January 6 investigation, is also leading a separate inquiry into classified documents that were found at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.But an unnamed person reports that Pence’s subpoena is related to 6 January and follows months of discussion between Pence and the Department of Justice, ABC first reported.The individual spoke on the condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.Here’s what else is happening today:
    Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will host US governors at the White House this morning. The governors are joining for the annual National Governors Association meeting, where the president will revisit economic initiatives from Thursday’s State of the Union address.
    The White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, is due to brief at 1.30pm eastern time.
    Biden will meet with Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, at 3.30 pm. The meeting comes as Brazil attempts to revive US-Brazil relations after the presidency of rightwinger Jair Bolsonaro. More

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    January 6 rioter with Confederate flag sentenced to three years

    January 6 rioter with Confederate flag sentenced to three yearsKevin Seffried threatened a Black police officer with a pole attached to a Confederate flag during the Capitol attack A Delaware man who threatened a Black police officer with a pole attached to a Confederate battle flag as he stormed the US Capitol was sentenced on Thursday to three years in prison.Kevin Seefried, 53, tearfully apologized for his participation in the 6 January 2021 riot before US district judge Trevor McFadden sentenced him.“I never wanted to send a message of hate,” Seefried said.McFadden said it was deeply troubling that Seefried wielded the flagpole as a weapon against the officer. “Bringing a Confederate flag into one of our nation’s most sacred halls was outrageous,” the judge said.McFadden allowed Seefried to remain free until he must report to prison at a date to be determined.Justice Department prosecutors had recommended a prison sentence of five years and 10 months for Seefried, a drywall mechanic from Laurel, Delaware.Seefried and his adult son, Hunter, stormed the Capitol together after attending the “Stop the Steal” rally, where then President Donald Trump addressed thousands of supporters in Washington. Kevin Seefried was the 12th rioter to set foot inside the building that day, according to prosecutors.In October, McFadden sentenced Hunter Seefried to two years of imprisonment.Widely published photographs showed Kevin Seefried carrying his Confederate flag inside the Capitol after he and his son, then 22, entered the building through a broken window.Kevin Seefried told an FBI agent that he did not view the Confederate flag as a symbol of racist hate. FBI agents said they did not find any evidence linking him or his son to any far-right extremist groups.Seefried is embarrassed and ashamed that many may view him as a racist, his lawyers said in a court filing.“He had brought the flag as a symbol of protest, but had not considered the logic of those who see the flag as a symbol of American racism,” they wrote. “Now that photos of him with the flag have become iconic symbols of the horror of January 6, Mr. Seefried completely understands the harm he has caused.”Within a minute of entering the building, Kevin Seefried jabbed his flagpole at Capitol Police officer Eugene Goodman and joined other rioters in chasing the officer up a flight of stairs, a harrowing scene captured on video. Seefried was the first rioter to encounter Goodman near the base of the staircase, prosecutors said.Goodman, who testified at the Seefrieds’ trial, said Seefried cursed at him and jabbed at him with the base of his flagpole three or four times without making contact. Goodman recalled that Seefried asked where members of Congress were counting the votes and said: “You can shoot me, man, but we’re coming in.”“That flagpole was not only a weapon capable of causing serious injury; a Confederate Battle flag was affixed to it and it was brandished by a man standing at the front of a volatile, growing mob towards a solitary, Black police officer,” prosecutors wrote in a court filing.Goodman led rioters away from the Senate chamber as senators and then Vice-President Mike Pence were being evacuated. He also directed Senator Mitt Romney to turn around and head away from the mob.McFadden convicted the father and son of riot-related charges in June after hearing two days of trial testimony without a jury.Nearly 1,000 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the January 6 riot. More than 500 of them have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanors. Approximately 400 have been sentenced, with over half getting terms of imprisonment ranging from seven days to 10 years.TopicsUS Capitol attackLaw (US)newsReuse this content More

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    Joe Biden: Republicans 'seemed shocked' about social security debate – video

    Joe Biden quoted what he said were statements from Senators Rick Scott, Mike Lee and Ron Johnson on their views about federal legislation, including Medicare and Medicaid programs.
    Republicans had heckled Biden during his State of the Union speech, in which he criticized their threats to attack social security and Medicare  More

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    'You ought to be embarrassed': Mitt Romney exchanges heated words with George Santos – video

    The Republican senator Mitt Romney appeared to confront congressman George Santos before Joe Biden was due to deliver his State of Union address on Tuesday. Though his remarks were not audible, Romney clearly told Santos that he ‘ought to be embarrassed’ several times. Later Romney told reporters that Santos did not ‘belong here [in Congress]’ and called him a ‘sick puppy’ 

    ‘You don’t belong here’: Romney and Santos in tense State of Union exchange
    Dozens of George Santos’s constituents call for his resignation at US Capitol
    George Santos accused of sexual harassment by congressional aide More

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    Trump campaign promised to ‘fan the flame’ of 2020 election lie, audio reveals – live

    Secretary of State Antony Blinken will postpone a scheduled trip to China after yesterday’s discovery of a Chinese spy balloon over the US.Here’s more on the discovery of the spy balloon, from the Guardian’s Julian Borger:.css-cumn2r{height:1em;width:1.5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;}The Pentagon has said it is tracking a Chinese spy balloon flying over the US but decided against shooting it down for safety reasons.
    Defence officials said the balloon had been watched since it entered US airspace at high altitude a couple of days ago. It has been monitored by several methods including crewed aircraft, and has most recently been tracked crossing Montana, where the US has silo-based nuclear missiles.
    As a precaution, flights from Billings Logan airport were suspended on Wednesday.
    The Chinese government has not confirmed if it owns the balloon, and state-backed media have used the incident to taunt the US.Pentagon says it is monitoring Chinese spy balloon spotted flying over USRead moreJoe Biden will be giving remarks shortly about new figures released on the January job market report.The US added 517,000 jobs in January, bringing the unemployment rate to a 53-year low of 3.4%.The latest news on the job market signified significant growth for the labor sector, even as the Federal reserve increases interest rates to address rising inflation costs.Experts had expected the unemployment rate to rise slightly last month, but the rate continued to decrease to levels seen pre-pandemic.223,000 jobs were added to the labor market in December, an overall gain but lower than the 539,000 new jobs added each month since the start of 2022.US adds 517,000 jobs in January in huge gain for labor marketRead moreIn the November 2020 clip taken two days after the 2020 election, Iverson praised Republicans’ efforts in Wisconsin while admitting that Democrats won the most votes in the state.From the Associated Press:.css-cumn2r{height:1em;width:1.5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;}At the end of the day, this operation received more votes than any other Republican in Wisconsin history…Say what you want, our operation turned out Republican or DJT supporters. Democrats have got 20,000 more than us, out of Dane County and other shenanigans in Milwaukee, Green Bay and Dane. There’s a lot that people can learn from this campaign.Despite Iverson’s private comments that Republicans had lost Wisconsin in the 2020 US presidential election, Trump allies continued to spread the false claim that the election was stolen.A senior member of Trump’s reelection campaign said that campaigners were going to “fan the flame” and spread the false claim that Democrats were “trying to steal this election” in a leaked November 2020 audio clip, the Associated Press first reported.In the obtained audio recording, Andrew Iverson discussed the communications strategy for Trump’s reelection in Wisconsin, as Democrats outflanked Republicans in the region.At the time, Iverson led reelection efforts in Wisconsin, a key battleground state which Biden eventually won by over 20,000 votes in 2020.“Here’s the deal: comms is going to continue to fan the flame and get the word out about Democrats trying to steal this election. We’ll do whatever they need. Just be on standby if there’s any stunts we need to pull,” said Iverson.The audio was given to the Associated Press by a former Trump operative, who withheld their name fearing political and personal retaliation. The unnamed operative was motivated as Trump prepares for a third reelection campaign for the US presidency.Iverson, who is now the midwest regional director for the Republican National Committee (RNC), has deferred questions from the Associated Press to RNC spokesperson Keith Schipper.Schipper declined to comment, saying that he has not heard the audio.Good morning, US politics live blog readers.In a newly released audio recording from November 2020, a top member of Donald Trump’s re-election campaign noted that team members were going to “fan the flame” and spread word that Democrats were “trying to steal this election”, reported the Associated Press.The recording focuses on Andrew Iverson, who led the re-election campaign in Wisconsin and is now the midwest regional director for the Republican National Committee.In the audio clip, Iverson focused on the communication strategy for Trump’s reelection campaign in Wisconsin, as Democrats were outperforming Republicans in the vital battleground state.“Here’s the deal: comms is going to continue to fan the flame and get the word out about Democrats trying to steal this election. We’ll do whatever they need. Just be on standby if there’s any stunts we need to pull,” said Iverson.Here’s what else we can expect today:
    Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will travel to Philadelphia today to announced $500m that will be used to upgrade water pipes in the region. The two will also address the Democratic National Committee during its winter meeting.
    Jeff Zients is gearing up to begin his tenure as Biden’s new chief of staff, succeeding Ron Klain.
    Advocates and Black lawmakers have urged Biden to discuss police reform during his State of the Union address next week, as several high-profile police brutality incidents have occurred in recent months. More

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    'Is anyone surprised I'm being targeted?' Ilhan Omar ousted from key House committee – video

    The US congresswoman Ilhan Omar has said her ‘voice will get louder and stronger’ after Republicans voted to expel the Minnesota Democrat from the House foreign affairs committee on Thursday as punishment for her past remarks on Israel. Omar struck a defiant note in a speech shortly before the votes were counted, accusing Republicans of trying to silence her because she is a Muslim immigrant, and promising to continue speaking out. ‘Is anyone surprised that I am being targeted? Is anyone surprised that I am somehow deemed unworthy to speak about American foreign policy? Or that they see me as a powerful voice that needs to be silenced? Frankly, it is expected because when you push power, power pushes back,’ Omar said

    Ilhan Omar defiant as Republicans oust her from key House committee More

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    Audio reveals Trump campaign bid to spread lie of stolen election

    Audio reveals Trump campaign bid to spread lie of stolen electionTeam in Wisconsin pledged to ‘fan the flames’ of baseless allegations of election fraud after Trump lost there A newly released audio recording offers a behind-the-scenes look at how former US president Donald Trump’s campaign team in a pivotal battleground state knew they had been outflanked by Democrats in the 2020 presidential election.But even as they acknowledged defeat, they decided to “fan the flames” of allegations of widespread fraud costing Trump victory there, which were ultimately debunked – repeatedly – by elections officials and the courts.Trump campaign promised to ‘fan the flame’ of 2020 election lie, audio reveals – liveRead moreThe audio from 5 November 2020, two days after the election, is surfacing as Trump again seeks the White House while continuing to lie about the legitimacy of the outcome and Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 win.The Wisconsin political operatives in the strategy session even praised Democratic turnout efforts in the state’s largest counties and appeared to joke about their efforts to engage Black voters, according to the recording obtained Thursday by the Associated Press. The audio centers on Andrew Iverson, who was the head of Trump’s campaign in the state.“Here’s the deal: comms is going to continue to fan the flame and get the word out about Democrats trying to steal this election. We’ll do whatever they need. Just be on standby if there’s any stunts we need to pull,” Iverson said.Iverson is now the midwest regional director for the Republican National Committee. He deferred questions about the meeting to the RNC, whose spokesperson, Keith Schipper, declined comment because he had not heard the recording.The former campaign official and Republican operative who provided a copy of the recording to the AP was in the meeting and recorded it. The operative is not authorized to speak publicly about what was discussed but spoke out because Trump is seeking the White House again.In response to questions about the audio, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said: “The 2024 campaign is focused on competing in every state and winning in a dominating fashion. That is why President Trump is leading by wide margins in poll after poll.”Wisconsin was a big part of Trump’s victory in 2016 and his campaign fought hard to keep the swing state in 2020 but Biden defeated Trump by nearly 21,000 votes in Wisconsin. The result has withstood independent and partisan audits and reviews, as well as lawsuits and recounts in the state’s two largest and Democratic-leaning counties.Yet, two days after the election, there was no discussion of Trump having won the state during the meeting of Republican campaign operatives.Instead, parts of the meeting focus on discussions about packing up campaign offices.Iverson is heard praising the GOP’s efforts while admitting the margin of Trump’s defeat in the state.“At the end of the day, this operation received more votes than any other Republican in Wisconsin history,” Iverson said. “Say what you want, our operation turned out Republican or DJT supporters. Democrats have got 20,000 more than us, out of Dane county and other shenanigans in Milwaukee, Green Bay and Dane. There’s a lot that people can learn from this campaign.”The meeting showcases another juxtaposition of what Republican officials knew about the election results and what Trump and his closest allies were saying publicly as they pushed the lie of a stolen election. Trump was told by his own attorney general there was no sign of widespread fraud, and many within his own administration told the former president there was no substance to various claims of fraud or manipulation – advice Trump repeatedly ignored.In the weeks after the election, Trump and his allies would file dozens of lawsuits, convene fake electors and pressure election officials in an attempt to overturn the will of the voters and keep Trump in office.At one point, the Wisconsin operatives laugh over needing “more Black voices for Trump”. Iverson also references their efforts to engage with Black voters.“We ever talk to Black people before? I don’t think so,” he said, eliciting laughter from others in the room.Another speaker on the recording with Iverson is identified by the source as GOP operative Clayton Henson. At the time, Henson was a regional director for the RNC in charge of Wisconsin and other midwestern states.Henson specifically references Democratic turnout and strong performance in Dane county, which includes Madison, the state capital.“Hats off to them for what they did in Dane county. You have to respect that,” Henson said. “There’s going to be another election in a couple years. So remember the lessons you learned and be ready to punch back.” Henson declined to comment.TopicsUS newsWisconsinUS elections 2020DemocratsRepublicansnewsReuse this content More