1/6 Insurrection Investigation

[Rick Plant]

The Secret Service knew about Jan 6 threat. They dismissed it.



In the days before the January 6 attack on the Capitol, documents exchanged between the Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies outlined “threats of violence” on the 6th, coming “predominantly from right wing groups” with “plans to bring weapons into the District,” according to documents obtained by CREW. The Secret Service knew that Trump’s supporters would be demonstrating around Freedom Plaza and the Capitol with the intent to cause violence, but the agency does not appear to have taken the threat seriously.

While the Secret Service downplayed threats posed by right-wing extremist groups and Trump’s supporters leading up to January 6, the newly obtained documents reveal just how grave and explicit the threats had actually been.



The National Capital Region Threat Intelligence Consortium (NTIC) disseminated these threats in messages and a conference call on the morning of January 4, providing a clear and prescient warning of the violence to come. NTIC alerted the Secret Service, FBI, Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department among other law enforcement groups of “on-line communications citing violence in DC on 1-6-21,” which included objectives such as “Occupying the Capitol to influence lawmakers to change election results,” “Call to come with guns,” “Be prepared to battle” and “Exercise 2nd Amendment rights.”



Groups identified as coming with a potential to cause violence included the Oath Keepers, the 3%ers and neo-Nazi groups Atomwaffen and Storm Front. In spite of this warning, the Secret Service noted “There is no indication of civil disobedience” stemming from the right-wing extremist groups involved in the riot. Upon learning of the Proud Boys’ intent to arrive in DC on January 6, the Secret Service released an internal memo that disclosed no indication of concern—despite the Proud Boys stating they will turn out in “record numbers.”



NTIC’s warning was not the only one the Secret Service failed to heed. The U.S. Marshals Service’s Office of Protective Intelligence flagged a Parler post for a reference of violence against the vice president, and followed it up with a report titled “Concerning issues” that included further screenshots of recent Parler posts calling for the violent removal of politicians, implying plans to have firearms at the Capitol and threatening Mike Pence.







“It’s gonna get violent as we charge the federal buildings and drag out corrupt politicians dead or alive!” one posted before the 6th read, continuing on to reveal the author’s desire to kill politicians. “Now you got weapons I came packing,” read one posted the morning of the riot, “I’m here for justice bang bang.” The posts made clear who their top target was: “F*** pence sellout traitor we better see him coming out that building in handcuffs or were [sic] going in.”

These documents show government law enforcement receiving clear warnings of the violence bound for DC on January 6. The Secret Service was fully aware that the Trump supporters coming posed a real threat of violence, particularly against Mike Pence, including the possibility of an assault on the Capitol. What they do not show is why the Secret Service downplayed the danger and threats of violence on January 6.

https://www.citizensforethics.org/reports-investigations/crew-investigations/the-secret-service-knew-about-jan-6-threat-they-dismissed-it/

[Rick Plant]

DOJ issues another subpoena — and thinks J6 Committee has evidence a crime was committed: report

The Department of Justice has issued a subpoena to obtain documents secured by the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol, The New York Times reported Wednesday.

"Federal prosecutors investigating the role that former President Donald J. Trump and his allies played in the events leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol have issued a grand jury subpoena to the National Archives for all the documents the agency provided to a parallel House select committee inquiry," the newspaper reported, saying it had obtained the subpoena. "The subpoena, issued to the National Archives in May, made a sweeping demand for 'all materials, in whatever form' that the archives had given to the Jan. 6 House committee. Those materials included records from the files of Mr. Trump’s top aides, his daily schedule and phone logs and a draft text of the president’s speech that preceded the riot."

The newspaper reported the subpoena was unrelated to the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago conducted last week.

"Asking the National Archives for any White House documents pertaining to the events surrounding Jan. 6 was one of the first major steps the House panel took in its investigation. And the grand jury subpoena suggests that the Justice Department has not only been following the committee’s lead in pursuing its inquiry, but also that prosecutors believe evidence of a crime may exist in the White House documents the archives turned over to the House panel," the newspaper reported.

The subpoena was signed by veteran federal prosecutor Thomas P. Windom.

"The subpoena was issued to the National Archives around the same time that it became publicly known that the Justice Department was looking beyond the rioters who were present at the Capitol and trying to assess the culpability of people who had helped organize pro-Trump rallies in Washington on Jan. 6," the newspaper reported. "In June, another flurry of subpoenas was issued to state lawmakers and state Republican officials who had taken part in the fake elector scheme. Those subpoenas indicated that the Justice Department was primarily interested in what role pro-Trump lawyers, like Rudolph W. Giuliani and John Eastman, may have played in devising and carrying out the plan."

Read the full report:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/17/us/politics/jan-6-grand-jury-subpoena.html

[Rick Plant]

Federal prosecutors have ‘all’ Trump White House documents obtained by Jan 6 committee: report

The Independent has confirmed the existence of a subpoena which demanded that the National Archives and Records Administration provide federal prosecutors with ‘all materials, in whatever form’ that have been turned over to the House January 6 select committee

Federal prosecutors have reportedly used a grand jury subpoena to obtain a duplicate set of the Trump White House records which the National Archives and Records Administration has been providing to the House January 6 select committee since last year.

The Independent has confirmed the existence of the subpoena which was first reported by the New York Times and was served on Nara this past May. According to a copy of the document viewed by the Times, it demanded that the archives provide prosecutors with “all materials, in whatever form” that had been produced in response to a subpoena issued last year by the select committee as part of its’ parallel investigation into the worst attack on the US Capitol since 1814.

Although former president Donald Trump attempted to block Nara from turning over records created during his presidency to the House panel, the Supreme Court in January rejected his appeal of two lower court decisions which held that Congress was entitled to the documents because the incumbent president, Joe Biden, had not chosen to invoke executive privilege to prevent their production.

Since that Supreme Court ruling, Nara has been providing documents to the panel on a rolling bases, including White House phone logs, copies of the “daily diary” that documented Mr Trump’s movements, calls, meetings and other daily activities, files from ex-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, former deputy White House counsel Pat Philbin, and ex-senior adviser Stephen Miller.

Other tranches of documents provided to the select committee include draft remarks for the speech Mr Trump delivered at the Ellipse on the day of the attack.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-white-house-documents-justice-department-b2147335.html

[Rick Plant]

Florida sheriffs caught on video briefing armed right-wing group before they headed to Capitol on Jan. 6



Video footage shows Florida sheriffs giving a security briefing to an armed right-wing group that was heading to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, the Daily Dot reports.

The videos show the Homeland Security Division of the Flagler County, Florida Sheriff’s Office meeting with the The Flagler Liberty Coalition (FLC) and other pro-Trump protestors who were about to leave for Washington, D.C.

"The Flagler Liberty Coalition (FLC) recommended its members pack body armor, mace, and knives—which they said were for protection—and were working with Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins to bring crowds to D.C. that day. Mullins has faced criticism from his fellow local politicians for attending the protests that turned into the Capitol insurrection," the Dot's report stated. "Together, the group brought three buses of people to Washington on Jan. 6."

The Daily Dot's Eric Levai contends that the video is the best evidence yet of links between pro-Trump politicians, law enforcement, and right-wing groups in the lead up to the Capitol riot. The videos have since been deleted from YouTube.

The video was recorded by independent journalist Tracey Eaton and shows a sheriff warning the group that antifa will be at the Capitol and plans to use "fire" as a weapon. On the group's website, the intent to go to the Capitol that day was expressed openly. One person in the group warned that the government might fry their cellphones if they stormed the Capitol.

The briefing took place one day before the Capitol riot.

Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies Mike Lutz warned people in the video to travel in groups because they might be attacked by antifa if they're alone. In another video, FLC member Mark Phillips tells protestors to bring helmets, body armor, mace, pepper spray, and knives and says that some members of the group will be in “fight mode.”

"I want everyone coming back from this trip with a win," Lutz says. "We need to take our country back and we need to show up for our president.

https://www.dailydot.com/debug/florida-sheriffs-flagler-liberty-coalition/

[Rick Plant]

Capitol cop testifies that rioter pulled on his shoulder so hard he needed surgery

A U.S. Capitol Police sergeant testified this Wednesday that a Capitol rioter on Jan. 6 pulled on his shoulder so hard that he needed surgery, the Portland Press Herald reports.

“Definitely one of the worst pains I’ve felt in my life,” Sgt. Aquilino Gonell told a D.C., courtroom.

Gonell testified in the trial of Kyle Fitzsimons, 38, of Maine, who prosecutors say assaulted Gonell and two officers from Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department during the riot.

Gonell said that Fitzsimons grabbed onto his shield while he was trying to help another officer who had fallen, adding that he believed Fitzsimons was trying to pull him into the mob of rioters. He also said he considered pulling his gun on Fitzsimons, but didn't want to make things worse for other officers.

Gonell has testified in Congress about the events of Jan. 6 and on Wednesday he said he is working on a book.

Read more at the Portland Press Herald:

.https://www.pressherald.com/2022/08/17/second-officer-testifies-against-maine-man-in-capitol-insurrection-trial/

[Rick Plant]

January 6 participant gets banned from courtroom after repeatedly harassing witnesses

A man who posted videos of himself at the United States Capitol building on January 6 has now been barred from attending the trial of a Capitol riot defendant after he repeatedly harassed witnesses.

NBC News reports that Mississippi resident Tommy Tatum, who apparently did not enter the Capitol on January 6 and has not been charged with any criminal violations, has accosted police officers who showed up to testify in the trial of accused Capitol rioter Kyle Fitzsimons.

According to NBC, Tatum has posted videos of himself angrily confronting the officers who talked about the violence inflicted upon them by the rioters.

“Do you think you honored your father’s memory by trying to kill me that day?” Tatum asked a D.C. Metropolitan Police officer in one video. “How does that make you feel as a man, does that bring your Vietnamese father honor?... hope you take this dishonor to your family, to the grave.”

As a result of this, U.S. Marshals removed Tatum from court, and a federal prosecutor told NBC that he's facing potential legal ramifications for harassing witnesses.

After he was removed, Tatum accused the officers of lying about his actions, even though he personally filmed video of himself accosting them.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/jan-6-participant-harassing-police-officers-capitol-attack-trial-rcna43413

[Rick Plant]

MAGA rioter who flew to DC in a private jet and destroyed property pleads guilty: report



On Thursday, NBC News reported that a January 6 rioter from Texas who flew to Washington, D.C. on a private jet has reached a plea agreement.

"Katherine Schwab of Texas, who said she accepted an offer to fly on the personal aircraft of a Facebook friend, admitted to writing in messages before the Capitol attack that 's--t will go down' and that she needed to 'stop the steal,'" said the report. "Schwab traveled to Washington, D.C., with codefendants Jenna Ryan and Jason Lee Hyland, and admitted she was the first of the trio to enter the Capitol on Jan. 6." The charge Schwab will accept is disorderly conduct in a restricted building.

"Schwab admitted to kicking and throwing media equipment with other members of the mob outside the Capitol," said the report. "'I went into the f---ing Capitol,' Schwab admitted saying in a video recording on the day of the riot, calling police 'traitors,' 'sheep' and 'pathetic.' 'You want a revolution, the revolution’s gonna come... you want a f---ing revolution, it’ll happen,' Schwab also admitted saying."

According to a filing by federal officials, "Before leaving the Capitol grounds, Hyland, Schwab, and Ryan arrived at a press enclosure where members of the crowd were attacking media equipment. Schwab joined the assault, kicking media equipment and throwing one piece of equipment on the ground while Hyland and Ryan observed."

Schwab's coconspirator Ryan became infamous for openly boasting that "I have blonde hair white skin a great job a great future and I’m not going to jail." When she was sentenced to 60 days in jail, she claimed that she was being treated like the Jews in Nazi Germany. She has subsequently served her sentence and been released.

Nearly 900 people have now been charged in connection with the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Most face misdemeanor charges like unlawful picketing and trespassing, but others are charged with assaulting police and, in the case of some members of the far right Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, seditious conspiracy.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/trump-supporter-flew-private-jet-jan-6-riot-threw-media-equipment-capi-rcna43829