Trump supporters and conspiracy theory - Part 2

[Rick Plant]

Trump supporter Joshua Macias, arrested with guns in Philly during 2020 vote count, faces jail after new information emerges about meeting with Proud Boys



PHILADELPHIA — Joshua Macias can’t seem to stay out of trouble.

In November 2020, Macias, the co-founder of Vets for Trump, was arrested after he and a security guard with a history of unhinged internet postings drove from Virginia to Philadelphia with guns and ammunition, apparently in response to conspiracy theories about a rigged presidential election.

The pair, who traveled in a Hummer with QAnon stickers on it, were arrested near the Philadelphia Convention Center, where votes were being tallied. Police recovered handguns, an AR-15-style rifle, 160 rounds of ammo, a lock-picking kit and a samurai sword.

Investigators later found a text message referring to a plan to raid “a truckload of fake ballots,” prosecutors have said, and Macias was seen on video just before his arrest referring to “ballot stuffers” in “back rooms.”

Macias, 43, and alleged conspirator Antonio LaMotta, 63, await trial on those weapons- and election-related charges.

But Macias, a vocal supporter of the “Stop the Steal” movement that was fueled by then-President Donald Trump’s lies about widespread voting irregularities, has repeatedly been in danger of violating his bail conditions, due to his social media and political activity, Philadelphia prosecutors have argued in court — so far unsuccessfully.

Now, there is additional evidence.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner’s office has filed a motion seeking to have Macias held in contempt of court, due to new information that has surfaced about Jan. 6, 2021. That includes recent federal indictments, and documentary footage showing Macias meeting with Enrique Tarrio, the then-leader of the Proud Boys, in an underground parking garage the evening before the Capitol siege.

Tarrio and other members of the Proud Boys — including Zach Rehl, leader of the Philadelphia chapter of the far-right group — are facing seditious conspiracy charges stemming from the riot.

Also in attendance at the meeting with Macias and Tarrio: Stewart Rhodes, head of the Oath Keepers militant group. He, too, has been charged with sedition.

At a news conference Monday, Krasner called the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers the “tip of the spear” in the riot, and said it was significant that they chose to meet secretly with Macias, whom he described as “their confidante.”

“We need to radically reconsider whether Joshua Macias is a midsize fish or a shark. I say he is a shark,” Krasner said. “He has proven how dangerous he can be ... This is a startling revelation.”

Macias has not been charged in connection with the insurrection, but he was livestreaming from outside the Capitol, describing then-Vice President Mike Pence as “a Benedict Arnold” and saying “the domestic enemies are here,” as he pointed at the building.

Macias’ attorney, William Brennan, had no comment Monday. He has previously argued in court that prosecutors were attempting to criminalize legitimate political activity.

“He certainly is not on the same side politically as the district attorney, but to charge him criminally for exercising his right of free assembly and right of free speech, that’s a very dangerous thing,” Brennan said in January 2021 after a court hearing for Macias.

As for the original charges in November 2020 in Philadelphia, Krasner has argued that it should be treated as a “mass shooting that was narrowly averted.” Macias and LaMotta maintain their innocence.

The day after their arrest, Vladimir Lemets, executive director of Vets for Trump, told The Philadelphia Inquirer that he was puzzled by the case. He described Macias and LaMotta as “nonhostile guys” who had driven to Philadelphia only to monitor how the ballots were being counted.

“They just went up there to see if they could be of any assistance,” Lemets said, “and scope out what’s happening.”

But Lisa Deeley, chairwoman of the Philadelphia City Commissioners, which oversees elections in the city, said she believes police thwarted a mass shooting by intercepting Macias and LaMotta as the votes were being counted. She joined Krasner on Monday and questioned whether the defendants had planned to use the lock-picking kit to enter the Convention Center through a back entrance.

“I and my staff, we know what Macias and LaMotta were attempting to do that night,” Deeley said. “We refer to them as, ‘Those people who tried to kill us.’ How are these people still on the street?”

© The Philadelphia Inquirer

[Rick Plant]

Criminal Donald got busted during the second day of hearings as it was revealed he scammed his gullible MAGA followers out of $250 million dollars. Donnie told them to donate to his "Election Defense Fund" that was supposed to fight "voter fraud". Well, we all know there was no "election fraud" but it was revealed during the hearing that he never even set up this "Election Defense Fund". That is clear fraud and is considered wire fraud and if convicted Donnie will get the 20 years behind bars as it's the maximum penalty.

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-fundraising-scam-jan-6-hearing-1367359/

And he's still at it trying to steal more money from gullible MAGA suckers. Maybe we will see the 8X IMPACT tomorrow.

Look how fake this donation scam is. He wants you to "prove your loyalty" by donating money. What a joke.     

[Rick Plant]

'Go back to your office': New report details furious DOJ blow-up in front of Trump days before Jan. 6
https://www.rawstory.com/donald-trump-2657506695/

[Rick Plant]

Trump’s grifting isn’t new -- ‘conservative elites’ have been ripping off the base since 1964: historian
https://www.rawstory.com/trumps-grifting-isnt-new-conservative-elites-have-been-ripping-off-the-base-since-1964-historian/

[Rick Plant]

New photos show the pained expressions of Trump's inner circle on election night as they realized they lost



A series of photos taken on election night, 2020, show members of former President Donald Trump's family and campaign team looking distressed as it became more and more apparent that Joe Biden was going to be the winner, ABC News reports.

"The photos, taken by a White House photographer and published exclusively in the book, 'Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show,' are a visual representation of the testimony of senior Trump advisers who told the House Jan. 6 committee that they did not believe Donald Trump should declare victory on election night," ABC's report stated.

The photos were taken in the Map Room of the White House.

"These photos — which were published exclusively in 'Betrayal' — show the scene at the White House on election night. Look at the faces — these people did not think they were winning," tweeted ABC News reporter and author Jonathan Karl.





A source who is shown in at least one of the photos tells ABC News they were taken as the campaign's analysts became concerned Trump could lose after initially being more confident of a win.

The photos show chief of staff Mark Meadows, campaign manager Bill Stepien, senior strategist Jason Miller, Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel and White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany.

Also shown are several Trump family members, including Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and Lara Trump.

https://twitter.com/jonkarl/status/1536669155805609985

[Rick Plant]

Trump is ‘facing a season of legal reckoning’: Eric Swalwell explains how he’s exploiting Jan. 6 evidence



Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California on Tuesday explained how he is using evidence presented to the public during the select committee hearings as he sues Donald Trump under the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871.

"Prosecutors are not the only lawyers watching Jan. 6 committee's hearings looking for evidence, there is a small army of lawyers who have already made Donald Trump a defendant in civil lawsuits who are also looking for evidence to use against Donald Trump in the Jan. 6 committee hearings," MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell.

After Schiff filed the lawsuit, Trump and his eldest son, Donald Trump, Jr. quickly lawyered up and sought to claim "absolute immunity" from the lawsuit.

U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta disagreed, allowing the lawsuits to proceed.

Swalwell explained how much evidence he has compiled because of the select committee.

"Lawrence, Donald Trump looks guiltier after all of this evidence, not more innocent," he said.

Swalwell explained "we filed our lawsuit right after the impeachment trial of Donald Trump where we had very little evidence because we had no cooperative witnesses."

The congressman served as an impeachment manager in Trump's other Senate trial.

"Now, because of the Jan. 6 commission, because of the Department of Justice's hundreds of indictments and what we have learned from those defendants, and because of lawsuits in New York, as well as what's being investigated in Georgia, Donald Trump right now is going into a season of legal reckoning," he said.

"And there are storms that are really brewing right now in strengthening that could hit him, both criminally and civilly. I brought my case civilly to do mine in small part, to bring accountability to the person who started the insurrection and I hope as far as accountability, it ends with him being held accountable."

Watch:

[Rick Plant]

Trump attorney told John Eastman to get a 'great' criminal defense lawyer: 'You're going to need it'

GOP Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the vice-chair of the House Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol, previewed the next public hearing in a new video released on Tuesday.

The video was released hours after the Select Committee reported that Wednesday's planned hearing had been postponed until Thursday.

"Yesterday, the select committee's hearing showed all Americans that President Trump's claims of a stolen 2020 election were, to use former Attorney General Barr's words, 'complete nonsense.' We heard this from Donald Trump's own campaign experts, his own campaign lawyers, his own campaign manager, his attorney general, and others Donald Trump appointed to leadership positions in the U.S. Department of Justice," Cheney said.

"President Trump's advisors knew what he was saying was false, and they told him so, directly and repeatedly," she continued.

"In our next hearing on Thursday, the select committee will examine President Trump's relentless effort — on Jan. 6 and in the days beforehand — to pressure Vice President Pence to refuse to count lawful electoral votes. As a federal judge has indicated, this likely violated two federal criminal statutes. President Trump had no factual basis for what he was doing and he had been told it was illegal," she noted.

"Despite this, President Trump plotted with a lawyer named John Eastman and others to overturn the outcome of the election on Jan. 6," Cheney said.

She then played an extended clip of a deposition Eric Herschmann, a former White House lawyer, who testified he told Eastman to focus on an "orderly transition."

"Now I'm going to give you the best free legal advice you're ever getting in your life," Herschmann testified he told Eastman.

"Get a great f****ng criminal defense lawyer. You're going to need it," he continued.

Watch: