Trump’s ex-defense secretary says he didn’t ask for 10,000 Capitol troops
Donald Trump has lashed out at reports that he is now the subject of a US Department of Justice investigation into his attempts to subvert the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said yesterday that the Justice Department has no qualms about the political blowback that would inevitably occur as a result of criminally indicting Mr Trump. The department is reportedly reaching out to witnesses who have testified to the select committee investigating the Capitol attack, including former Mark Meadows aide Cassidy Hutchinson.
The panel last night released audio from sworn testimony in which Donald Trump’s former acting defence secretary, Christopher Miller, confirms the president gave no order for thousands of National Guards to be deployed to the Capitol in advance of the certification of the result on 6 January.
The audio contradicts claims recently made by Mr Trump, as well as ex-staffers including Mark Meadows – and Mr Miller himself.
Trump calls for ‘quick’ death penalty for drug dealers
Former president Donald Trump called for drug dealers to receive the death penalty among a series of harsh policies about crime during his first speech in Washington since leaving office on Tuesday.
He made the remarks while speaking at a summit led by the America First Policy Institute, which features many former administration officials.
Mr Trump used his speech to talk about rising crime rates, though there is some evidence that gun violence is worse in Republican states. The former president called for “very, very severe” penalties.
Trump calls for death penalty for drug dealers, says US ‘going to hell very fast’
Ex-president makes his first speech back in Washington since he left the presidency
Oliver O’Connell27 July 2022 06:15
Indiana Republicans struggle to find abortion ban agreement
Indiana Republican lawmakers on Tuesday narrowly advanced a plan to ban nearly all abortions in the state, despite opposition from abortion-rights supporters, who say the bill goes too far, and anti-abortion activists, who say it doesn’t go far enough.
Chants from anti-abortion activists, such as “Let their heart beat,” could be heard inside the chamber as a committee wrapped up two days of testimony during which none of the more than 60 people speaking voiced support for the Republican-sponsored bill.
Indiana Republicans struggle to find abortion ban agreement
Indiana Republican lawmakers have narrowly advanced a bill that would ban nearly all abortions in the state, despite opposition from abortion-rights supporters and anti-abortion activists
Oliver O’Connell27 July 2022 05:30
Emails reveal Trump campaign efforts to subvert Electoral College certification
Advisors to Donald Trump who were involved in the former president’s scheme to overturn the 2020 election appeared to recognise that their plan was legally dubious, according to emails revealed by The New York Times.
The Times said it had reviewed and authenticated dozens of emails that show a frantic effort by aides to Mr Trump and a coterie of lawyers and supporters outside of the White House to send fake electors to the Electoral College certification of the 2020 election.
The emails frequently refer to “fake” electors, and those involved seemed aware that their efforts had no legal standing, the Times reported.
Richard Hall has the story.
Emails reveal Trump campaign efforts to subvert Electoral College certification
Emails reviewed by The New York Times show a frantic effort to organise “fake” electors
Oliver O’Connell27 J
uly 2022 04:45
Voices: Why a Republican would vote against marriage equality and then attend his son’s gay wedding
Skylar Baker-Jordan writes:
My grandmother gave me a Bible and a note telling me that I was going to hell for my graduation. It tore my family apart — but then we reconciled. I can guess why Glenn Thompson acted like he did.
Why a Republican voted against equal marriage then went to his son’s gay wedding
My grandmother gave me a Bible and a note telling me that I was going to hell for my graduation. It tore my family apart — but then we reconciled. I can guess why Glenn Thompson acted like he did
Oliver O’Connell27 July 2022 04:00
Capitol rioter jailed for joint longest sentence of five years
A Washington, DC man has been sentenced to 63 months in prison after he attacked several police officers with a weapon during the Capitol riot on January 6.
Mark Ponder, 56, from northwest DC, is one of only a few DC residents to have been charged in the Capitol riot. He now faces more than five years behind bars.
He was arrested on the day of the insurrection but he was released because the authorities were too overwhelmed to process him, WUSA9 reported.
Capitol rioter jailed for joint longest sentence of five years for attacking officers
Judge ‘appalled’ by rioter’s actions after he hits several officers with pole
Oliver O’Connell27 July 2022 03:15
Prosecutors want jail sentence for Capitol rioter who had Nazi images on phone
Federal prosecutors are seeking a 30-day jail sentence for a Capitol rioter accused of having dozens of images that reflect Nazi and white supremacist sentiments on his phone.
Twenty-two-year-old Elliot Bishai, of Fort Mill, South Carolina, pleaded guilty in April to charges stemming from his involvement in the Jan 6 attack to prevent Congress from certifying Biden’s victory.
Prosecution seeks 30-day jail sentence for S.C. Jan 6 rioter
The defence argues that Elliot Bishai, 22, has received enough punishment after his student pilot’s license was revoked
Oliver O’Connell27 July 2022 02:30
Lawmakers call for Navy lieutenant to be released from Japan prison
American naval officer who recently began serving a three-year sentence for his role in an accidental car crash which claimed the lives of two Japanese nationals.
Lieutenant Ridge Alkonis on Tuesday reported for the start of his sentence, which was imposed on him by a Japanese court earlier this year after he was convicted of negligent driving charges stemming from a May 2021 car accident.
Andrew Feinberg has the details.
US lawmakers call for Navy lieutenant to be released from prison sentence in Japan
US Navy Lieutenant Ridge Alkonis is currently serving a three-year sentence in a Japanese prison
Oliver O’Connell27 July 2022 01:45
Breaking: Trump repeats election lies as he is revealed to be subject of DoJ criminal probe
The former president busied himself repeating lies about the 2020 election on his Truth Social platform, even as it was revealed his attempts to subvert the outcome were the subject of the reported Justice Department probe.
Trump busy on Truth Social while DoJ busy investigating him
Donald Trump busied himself repeating lies about the 2020 election on Truth Social, even as it was revealed he was the subject of a crminal investigation by the Department of Justice.
Alex Woodward27 July 2022 01:30
ICYMI: Emails reveal Trump campaign efforts to subvert Electoral College certification
A review of dozens of emails from Trump’s allies reveal a frantic effort by his aides and legal team to subvert the outcome of the 2020 presidential election with a bogus alternate electors scheme, which would send state electors loyal to Trump tothe Electoral College certification.
The emails frequently refer to “fake” electors, and those involved seemed aware that their efforts had no legal standing, according to The New York Times report.
“We would just be sending in ‘fake’ electoral votes to Pence so that ‘someone’ in Congress can make an objection when they start counting votes,” wrote Jack Wilenchik, a lawyer who helped organise pro-Trump electors in Arizona, in an email sent on 8 December, 2020, according to theTimes. The email was sent to Boris Epshteyn, a strategic adviser for the Trump campaign.
Emails reveal Trump campaign efforts to subvert Electoral College certification
Emails reviewed by The New York Times show a frantic effort to organise “fake” electors
Alex Woodward27 July 2022 01:04
Trump shares clip of himself falsely claiming he won 2020 election minutes after report says ex-president faces DOJ probe over his attempts to overturn results
In another post on Truth, the former president shared another clip from his remarks from earlier this afternoon in which he falsely claimed he “won a second time” and “did much better a second time” in the 2020 election.
“And a lot better,” he said. “Very corrupt. I always say, I ran the first time and I won, and I ran the second time and I did much better … We may just have to do it again.”
Alex Woodward27 July 2022 00:50
More Stories
Lawyer Perspectives on Major Newsworthy Legal Issues
Top News Stories Every Lawyer Should Know About
Top Causes of Car Accidents