Federal Choose Provides an Unprompted Warning for Trump: ‘Authorized Penalties’ for Jan. 6 Might Be Coming

In a decision on Wednesday in the case of one of the accused Capitol rioters, US Judge Emmett Sullivan offered a provocation on the role of former President Donald Trump in the attack.

Sullivan ruled that Colorado’s Jeffrey Sabol was too dangerous and risky to be released before his trial. Sabol is accused of beating a police officer during the January 6 attack on the Capitol to prevent Congress from officially counting the electoral college votes that made Joe Biden president.

The judge dismissed the argument that Sabol was told to engage in the uprising in the heat of the moment, which was spurred on by Trump’s rally. There is evidence that Sabol was “pre-planning” prior to the attack, Sullivan noted, which sets him apart from rioters who are not on trial.

“He brought tactical equipment, including a helmet, steel toe boots, zip ties, a radio, and an earpiece,” Sullivan said. “He later admitted to law enforcement that he had armed himself with this kit because he expected to encounter counter-protesters. … He also claimed days after the riot, when he believed he was being wanted by the FBI, that he “fought tyranny at the DC Capitol”.

He continued: “The court ultimately cannot be persuaded by Mr Sabol’s argument that he did not intend to use violence or disrupt the electoral process on January 6, 2021, but was involved in the ‘frenzy’ that had in part arose up to that point was – The words and actions of President Trump and his staff. “

Then, in a section of the judgment flagged by journalist Marcy Wheeler, Sullivan stated that he believes Trump and his allies may have significant legal exposure to their roles.

“To what extent President Trump’s words and actions led to a violent and shocking storm on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 is an important question that could still have legal ramifications for the former president and his celebrity supporters,” wrote Sullivan, citing a civil lawsuit against the former president, “But President Trump’s fault is not in this court.”

He went on, noting that Trump’s own role in triggering the attack would not exonerate Sabol:

To the extent that Mr Sabol raises this issue to indicate that he has a full defense against the criminal charges he is facing for allegedly or in fact allowing the rioters to use force to promote peaceful transfer of power to disturb, this argument fails for the reasons clearly and thoughtfully formulated by Chief Judge Howell … Indeed, “even if the former President Trump was indeed. . . “told the assembled rabble what to do” (that is, attack the Capitol and interfere with the confirmation of the number of votes) and “ratified their actions.” . . he acted beyond [his] Power as president,. . . and his testimony would not protect defendants charged with crimes related to the January 6th attack on the Capitol from criminal liability. “

While the judge’s statements have no legal significance to the former president, they are a useful reminder of a fact that is swept under the carpet far too quickly. The former president remembered a clear role in the most direct attack on American democracy, and has not yet been held legally responsible for it. Many others who believed his lies about the election, on the other hand, suffer greatly. And while much attention was paid to the ongoing investigations into Trump in New York and Georgia, his most egregious violations took place in the American capital.

The Post-federal judge offers an unsolicited warning to Trump: “Legal Consequences” for Jan. 6 may be published first in the New Civil Rights Movement.