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In Jan. 6 case, a federal judge slams GOP over its election lies
The federal judges are losing patience with the TFG idiots
Link to tweet
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/jan-6-case-federal-judge-slams-gop-election-lies-rcna49758?cid=sm_npd_ms_tw_ma
On the surface, it was a routine sentencing hearing for one of the more notorious Jan. 6 rioters. Kyle Young, whose lawyer said he was “injected” with political lies, took his teenage son to the U.S. Capitol, violently assaulted police officers, and got caught. Federal prosecutors sought a significant prison sentence.
U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson agreed, sentencing Young to more than seven years in prison.
But just below the surface, there was a little more to it. In fact, the judge in this case — who has a no-nonsense reputation for not suffering fools gladly — took the opportunity yesterday to contextualize the proceedings.
“You were not prosecuted for being a Trump supporter,” Jackson explained to Young. “You were not arrested or charged, and you will not be sentenced, for exercising your First Amendment rights. You are not a political prisoner.... You were trying to stop the singular thing that makes America America, the peaceful transfer of power. That’s what ‘Stop the Steal’ meant.”
As Politico noted, however, the federal judge also rebuked the Republican leaders who bore responsibility for the violence perpetrated by the defendant and people like him.
The jurist went on to marvel at the extent to which GOP leaders are so beholden to “one man” that it has become “heresy” for Republicans to contradict Trump’s election lies.
U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson agreed, sentencing Young to more than seven years in prison.
But just below the surface, there was a little more to it. In fact, the judge in this case — who has a no-nonsense reputation for not suffering fools gladly — took the opportunity yesterday to contextualize the proceedings.
“You were not prosecuted for being a Trump supporter,” Jackson explained to Young. “You were not arrested or charged, and you will not be sentenced, for exercising your First Amendment rights. You are not a political prisoner.... You were trying to stop the singular thing that makes America America, the peaceful transfer of power. That’s what ‘Stop the Steal’ meant.”
As Politico noted, however, the federal judge also rebuked the Republican leaders who bore responsibility for the violence perpetrated by the defendant and people like him.
U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson said former President Donald Trump had turned his lies about the election into a litmus test for Republican candidates and that “high-ranking members of Congress and state officials” are “so afraid of losing their power” that they won’t contradict him. That fealty, she said, comes even as law enforcement and judges involved in cases related to the former president are facing unprecedented threats of violence.
The jurist went on to marvel at the extent to which GOP leaders are so beholden to “one man” that it has become “heresy” for Republicans to contradict Trump’s election lies.
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