Some Jan. 6 defendants try to use journalism as riot defense

[brooklynite]

Source: AP News

The Trump supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol in January created a trove of self-incriminating evidence, thoroughly documenting their actions and words in videos and social media posts. Now some of the camera-toting people in the crowd are claiming they were only there to record history as journalists, not to join a deadly insurrection.

It’s unlikely that any of the self-proclaimed journalists can mount a viable defense on the First Amendment’s free speech grounds, experts say. They face long odds if video captured them acting more like rioters than impartial observers. But as the internet has broadened and blurred the definition of a journalist, some appear intent on trying.

At least eight defendants charged in the Jan. 6 riot have identified themselves as a journalist or a documentary filmmaker, including three people arrested this month, according to an Associated Press review of court records in nearly 400 federal cases.

...snip...

One defendant, Shawn Witzemann, told authorities he was inside the Capitol during the riot as part of his work in livestreaming video at protests and has since argued that he was there as a journalist. That explanation did not sway the FBI. The plumber from Farmington, New Mexico, is charged with joining in demonstrating in the Capitol while Congress was certifying Joe Biden’s electoral victory over Donald Trump.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-media-journalism-riots-social-media-70192823f35380b860b6f2708904bc5c

[Journeyman]

1. And this, I'm fairly certain, is "fake news" . . .

[SWBTATTReg]

2. Let us see what excuses thus far I've heard...

-former PINO asked them to come to Wash. DC and riot (I say this sarcastically);
-we are here as journalists;
-we are here to keep an eye on Congress, to make sure that no fraud occurs;
-police were told to hold back their responses in the initial build up to the riot, thus leading up to the break in by rioters
and them rampaging through Congress;
-and not so loudly proclaimed but clear as day, the 'woke' mob basically led by Josh Hawley with his raised and clenched first aimed at the rioters who seemingly attempted to overturn trump's defeat in the 2020 presidential election by disrupting the joint session of Congress assembled to count electoral votes to formalize Joe Biden's victory.

I'm sure that some of them will say they are guilty. Some of them already said that they accidently found themselves inside the Capital building, and didn't mean to be in there (some magically reason they appeared inside of there);

Some of the rioters were just plain idiots.

No peace, no rest for these thugs. Never.

[Talitha]

3. My Dobe claims to be checking for Mice when she tips the kitchen bin over.

Excuses, excuses.

[TexasBushwhacker]

4. Gotta press pass buddy?