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Jan. 6 Rioters Are Bringing In thousands In Donations. Now The US Is Coming After Their Haul

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Daniel Goodwyn, a Texan who pled guilty to storming the U.S. Capitol, made an appearance on Tucker Carlson’s former Fox News show less than two months after his plea and promoted a website where people could donate money to help him and other rioters, who the website referred to as “political prisoners.”

An increasing government effort to prohibit rioters from personally profiting from an act that rattled the foundations of American democracy has resulted in the Justice Department demanding that Goodwyn return more than $25,000 he raised.

Prosecutors in the more than one thousand criminal cases dating back to January 6, 2021, are increasingly requesting judges to impose fines in addition to prison sentences to balance donations from supporters of the Capitol rioters, according to a study of court documents by the Associated Press.

Prosecutors have acknowledged nothing improper about defendants setting up Internet fundraising efforts to help with legal expenditures. Since many of the accused have had government-funded legal representation, the Justice Department has occasionally raised concerns about the true use of the funds.

Most of these campaigns can be found on GiveSendGo, which promotes itself as “The #1 Free Christian Fundraising Site” and has become a safe haven for those originally banned from utilizing popular crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe on January 6. Even as they make deals to plead guilty and assist authorities, the rioters frequently declare their innocence and portray themselves as victims of government oppression.

Their ability to raise money demonstrates that many Americans maintain the false assumption that Democrats plotted to steal the 2020 presidential election from Donald Trump. The idea has been bolstered by the previous president’s promise to pardon rioters if he is re-elected.

More than $16,000 was gathered for Markus Maly’s family through an internet campaign that referred to him as a “January 6 P.O.W.” Maly is a Virginia man due to be sentenced next month for attacking police at the Capitol. Although a public defender represented Maly at no cost to himself, prosecutors have asked for a punishment of $16,000 or more.

rioters

An increasing government effort to prohibit rioters from personally profiting from an act that rattled the foundations of American democracy.

According to court documents, prosecutors believe it is inappropriate for the defendant to “capitalize” on his involvement in the Capitol breach by using the fame he has achieved due to his criminal activities.

According to the A.P.’s count, prosecutors have sought fines totaling over $390,000 from at least 21 riot suspects this year. These fines have ranged from $450 to over $71,000.

This year, judges have fined at least $124,127 amongst 33 riot suspects. Over the prior two years, over a hundred riot defendants were fined over $240,000.

To repay the nearly $2.8 million in damages to the Capitol and other expenses incurred on January 6, judges have ordered hundreds of convicted rioters to pay over $524,000.

The harshest sentences for those rioters who faced the most serious charges are finally being handed down. They are also the most active in soliciting donations, which may account for the uptick in requests for monetary penalties.

A judge earlier this month handed Nathaniel DeGrave a sentence of almost three years in prison and a fine of $25,000. Prosecutors said the Nevada man “incredibly” collected over $120,000 through GiveSendGo campaigns labeling him “Beijing Biden’s political prisoner” in “America’s Gitmo,” a reference to the detention facility at Guantánamo Bay.

Despite “seeking to cooperate with the government and admitting he and his co-conspirators were guilty since at least November 2021,” the prosecutor wrote, “he did this.”

DeGrave’s attorney William Shipley, who has also represented more than two dozen other January 6 offenders, said his clients should not raise money as a political prisoners if they want to enter a guilty plea.

They have every right to scream from the rooftops that the only reason they are being kept is because of politics until they admit to having committed a crime, as Shipley put it. To quote the First Amendment: “It’s just free political speech.”

rioters

An increasing government effort to prohibit rioters from personally profiting from an act that rattled the foundations of American democracy

According to Shipley, he proved to the judge that DeGrave had $25,000 more in donations than legal fees.

“I’ve never had clients that had third-party fundraising like this,” Shipley said, “so I’ve never had to do it.” “There is a section of the population that feels sorry for these accused.”

Heather Wilson, the co-founder of the crowdfunding platform GiveSendGo, explained that accepting contributions for the legal defense of those accused in the Capitol riot “is rooted in our society’s commitment to the presumption of innocence and the freedom for all individuals to hire private attorneys.”

Just over 500 defendants have been punished for offenses committed on January 6, marking a milestone in the largest federal investigation in American history and prompting the government to argue for higher punishments.

When prosecutors ask for a fine, judges are sometimes granting them.

Peter Schwartz, a guy from Kentucky who attacked Capitol police with pepper spray and a chair, was facing a fine of almost $70,000, according to prosecutors. This month, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta gave Schwartz one of the heaviest jail terms handed down in a case involving the Capitol incident, although he did not impose a fine.

Prosecutors accuse Schwartz of trying to make money via his GoFundMe page, “Patriot Pete Political Prisoner in D.C.” However, Dennis Boyle, who represents him, claims no such proof exists.

In this case, the judge “basically said that if the money was being used for attorneys’ fees or other costs like that, there was no basis for a fine,” Boyle said.

John Strand, a cover model for romance novels, was found guilty by a jury of storming the Capitol alongside Dr. Simone Gold, a prominent California physician in the anti-vaccine movement. The judge will sentence Strand on Thursday, and prosecutors ask for a $50,000 fine and jail time.

Prosecutors claim that Strand has raised over $17,300 for his defense, even though he uses a publicly financed attorney. The fact that Strand can afford to live in a mansion that cost over $3 million indicates that he has “substantial financial means,” as the authorities have put it.

“Strand has raised, and continues to raise, money on his website based upon his false statements and misrepresentations on the events of January 6,” the prosecutors stated.

Goodwyn will be sentenced in April after appearing on Carlson’s show in March. The defense team’s attorney, Carolyn Stewart, referred to the $25,000 fine requested by prosecutors as “demanding blood from a stone.”

“He received that amount in charity to help him in the debt for legal fees for former solicitors and this for unknown reasons is bothersome to the government,” Stewart wrote.

SOURCE – (AP)

Kiara Grace is a staff writer at VORNews, a reputable online publication. Her writing focuses on technology trends, particularly in the realm of consumer electronics and software. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for breaking down complex topics, Kiara delivers insightful analyses that resonate with tech enthusiasts and casual readers alike. Her articles strike a balance between in-depth coverage and accessibility, making them a go-to resource for anyone seeking to stay informed about the latest innovations shaping our digital world.

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President Joe Biden, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador Discuss Migration In Latest Call

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WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden engaged in a conversation with his Mexican counterpart, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, regarding collaboration on migration policy. This discussion took place as the U.S. leader contemplates the possibility of implementing executive measures to address the influx of migrants coming at the southern U.S. border.

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President Joe Biden, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador Discuss Migration In Latest Call

During his daily press conference in Mexico City on Monday, López Obrador stated that the call took place on Sunday at Biden’s behest. Biden and López Obrador issued a joint statement, stating that their call focused on their collaborative endeavors to “efficiently oversee” migration and “enhance operational effectiveness” at the U.S.-Mexico border.

“We have periodic discussions,” López Obrador stated. “I actively search for him, and he actively searches for me, and then we engage in conversation.”

The Mexican leader stated that significant advancements have been achieved in managing unlawful migration by effectively convincing numerous migrants to abstain from using illicit means to traverse nations.

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President Joe Biden, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador Discuss Migration In Latest Call

López Obrador also praised the U.S. Supreme Court’s January ruling, which permitted Border Patrol officials to recommence the removal of razor wire that the state of Texas had put along the border as a means to discourage migration.

The joint statement said that Biden and López Obrador had instructed their respective national security advisors to promptly implement specific measures to decrease irregular border crossings. However, the statement did not provide more details regarding the nature of these actions. According to the statement, the policies will also safeguard human rights.

Following the failure of border legislation in Congress earlier this year, the White House has not dismissed the possibility of President Biden issuing an executive order regarding asylum laws in an attempt to decrease the influx of migrants at the U.S. southern border.

Any unilateral action would probably rely on a president’s authority under Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows extensive authority to prevent the entry of specific immigrants if it is considered harmful to the national interest.

AP - VOR News Image

President Joe Biden, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador Discuss Migration In Latest Call

Administration officials have extensively examined multiple alternatives for months, although Biden has not yet decided how to proceed with unilateral steps. White House advisers have observed that there is currently no pressing need for the president to take any action, as the number of unlawful border crossings has decreased since reaching a peak of 250,000 in December, thanks to increased enforcement operations by Mexican officials.

SOURCE – (AP)

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Dan Rather Synonymous with CBS News Dies at Age 92

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Dan Rather Synonymous with CBS News Dies at Age 92
Dan Rather CBS Evening News

Dan Rather was synonymous with CBS News before the veteran anchorman left in bitterness in 2006, following a discredited report on then-President George W Bush has died at the age of 92.

Dan Rather returned to the CBS News airwaves for the first time since his bitter exit 18 years ago, appearing in a reflective interview on “CBS Sunday Morning” days before the debut of a Netflix documentary on the 92-year-old newsman’s life.

After 44 years at the network, 24 as anchor of the “CBS Evening News,” Rather left under a cloud following a botched investigation into then-President George W. Bush’s military record. Rather signed off as anchor for the last time on March 9, 2005, and exited the network when his contract ended 15 months later.

With continued enmity between him and since-deposed CBS chief Leslie Moonves, Rather essentially became a nonperson at the news division he dominated for decades.

“Without apology or explanation, I miss CBS,” Rather told correspondent Lee Cowan in the interview that aired Sunday. “I’ve missed it since the day I left.”

Dan Rather

Rather questioned Bush’s Vietnam War-era National Guard service: Image Vox

Dan Rather escaped official blame for the report that questioned Bush’s Vietnam War-era National Guard service but, as the anchor who introduced it, was identified with it.

CBS could not vouch for the authenticity of some documents upon which the report was based, although many people involved in the story still believe it was true.

In the documentary “Rather,” debuting Wednesday on Netflix, Rather said he thought he would survive the incident, but his wife, Jean, told him, “You got into a fight with the president of the United States during his reelection campaign. What did you think was going to happen?”

Rather did not retire after leaving CBS, doing investigative journalism and rock star interviews for HDNet, a digital cable and satellite television network. Over the past few years, he has become known to a new generation as a tart-talking presence on social media.

This past week, he posted on X during former President Trump’s hush money trial: “Is it just me or did today seem sleazy even for Donald Trump?”

“You either get engaged and you get engaged in the new terms … or you’re out of the game,” Rather said in the CBS interview, filmed at his home in Texas. “And I wanted to stay in the game.”

The Netflix documentary traces his career from coverage of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, the Vietnam War and Watergate, through his anchor years and beyond. It includes some of the then tightly-wound Rather’s odder incidents, including an assault in New York City by someone saying, “What’s the frequency, Kenneth,” then later appearing onstage with R.E.M. when the group performed its song of the same name.

In both the documentary and in the CBS interview, Rather bypasses his career when talk turned to his legacy.

“In the end, whatever remains of one’s life — family, friends — those are going to be the things for which you’re remembered,” he said.

Source: The Associated Press

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Dozens In Italy Give A Fascist Salute On The Anniversary Of Mussolini’s Execution

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AP - VOR News Image

ROME — During the celebrations on Sunday to commemorate the 79th anniversary of the execution of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, numerous individuals performed the fascist salute and vocalized a fascist chant.

Clad in black attire, the adherents of neo-fascism paraded around places in northern Italy where Mussolini was apprehended and put to death after World War II. They also marched at Predappio, the birthplace and burial site of Mussolini.

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AP – VOR News Image

Dozens In Italy Give A Fascist Salute On The Anniversary Of Mussolini’s Execution

Mussolini was apprehended by anti-fascist partisans in Dongo, located on the shores of Lake Como, on April 27, 1945, while attempting to flee with his lover, Clara Petacci, after the Allied forces liberated Italy.

According to footage captured by the LaPresse news agency, a gathering of neo-fascists paraded through Dongo on Sunday, where they solemnly deposited 15 roses into the lake as a tribute to the deceased ministers and executives of the Mussolini government.

The partisans killed Mussolini and Petacci on the next day in the neighboring lakeside town of Mezzegra-Giulino. Commemorations were also conducted there on Sunday. Following a performance of Taps, the person in charge of the commemorations loudly exclaimed, “Comrade Benito Mussolini,” prompting the crowd to respond with a rigid-armed fascist salute and a chant of “present.”

A contingent of police trucks formed a barrier between the protestors in Dongo and the large crowd of protesters singing the renowned partisan anthem “Bella Ciao” during the ceremony.

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AP – VOR News Image

Dozens In Italy Give A Fascist Salute On The Anniversary Of Mussolini’s Execution

Premier Giorgia Meloni coincidentally led her far-right Brothers of Italy party in an election rally in the city of Pescara on the anniversary of Mussolini’s execution. A high-ranking official in Mussolini’s final cabinet founded the Italian Social Movement in 1946, which is where Brothers of Italy gets its name. Following Mussolini’s downfall, the party attracted individuals who sympathized with fascism and former government officials.

Meloni, who became a member of the MSI’s youth branch during her teenage years, has made efforts to separate her party from its neo-fascist origins. She has criticized fascism’s suppression of democracy and emphasized that the Italian right-wing movement relinquished fascism to history several decades ago. On Sunday, Meloni asserted that the left poses a greater threat of totalitarianism to Italy.

She saw that Communist Party members had lodged a formal protest against the tents constructed on the Pescara seafront to host the Brothers of Italy demonstration.

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AP – VOR News Image

Dozens In Italy Give A Fascist Salute On The Anniversary Of Mussolini’s Execution

During this rally, Meloni declared her intention to lead the party’s campaign for the upcoming European Parliament elections in June.

“I observe that the Communist Party continues to exist, and I mention this fact to highlight the current presence of those who long for totalitarianism in Italy,” she stated.

SOURCE – (AP)

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