[ad_1]
But prosecutors have yet to publicly tie all the dots between the group’s members, leaving Democrats in Congress to fill in those blanks on Wednesday as they presented their impeachment case against former President Donald Trump.
House officials have delved into the voluminous court file to highlight the more militant members of the pro-Trump mob that attacked the Capitol last month. And Democrats turned alleged Proud Boys member Dominic Pezzola into their poster child for violence, cruelly telling senator-jurors that he “came to Capitol Hill on January 6 with deadly intentions.”
As prosecutors gradually and slowly roll out their cases through the courts, Democratic House officials aim for maximum immediate impact, placing their case on television and before one of the most partisan juries imaginable.
House managers mentioned the Proud Boys more than a dozen times on Wednesday, mostly during their minute-by-minute methodical analysis of how the Capitol was violated.
“As we examine this evidence, I want you to keep in mind these words of President Trump when asked to condemn the violence: ‘Back off and stay away,’” Del said. Stacey Plaskett of the United States Virgin Islands. “And see example after example of the kind of people like the Proud Boys he had up on January 6.”
Democrats released footage of Pezzola using a police shield to smash one of the Capitol’s windows. In addition to images widely shared on social media, House officials showed never-before-seen angles of this incident from surveillance cameras inside the Capitol, showing how dozens of rioters flooded theaters after Pezzola smashed the window.
What prosecutors are saying in court right now
Court cases have yet to tie the group closely to Trump’s inner circle, nor have it sketched out a larger group-wide effort to attack the Capitol.
So far in court, prosecutors have prosecuted men associated with the Proud Boys one by one, or sometimes in pairs. A larger conspiracy or sedition case had yet to materialize on Wednesday evening, although prosecutors said they were considering pursuing such cases against far-right groups who took part in the January 6 attack.
In two cases over the past week, prosecutors have described how the Proud Boys could “stir up rebellion” if key members were allowed to be released from prison as they faced their riot-related charges.
In one case, against Seattle Proud Boys leader Ethan Nordean, prosecutors described in court documents how the group could come together again for attacks.
“There is no reason to believe that the accused, or any of his Proud Boy associates, is more interested in ‘appeasement’, or less interested in fomenting rebellion, than they are was January 5. If nothing else, the events of January 6, 2021, revealed the size and resolve of right-wing fringe groups in the United States, as well as their willingness to put themselves and themselves. others in danger to promote their political ideology. Releasing the accused to join his fold and plan his next attack constitutes a potentially catastrophic risk of danger to the community “, prosecutors from the Ministry of Justice wrote to a report on Friday evening. Seattle Federal Judge, in some of their strongest terms yet regarding the group.
Prosecutors on Wednesday argued that Pezzola too could reconnect with his group, “stirring up rebellion”, although the Justice Department was careful not to refer to the group more explicitly in Pezzola’s proceedings.
Prosecutor Erik Kenerson described how Pezzola “was not a lone actor” who came to Washington – and instead could have planned and coordinated with others, or even met with contacts on the morning of the pro-Trump rally.
Pezzola has pleaded not guilty and is still in detention. His lawyer attempted to drive him away from the Proud Boys on Wednesday, saying he had no history with the group.
Also in recent days, a federal grand jury has indicted two men with conspiracy to obstruct the Congressional Electoral College tally – Nicholas Ochs, who heads the group’s Hawaii chapter, and his partner Nicholas DeCarlo.
In court records in the Ochs, DeCarlo and Nordean cases, prosecutors alleged the men sought funding as they planned their trip to Washington on January 6, with Nordean even asking on social media for help buying “Protective equipment” and “communication equipment. “
Ochs and DeCarlo were charged with multiple counts last week, including conspiracy. They have yet to appear in court to formally respond to the charges. Nordean has not yet been charged but is being held in prison as he awaits further prosecution.
CNN’s Kay Jones and Hannah Rabinowitz contributed to this report.
[ad_2]
Source link