Also on today’s menu:
Paxton Impeachment Trial Begins In Texas
Army Pilot Receives White House Medal of Honor
German Man Charged As Mole For Russia
Prosecutors described former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio as “a general rather than a soldier” and sought a 33-year prison sentence for his role in the seditious conspiracy to stop lawmakers from certifying President Joe Biden Jr.’s 2020 election victory. Instead, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Kelly sentenced the 39-year-old to 22 years, even though Tarrio was not in Washington, D.C., during the January 6, 2021, riot. He is the person who planned the overthrow of the government and place Donald Trump back in the Oval Office, and was convicted of multiple other counts as well.
The Department of Justice’s investigation into the insurrection has led to more than 1,100 arrests, but Tarrio’s sentence is the longest so far. Trump, who continues to deny that he lost the 2020 election, has promised to pardon most or all of the rioters if he is elected president in 2024.
In their sentencing recommendation, prosecutors described Tarrio as a “naturally charismatic leader” and “a savvy propagandist” who was the “primary organiser” of the conspiracy.
Before sentencing on September 5, Tarrio apologized to police and residents of Washington, D.C., for his role in the riot, saying, “I am extremely ashamed and disappointed that they were caused grief and suffering. I will have to live with that shame for the rest of my life.”
Tarrio’s lawyer argued in court that his client was a “keyboard ninja” and “misguided patriot” who tended to “talk trash” but that he had no intention of overthrowing the government.
Previously sentenced leaders in the insurrection were Proud Boy Ethan Nordean and Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, each receiving 18-year sentences; former U.S. Marine Dominic Pezzola and Zachary Rehl of the Proud Boys, receiving 10 and 15 years, respectively; and U.S. Army veteran Joe Biggs, who got 17 years.
Rioters have been charged with crimes ranging from entering a restricted area to destruction of government property, assault, and conspiracy. About 200 have pleaded guilty to felony charges. The FBI is still trying to locate 14 rioters who were captured on video assaulting police officers or members of the media.
Paxton Impeachment Trial Begins In Texas
The Republican-controlled Texas House of Representatives voted 121-23 in May to impeach Attorney-General Ken Paxton, himself a Republican, on 20 counts of corruption, obstruction of justice, bribery, and abuse of public trust. His trial began on September 5, with Paxton denying all wrongdoing and calling the impeachment a “politically motivated sham”.
Paxton allegedly granted favors to a Texas real estate developer, used public funds to punish whistleblowers on his staff and cover up their allegations, and gave benefits to a woman with whom he was having an extramarital affair. He also has been under federal investigation and state indictment on securities fraud charges since shortly after winning office eight years ago. The four impeachment counts related to those charges are not currently being considered by the Senate.
Trump Republicans have characterized the impeachment as an attempt to subvert election results, while the state’s more traditional conservatives, including current House Speaker Dade Phelan and former governor Rick Perry, have stood by “the rule of law” with Perry writing, “[I]t’s shocking to see some Republicans — through a coordinated effort of texts, emails, and social media posts — working to delegitimize the impeachment proceedings against Attorney General Ken Paxton.”
It will take at least 21 votes among the 31-member Senate chamber to convict and remove Paxton. One senator is Paxton’s wife, and, although she refused to recuse herself, the Senate banned her from voting in the case. If all 12 Democrats in the Senate vote to convict, it will require nine of the 18 voting Republicans to convict him.
Army Pilot Receives White House Medal of Honor
President Joe Biden Jr. awarded the Medal of Honor to retired Army Captain Larry Taylor, 81, who as a first lieutenant on a long-range reconnaissance patrol in Vietnam defied a direct order and flew his Cobra helicopter into a firefight to rescue four soldiers from near-certain death in 1968.
The Cobra had come under heavy fire and was surrounded by enemy troops outside Ho Chi Minh City on June 18, 1968, and was running low on fuel and ammunition. He was ordered to return to base, but with the ground troops’ escape route cut off, Taylor refused the order when he learned that no other rescue helicopter was being sent. He radioed with a new extraction point and, when the men arrived at the location, he landed the helicopter “with complete disregard for his personal safety” to pick up the four troops, according to the White House. The men had to cling to the outside of the two-person aircraft because there was no room inside.
During the White House ceremony on September 5, Biden said, “The rescue helicopter was not coming. Instead, Lieutenant Taylor received a direct order: Return to base. His response was just as direct: ‘I’m getting my men out. I’m getting my men out.’”
German Man Charged As Mole For Russia
Prosecutors have charged a high-ranking German intelligence officer identified as Carsten L — in keeping with Germany’s privacy rules — with treason for allegedly passing state secrets to Russia. He allegedly sold intelligence about the war in Ukraine and the Wagner mercenary group to Russia, assisted by another German, Arthur E, a diamond trader who allegedly traveled to Moscow to deliver the information. Both men could face life sentences.
Carsten L was an employee at Germany’s foreign intelligence service (BND), overseeing a department monitoring overseas telephone and internet communications. He had been promoted to a role overseeing background checks.
Police arrested Carsten L in Berlin last December and arrested Arthur E a month after he arrived in Germany on a flight from the United States. Both men have been charged with “treason in a particularly serious case” and a court in Berlin will decide whether to hear the case.
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