US takes back its assertion that Capitol rioters wanted to 'capture and assassinate' officials

[riversedge]

Source: CNN






Updated 5:46 PM ET, Fri January 15, 2021


(CNN)Justice Department prosecutors have formally walked back their assertion in a court filing that said Capitol rioters sought to "capture and assassinate elected officials."

A federal prosecutor in Arizona asked a magistrate judge in a hearing on Friday to strike the line in a recent court filing about defendant Jacob Anthony Chansley, a man who is alleged to have led some in the crowd in the first wave into the Capitol with a bullhorn while carrying a spear and wearing a fur headdress.

The entire line the prosecutors want to omit from their court filing is: "Strong evidence, including Chansley's own words and actions at the Capitol, supports that the intent of the Capitol rioters was to capture and assassinate elected officials in the United States Government."

The stunning move comes a few hours after the Michael Sherwin, the acting US attorney in Washington, DC, said at a press conference there was "no direct evidence of kill and capture teams" at this time in the siege of the Capitol building. ...................

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/15/politics/capitol-capture-assassinate-elected-officials/index.html?utm_source=twCNNp&utm_content=2021-01-15T22%3A53%3A05&utm_medium=social&utm_term=image

---

This is not a good optic for the Justice Dept.

Link to tweet

?s=20

[Sneederbunk]

1. It will be reinserted on January 21.

[DEbluedude]

2. They're trying to write revisionist history as we speak.

[OAITW r.2.0]

3. The real investigation starts 1/20/21.

Sherwin, for whatever reason (Trump), is forcing the prosecutors to soften the charges. In 5 days, the US legal world changes. Then Sherwin and the perps will be dealt with.

[FakeNoose]

7. Yes! The REAL truth will be told

... starting next week.

[alphafemale]

4. tick tock mudder fudders

The sun is setting on your bullshit.

[orangecrush]

5. I knew something like this

Would be coming.

To be investigated after Biden is sworn in.

More Trump tactics cause doubt chaos and confusion.

[Stallion]

6. You Should Never Plead What You Can't Prove in Criminal Indictments

or the defense counsel will beat the failure of the government to prove its case to the jury. You can always supplement or amend later

[Yeehah]

8. If the Trump Justice Dept. had its way

the seditionists would get Medals of Freedom!

[Kablooie]

9. Trump is obviously still the president.

[TigressDem]

10. What about rioters shouting HANG PENCE? Really?

Maybe not ALL the rioters got the memo, but they were also saying, "Shoot him with his own gun" about the DC Cop they dragged to the ground.

What the HELL?

[catrose]

12. And all light-hearted gatherings feature a noose and guys running around with flex cuffs, amirite?

[TigressDem]

15. Ya' got a point. nt

[A_Woman_from_MI]

26. Well...

If it's a republican party, ya just never know😏

[catrose]

28. Sadly, yes

[mountain grammy]

19. Guess they were kidding

🙄 🤬

[TigressDem]

23. They shouldn't be doing that with goats. Disgusting.

Sorry. Sick humor keeps the brain from exploding sometimes.

[mountain grammy]

25. I understand

[wnylib]

33. The zip ties and the gallows were

just props, doncha know? There for decor, not for use.

For the irony challenged:

[BlueIdaho]

11. 5 days...

They can run but they cannot hide.

[MontanaMama]

14. So, the Hang Mike Pence chant

and Bang Bang Barbie tweeting the Speaker’s location didn’t mean jack.

[Gore1FL]

16. I think they intend to play their cards close to their chest.

I have no doubt they are chasing leads.

[Ford_Prefect]

17. BULLSHIT! COVER-UP!!! A Whitewash is under way as we watch.

I can accept that not every member of the crowd who went up the steps and into the Capitol was on a capture and assassinate mission.
I am reasonably sure many did not know why they were actually there. It was to serve as cover for those who indeed were there to capture and to kill, and to attempt to overturn the election by placing Trump on the throne of America, along with some who were there to loot secure files, documents, and devices.

This walk back of charges is not correct, based on statements seen online and recorded live feeds, based on confessions, based on what has been referred to as FBI or Police intelligence about some of the members of the riot.

This is an attempt to avoid claiming that the riot and sack of the Capitol was not a coordinated attack but a relatively spontaneous reaction to Trump's speech and immediately prior tweets. So far the intelligence shows that there were several layers to the crowd and within it were a number of individuals and groups of them with specific tasks and targets who behaved in a manner consistent with military or high level security training. They were observed in the CCT video from inside the Capitol, from individual phone videos, in video and stills from various press cameras, inside and outside of the building during the ruckus. Some were also seen taking tours of the building on Tuesday the 5th.

However they were coordinated and whomever they answered to and were paid by, they were there to perform specific tasks and see that certain events occurred. It appears they were unable to complete some of their mission due to the security measures taken to protect Congress and Senate members and staff.

This walk back is a left-handed attempt to obscure their presence and missions. I do not trust it or those who advocate it. We saw the same thing during Watergate and Iran-Contra. Charges were modified, evidence obscured, witnesses tampered with or their statements modified to obscure the facts. To muddy the waters surrounding what was in both cases conspiracy at the highest levels of government to subvert the express will of the people.

This is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!!!!!.
Not everyone in that crowd should be charged with the same attempted acts, IMO. However to say no one could be charged with attempted Kidnapping and possible murder is Wrong.

The powers that be are arranging to pull their strings to mute the truth and protect themselves, just as some in Congress are saying not to be too harsh on the rioters.

[Arne]

20. What was the fracas going on where they were trying to wedge some security doors.

It looked like some tunnel type area and they were yelling and scrambling.

[Jay25]

24. Totally agree.

It will be a major mistake letting this go. It will further divide the country by emboldening white nationalists and a big fuck you to everyone else. Will definitely hurt Democrats.
It would also increase the likelihood of something like this happening again, but with smarter people and better planning. If they go about this investigation half-assed, it could further jeopardize our world standing.

[Evolve Dammit]

31. Agreed.

[amb123]

32. Damn right!

[tclambert]

18. So chanting, "Hang Mike Pence! Hang Mike Pence!" doesn't mean you

want to kill any elected officials? I guess Mike Pence just doesn't count anymore.

[Cheezoholic]

21. MSM for fucks sake

Quit taking the bait. 5 days just 5 days. Take a break, go report on a duck frozen on a lake rescue or something. You guys have had a 4 year run. It's time to take a fucking break, the adults are back.

[LudwigPastorius]

22. Looks like Sherwin is one of Barr's fixers.

He was moved into the D.C. U.S. Attorney's office after Barr reorganized it for having the temerity to prosecute Roger Stone. Sherwin was then promoted after Barr tried to intervene in the Michael Flynn case and prosecutors quit in protest.

Since then Sherwin has proven his loyalty to Trump by giving Flynn's defense team internal F.B.I. records, shutting down an investigation into an Egyptian state-owned bank that had given Trump a $10 million loan, and convicting a Chinese woman who trespassed at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.

And, now his press conference pronouncement has cut the Arizona's prosecutors off at the knees.

The entire government needs to be DeTrumpified, starting with the Defense & Justice Departments!

[Talitha]

27. "retire the name Operation Warp Speed"

THANK YOU!!!!

[mpcamb]

29. Starting to look like taking it back was a hasty decision...

[Mz Pip]

30. "Kill Mike Pence!"

Right. Nothing to see here. 😖