Today these and other law enforcement officers will receive the Congressional Gold Medal for heroically defending democracy on January 6. What a debt our nation owes them. 🇺🇸
@libradunn
@SergeantAqGo
@SemperWry
The state of our Union is intact because of the courage and valor of these guys and their fellow officers who answered the call to duty on Jan. 6. Let it not be forgotten.
@SergeantAqGo
@libradunn
@SemperWry
From this moment forward, any Member of Congress or U.S. government official who persists in making this claim is, essentially, aiding and abetting the enemy via
@NYTimes
Saluting
@SergeantAqGo
as he ends his service today with the US Capitol Police. He valiantly defended democracy when it mattered the most — at great personal cost. And served his country overseas in the US Army. He exemplifies true patriotism, and America is grateful.
There is nothing normal about the Attorney General creating a special “intake process in the field” for info relating to claims advancing a White House political narrative — particularly for someone reportedly under criminal investigation
The Attorney General of the United States — seeking international help to discredit the US Intelligence Community and his own Department. What have we come to?
A shocking, cram-down political intervention in the criminal justice process. We are now truly at a break-glass-in-case-of-fire moment for the Justice Dept.
One year ago, this band of heroes gave brave testimony before Congress about the horrors of January 6. It was America’s wake-up call to what law enforcement officers endured that day.
@libradunn
@SergeantAqGo
@SemperWry
@MarkSZaidEsq
A great irony in Trump’s attack on FBI & DOJ over court-authorized search at MAL is that during my tenure as Chief of
@DOJNatSec
Counterintelligence Section, we were never under greater pressure to prosecute mishandling of classified info cases than we were under the Trump Admin.
Installing a partisan political loyalist to oversee the intelligence apparatus is a hallmark of authoritarian regimes. The Senate must protect the national interest and reject this nominee.
It’s hard to be shocked by much nowadays. But a federal judge failing to acknowledge that documents clearly marked classified are indeed classified — is truly breathtaking. And dangerous.
The most outrageous statement in the court’s order is her rejection of the government’s assertion that documents with classified markings are, in fact, classified. She reaches this conclusion despite an unrefuted affidavit from the head of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division.
Tonight, this American hero will be the guest of former Speaker Pelosi at the State of the Union address — in the very building he defended against a violent insurrectionist mob. Democracy owes an incalculable debt to him and all the officers who held the line.
@SergeantAqGo
For the record, Tom Barrack was not charged with violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act; he was charged under 18 U.S.C. section 951 for acting as "an agent of a foreign government" -- a law typically used for espionage-like cases like Maria Butina
A despicable, embarrassing failure to hold the Saudi government fully accountable for one of the most depraved human rights abuses in modern memory -- and yet another insult to the outstanding work of our intelligence community.
The defense of the Capitol 2 years ago — against disproportionate odds — was marked by uncommon valor. These officers — and many officers — answered the call that day and have ensured the truth about Jan. 6 will endure.
@libradunn
@SergeantAqGo
@SemperWry
This is both bizarre and disturbing — US Attorney’s Offices don’t issue reports on pending investigations— and certainly not reports so blatantly contrived to provide political ballast for a sitting President’s campaign narrative
Reporter: "Win, lose or draw in this election, will you commit here today for a peaceful transferal of power after the election?"
President Trump: "We're going to have to see what happens."
If true, Matt Gaetz clearly violated the Code of Official Conduct of the US House of Representatives, which requires Members to “behave at all times in a manner that shall reflect creditably on the House.” Will House Ethics Committee take action?
The President's castigation of intelligence officials for their candid assessment of threats facing the U.S. should ring further alarm bells among Republican congressional leaders regarding his fitness to protect our national security interests.
Trump wanted to maximize the likelihood that the violent mob he knew about in advance, and incited, would overrun law enforcement defending the Capitol on Jan. 6. That’s why he tried to keep the march on the Capitol a secret.
@January6thCmte
@CapitolPolice
@DCPoliceDept
Trump’s own documents confirm that the President had decided to call on his supporters to go to the Capitol on January 6th, but he chose not to widely announce it until his speech on the Ellipse that morning.
The Committee obtained this draft tweet from the National Archives:
Based on DOJ’s filing, it’s hard to imagine that obstruction charges, at a minimum, ultimately will not be filed; the only question is how many named defendants there will be.
The Acting Attorney General and FBI Director should hold a joint press conference today committing themselves with urgency to the prosecution of anyone who breached the US Capitol yesterday.
Additional info that Trump’s people concealed from gov’t the continued presence of classified docs,and other evidence of obstruction, are the type of “aggravating factors” in a retention case that usually lead to criminal prosecution.
Okay. I’ve read the filing. Lots of significant new info I’ll thread about in the morning, but page 9 really stood out to me: that trump lawyers would not let the DoJ check the storage.
@SpeakerPelosi
is absolutely correct: the House Ethics Committee immediately should self-initiate an investigation into Rep. Gosar’s appalling conduct, as it plainly violated the House Code of Official Conduct
Proud to join multiple former national security officials in urging the creation of a bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6 attack on the US Capitol
In all of my years of public service in national security affairs, I would never have imagined that US government officials were conducting private threat assessments of the President of the United States regarding the safety of our democracy
Obviously grounds for rigorous investigative follow-up, but detailed inventory from SW (especially items from office) certainly is further consistent with Trump’s willful retention of NDI in violation of Section 793 of Espionage Act
JUST IN: The court has unsealed the more detailed inventory of what was taken from Mar-a-Lago. It’s not very enlightening except it shows in more detail how items marked as highly classified records were commingled with personal items like clothes, books and news articles
There were many heroes on Jan. 6. Two who stand out are
@CapitolPolice
Officer Aquilino Gonell and
@DCPoliceDept
Officer Daniel Hodges. They gave their all, at enormous personal cost, to hold the line that day.
Proud to represent courageous whistleblower Adam DeMarco in shining a light on the Park Police’s unprovoked use of force against peaceful demonstrators at Lafayette Square on June 1 — and their failure to provide legally mandated warnings to disperse
Never underestimate the possibility that Trump was not completely truthful with his own lawyers. Not uncommon in criminal investigations, and Trump’s proclivity for prevarication is well known.
In his inimitable way, Trump has made his criminal jeopardy so much worse by trying to obstruct DOJ’s investigation: nothing antagonizes an FBI agent or prosecutor more than being lied to — and it’s a significant aggravating factor in deciding whether to criminally charge.
In real estate, it’s about “location, location, location.” When it comes to unlawful retention of classified docs, it’s all about “willfulness, willfulness, willfulness.” And looks like the government has that evidence in abundance.
Any House Member who possesses credible info that other Members were complicit in the violent attack on the Capitol should immediately file a complaint with the House Ethics Committee — seeking expulsion of culpable Members
via
@politico
A “seditious abuse of the judicial process.” Indeed it is. Remember their names: They swore an oath to defend the Constitution — but they will readily defile it in a futile attempt to cling to power
Michael Flynn, a former 3-star Army General, DIA Director, and National Security Advisor, just endorsed a military coup in the United States. This dangerous man must be denounced and shunned across the political spectrum.
DOJ should forcefully oppose: hard to imagine a factual basis to claim attorney-client privileged material truly at risk (and filter team already in place), and Trump has no standing to claim Executive Privilege.
NEWS: Judge Cannon has indicated she preliminarily plans to appoint a special master in response to Trump’s lawsuit. She has scheduled a Sept. 1 hearing on the matter with briefs beforehand.
Vindman set a sterling example of courage and principle for others to follow. Protecting the rights of future whistleblowers has never been more essential.
Agree that Greene’s behavior is deplorable,
@SpeakerPelosi
— but why didn’t House leadership support the filing of ethics complaints months ago against House Members who reportedly facilitated reconnaissance tours of the Capitol before January 6?
Standing with
@CapitolPolice
officers and clients
@libradunn
and Aquilino Gonell as these heroes of Jan. 6 prepare to testify to the terrible truth of what happened that day at the US Capitol
The most chilling revelation last night was that Trump did absolutely nothing to protect besieged law enforcement officers and Members of Congress while the Capitol was under siege. An intentional and heinous abdication of leadership.
#January6thCommitteeHearings
"Trump gave no order to deploy the National Guard that day, and made no effort to work with the Department of Justice to coordinate and deploy law enforcement assets. But Mike Pence did." -
@RepLizCheney
Testimony from General Milley, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff:
J6 Committee built a broad investigative record into what caused the debacle of Jan. 6. Makes no sense to limit its final report to Trump-specific issues. Law enforcement and American people deserve all the facts that accountability and history require.
The egregious sensitivity of the classified material that Trump was hoarding at the sieve-like Mar-a-Lago makes imperative the need for DOJ to pursue all logical follow-up investigative actions and not be hamstrung by an ill-conceived court injunction.
Inclusion of Jay Bratt, Chief of DOJ’s Counterintelligence & Export Control Section, on motion to unseal warrant signifies that national security concerns about classified material at risk animated the grounds for the warrant.
@CNN
buried the lede: as recently as June, there reportedly were Top Secret documents at Mar-a-Lago, a place not authorized to house classified materials. Easy to understand national security concerns of
@DOJNatSec
and
@FBI
.
Before the insurrectionist assault on the US Capitol, there was an attempted coup at the Justice Dept. — fomented by the President of the United States
New Trump filing doubles down on his scofflaw disregard for protecting classified information, openly mocking whether 100 marked classified documents are truly classified.
These attacks on Mark Zaid's patriotism are baseless, irresponsible, and dangerous. Mark is an ardent advocate for his clients, but he works diligently through the rule of law and responsibly respects the national security of the United States.
Former Army Secretary McCarthy and former Acting Defense Secretary Miller must be subpoenaed to explain the egregious delay in mobilizing the National Guard to defend the Capitol on Jan. 6
DC Police have officially confirmed that tear gas was, in fact, used against peaceful protestors at Lafayette Square last June — consistent with Maj. Adam DeMarco’s congressional testimony— and contrary to US Park Police testimony
Justice today for our client
@SergeantAqGo
and other officers attacked while defending the US Capitol and American democracy on January 6.
@MarkSZaidEsq
New: Judge finds Jan. 6 defendant Kyle Fitzsimons GUILTY of felony civil disorder, GUILTY of obstruction of an official proceeding. Judge still going through the rest of the charges.
Many officers answered the call of duty that day to defend democracy. These guys put themselves out there to tell the truth about what happened. And they’re still telling it because, astonishingly, they have to.
@libradunn
@SergeantAqGo
@SemperWry
The President's repeated efforts to subjugate the Intelligence Community to his personal will are painfully evocative of authoritarian regimes and undermine our democracy. America's dire need for new leadership has never been more urgent.
This unashamedly partisan political barrage is conduct unbecoming of an Attorney General and aggravates concerns that this Justice Dept. has become a shill for an Executive that abuses its constitutional powers and displays contempt for the rule of law
The rule of law is alive and well: 11th Circuit acts quickly to permit DOJ to resume criminal investigation of classified documents found in search warrant execution.
Republican opponents of a bipartisan Jan. 6 independent commission have now reaped what they have sowed. Will be important for witness examinations to be led by Select Committee counsel or outside counsel to ensure a robust factual record and report.
"Nothing." This appropriate result still doesn't erase the unforgivable sin that AG Sessions committed by opening a criminal investigation to please the president. DOJ is not a tool for presidents to use against people they think are their enemies.
Deeply concerning — can’t think of a case of this magnitude and complexity where an AG personally pushed career prosecutors to take enforcement action before they assessed the government’s case was ready.
The addition to the Mar-a-Lago investigative team of David Raskin— a highly accomplished national security prosecutor — is a noteworthy sign that DOJ is dead serious about building a prosecutable case.
#doj
#ruleoflaw
No, Mr. Barr: The only “abuse of power” associated with the criminal prosecution of Michael Flynn was your suborning of the rule of law to dismiss charges to which Flynn twice had pleaded guilty.
#ruleoflaw
A personal note: After 44 years of professional life, beginning as a young CIA military analyst, I am embarking on retirement. It's been a gratifying run, in and out of public service and private law practice, but it's time to smell the roses (and the coffee).
Congress has now approved Congressional Gold Medals for the
@CapitolPolice
and
@DCPoliceDept
officers who valiantly defended the US Capitol against a violent insurrectionist attack on Jan. 6. Bravo.
Horrifying that classified documents based on signals intelligence — our most prized sources and methods of intelligence collection— were among boxes of materials shipped months ago from Mar-a-Lago to the National Archives.
Let’s be clear about what the Attorney General said today: he didn’t say it was wrong or improper for the President to denigrate career prosecutors or federal judges. He just said it makes his job harder. Weak sauce.
Proud to represent
@AdamDemarco
in his courageous Congressional testimony today about an unprovoked and excessive use of force against Americans peacefully expressing their First Amendment rights on June 1 at Lafayette Square in Washington, DC
Major development in holding Gosar accountable: House rarely censures its Members; Gosar will be required to stand in the well of the House floor to listen to castigation by fellow Members and receive his punishment
@AshaRangappa_
I’ll raise the ante here: where was Barr during the criminal prosecutions of Michael Flynn and Roger Stone? Oh, I remember: he was actively subverting the rule of law for political reasons.
#justicehasalongmemory
#DOJ
Sickening attacks by Trump and his supporters on non-political public servants at the National Archives, where all they did was uphold the rule of law and — in this egregious case — try to protect US national security.
A U.S. District Court judge has just doubled down on a ruling completely untethered to law, standard practice, or reason— precluding DOJ from making investigative use of classified docs that Trump unlawfully hoarded and concealed at Mar-a-Lago.
The case for a conspiracy to defraud the United States by knowingly fomenting false electors gets stronger and stronger. Whether
@TheJusticeDept
ultimately can satisfy its burden of proof to charge Trump remains to be seen.
@January6thCmte
#RuleOfLaw
SCOOP:
@lukebroadwater
and I reviewed dozens of emails between Trump campaign officials and lawyers, including one in which a lawyer described the slates of electors they were putting together as “fake”
Thanks,
@maddow
, for the opportunity to address reports that DOJ is now conducting a criminal investigation regarding its own prior counterintelligence inquiry into Russian efforts to subvert the U.S. 2016 presidential election
Former
@TheJusticeDept
official completely misrepresents the scope of a law he was once responsible for enforcing. Espionage Act explicitly applies to willful retention of classified (and non-classified defense-related) in an unauthorized place.
#ClassifiedDocuments
You can’t make this up! David Kris, a highly controversial former DOJ official, was just appointed by the FISA Court to oversee reforms to the FBI’s surveillance procedures. Zero credibility. THE SWAMP!
@DevinNunes
@MariaBartiromo
@FoxNews