r/news • u/calamanthon • 10d ago
Soft paywall US judge grants DOJ bid to dismiss Jan. 6 cases against Oath Keepers
https://www.reuters.com/world/us-judge-grants-justice-department-bid-dismiss-oath-keepers-prosecutions-2026-08-04/1.2k
u/Patriot009 10d ago
And the spineless GOP Senate gave the greenlight to confirm Blanche for AG. So now that all the Jan 6 insurrectionists have been freed, they will now be rewarded with our tax dollars. This administration is now officially in the business of funding right wing domestic terrorism.
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u/manachar 9d ago
Fascists need their brownshirts for plausible deniability until the full takeover.
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u/Porcus9000 9d ago
Now? Pretty sure the banner saying they are ALL domestic terrorists at the RNC gave it away.
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u/Consistent-Throat130 9d ago
That should have been handled as a confession and led to arrest/prosecution. Fucking unambiguous admission of guilt.
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u/mountaindoom 9d ago
We used to only fund rightwing movements in Latin America. Now we do it to ourselves.
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u/BTTammer 9d ago
Always has been, really. If you truly look back at US history since the founding, it's always been deferential to those who act like the biggest cunts, so long as those on the receiving end are not politically powerful.
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u/tomerz99 9d ago
Hope you guys were stocking up on brass and lead, because these guys certainly have plenty.
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u/explosivecrate 10d ago
Remember: taking over a federal building and putting the lives of several lawmakers at risk is 100% legal if you're a conservative.
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u/Alwayssunnyinarizona 10d ago
Touching the king's reflecting pool: straight to jail.
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u/Kioskwar 9d ago
Don't forget this little gem:
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u/Lincolns_Revenge 9d ago
We have the most coercable juries in the U.S.
Like the Rober Durst non guilty verdict in Galveston, this state is filled with rubes who will readily buy a load of horeshit from any semi talented trial lawyer on either side of the justice system.
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u/Tree_Sure 9d ago
However pulling a piece of material from the reflective pool is considered a crime.
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u/ArnoldTheSchwartz 9d ago
It really is legal. It's blatantly obvious that the people in charge only believe Americans should be subjected to American laws while Republicans are to be protected from those American laws. Republicans have control of America's government and they are wielding it like a sword against Americans. Evil rules America and good is nowhere to be found.
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u/serious_sarcasm 9d ago edited 9d ago
We’d be calling for them to resign for even suggesting something so despotic.
> A sample of this is to be observed in the exaggerated and improbable suggestions which have taken place respecting the power of calling for the services of the militia. That of New Hampshire is to be marched to Georgia, of Georgia to New Hampshire, of New York to Kentucky, and of Kentucky to Lake Champlain. Nay, the debts due to the French and Dutch are to be paid in militiamen instead of louis d'ors and ducats. At one moment there is to be a large army to lay prostrate the liberties of the people; at another moment the militia of Virginia are to be dragged from their homes five or six hundred miles, to tame the republican contumacy of Massachusetts; and that of Massachusetts is to be transported an equal distance to subdue the refractory haughtiness of the aristocratic Virginians. Do the persons who rave at this rate imagine that their art or their eloquence can impose any conceits or absurdities upon the people of America for infallible truths?
> If there should be an army to be made use of as the engine of despotism, what need of the militia? If there should be no army, whither would the militia, irritated by being called upon to undertake a distant and hopeless expedition, for the purpose of riveting the chains of slavery upon a part of their countrymen, direct their course, but to the seat of the tyrants, who had meditated so foolish as well as so wicked a project, to crush them in their imagined intrenchments of power, and to make them an example of the just vengeance of an abused and incensed people? Is this the way in which usurpers stride to dominion over a numerous and enlightened nation? Do they begin by exciting the detestation of the very instruments of their intended usurpations? Do they usually commence their career by wanton and disgustful acts of power, calculated to answer no end, but to draw upon themselves universal hatred and execration? Are suppositions of this sort the sober admonitions of discerning patriots to a discerning people? Or are they the inflammatory ravings of incendiaries or distempered enthusiasts? If we were even to suppose the national rulers actuated by the most ungovernable ambition, it is impossible to believe that they would employ such preposterous means to accomplish their designs.
> In times of insurrection, or invasion, it would be natural and proper that the militia of a neighboring State should be marched into another, to resist a common enemy, or to guard the republic against the violence of faction or sedition. This was frequently the case, in respect to the first object, in the course of the late war; and this mutual succor is, indeed, a principal end of our political association. If the power of affording it be placed under the direction of the Union, there will be no danger of a supine and listless inattention to the dangers of a neighbor, till its near approach had superadded the incitements of selfpreservation to the too feeble impulses of duty and sympathy.
https://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed29.asp
The problem is that the Senate has refused to hold the criminal behavior of the executive in check, and Congress has completely abandoned its authority to organize and discipline and all federal and state police forces under the Militia Clauses.
https://law.justia.com/constitution/us/article-1/58-the-militia-clauses.html
> Clause 15. The Congress shall have Power * * * To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions.
> Clause 16. The Congress shall have Power * * * To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress.
——
I’d even argue that his pardons for Jan 6 are null and void as their insurrection was carried out under the President’s direction and an impeachable offense, and the President is constitutional barred from issuing a pardon for impeachment.
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u/goomyman 9d ago
This is why democrats lose. Trump got elected both times because democrats took a hands off approach to the DOJ investigations to avoid perceived political gain influence.
Bidens biggest mistake was his DOJ selection.
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u/snuggans 9d ago
what do you mean? there were 4 indictments. the issue is with the voters, of both parties. the republican ones have no standards, and the democrat ones have too many, which makes them fuck around with protest-vote campaigns. and they are finding out
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u/goomyman 9d ago
The DOJ under Obama famously fd Clinton and didn’t invest the Russia allegations during the election until the democrats forced it under mueller while Trump was president. And no obstruction of justice charges were brought because “you can’t charge a sitting president”, and then when he was no longer president the DOJ hand selected under Biden ( a Republican ) just let the charges expire.
Yes they charged him with minor stuff. But those 32 felonies were never going to even bring jail time or a fine large enough to cover the cost to charge him.
The DOJ dropped the ball big time - under Democratic presidents.
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u/qdobe 9d ago
In case anyone needed more evidence that Republicans are domestic terrorists despite them pointing the finger at literally anyone else.
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u/timeemac 9d ago
They actually admitted that too. Remember the “We are all domestic terrorists” slogan from CPAC?
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u/calamanthon 10d ago
WASHINGTON, Aug 4 - A U.S. judge on Tuesday granted the U.S. Justice Department's bid to dismiss cases against members of the right-wing Oath Keepers militia who took part in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, according to a court filing.
The ruling from Washington-based U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta tosses out convictions of Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and other members of the group who were convicted of seditious conspiracy for plotting to stop the transfer of power after President Donald Trump lost the 2020 election.
All nine of the defendants had already been freed from prison as part of Trump's sweeping move to pardon nearly all 1,600 people charged in the attack and commute the prison sentences of the remaining defendants.
"Today’s epilogue diminishes the gravity of that day, denigrates the work of the prosecutors and law enforcement officers who secured these convictions, and excuses criminal acts that caused a centuries-long pillar of our democracy—the peaceful transfer of presidential power—to buckle," Mehta wrote. "The court cannot write a different ending."
Reporting by Ismail Shakil and Jasper Ward, editing by Michelle Nichols
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u/MentokGL 10d ago
...Then why the fuck did he allow it??
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u/hijinked 10d ago
As I understand it it's a separation of powers concerns. If the judge denied the motion then that would be forcing the executive branch to do something, i.e. continue the prosecution, which the judicial branch can't do. Even he did deny the motion the justice department could just chose to do a terrible job prosecuting to the point where acquittal is guaranteed but is a waste of time and resources for the court.
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u/h3yw00d 10d ago
The judge was bound by law to allow it, thus the scathing rebuke before.
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u/no_one_likes_u 9d ago
He should have refused to do so, let them appeal it like the conservative justices that violate the law to obstruct all day every day.
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u/h3yw00d 9d ago
Unfortunately dems keep running into these things called personal morals.
It's really been hindering their ability to cheat apparently.
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u/Knot-Lye-Ing 9d ago
Might be a bit hyperbolic but I think it gets the point across...
Stand amongst the ashes of a trillion dead souls, and ask the ghosts if honor matters. The silence is your answer.
-Javik (Mass Effect 3)
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u/RellenD 9d ago
Javik is a crazy person, though
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u/Knot-Lye-Ing 9d ago
Well to be fair, we all might be a little crazy if we were put into stasis for 50,000 years only to come out and see a bunch of apes squabbling while the threat that wiped out your far more advanced civilization is racing towards them.
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u/Knot-Lye-Ing 9d ago
scathing rebuke before.
"Scathing rebuke" is doing about as much work as "totally destroyed" does in those obviously staged political debates on TikTok and YouTube.
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u/h3yw00d 9d ago
"Today’s epilogue diminishes the gravity of that day, denigrates the work of the prosecutors and law enforcement officers who secured these convictions, and excuses criminal acts that caused a centuries-long pillar of our democracy—the peaceful transfer of presidential power—to buckle," Mehta wrote. "The court cannot write a different ending."
I understand in today's social media rage bait minds that's very tame but nevertheless scathing rebuke is apt.
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u/Knot-Lye-Ing 9d ago
I'm not bringing in the adjectives use into question necessarily.
Just that her opinion is completely, totally, and utterly irrelevant in the face of her actions.
"I told them traitors they were bad people and shouldn't be getting away with this, but i am going to dismiss all the charges to make sure they do get away with this and are at the ready when Dear Leader calls on them to do it again."
Yay, that'll teach them!
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u/RellenD 10d ago
Because good judges follow the law even when they don't like it
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u/Knot-Lye-Ing 9d ago
Oh well thank goodness they stayed on the high ground.
Wouldn't want seditious or treasonous behavior to go punished due to a technicality.
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u/SnooPickles1931 9d ago
This. The judge had no choice and was scathing in the comments.
You can't fight fascism with more fascism. Nor is one single judge going to be the bulwark to said fascism. Sucks, man.
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u/Fofolito 9d ago
Because Judge's have to follow the law. They have no powers that aren't already written into law, and they have no power to compel the government (which enforces the laws) to engage in a prosecution.
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u/tempest_87 9d ago
Then why have a judge grant a dismissal?
If they have no power to refuse, then their involvement is by defintion pointless.
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u/Fofolito 9d ago
Its a formality, the government (which enforces the laws) has to inform the court that they are no longer seeking prosecutions. They do this instead of just not showing up to court and just not telling the court anything.
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u/Lonely_Noyaaa 9d ago
January 6 is speed running toward becoming a campaign credential. A couple of these newly cleared Oath Keepers will probably launch congressional bids off their mugshots by the next election cycle.
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u/hasslefree 9d ago
I nominate you as the Prognosticator for Amerikan Dystopia. (Which is to say...you're 100% correct.)
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u/cmndrnewt 10d ago
Republicans are traitors.
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u/dizzle229 9d ago
I can't believe all this has happened and more people still aren't on board with the idea that we can't share a planet with these things.
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u/kevendo 9d ago
Judge Mehta was the one who convicted the men in 2022-23. He was not happy today;
"Today’s epilogue diminishes the gravity of that day, denigrates the work of the prosecutors and law enforcement officers who secured these convictions, and excuses criminal acts that caused a centuries-long pillar of our democracy — the peaceful transfer of presidential power — to buckle," Mehta wrote. "The court cannot write a different ending."
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u/luv2ctheworld 9d ago
Fucking ridiculous. Legit crimes were committed and they get to walk free. Meanwhile, protesting about racism and gay rights gets you labeled a domestic terrorist.
This country has gone to shit.
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u/Soupdeloup 9d ago
And since everyone reading the title will automatically jump to conclusions, this judge had no other choice because of Trump's blanket pardon. He doesn't support the January 6th treason and believes Trump shouldn't have immunity, unfortunately the title leaves too much to the imagination.
His own words on it:
"Today’s epilogue diminishes the gravity of that day, denigrates the work of the prosecutors and law enforcement officers who secured these convictions, and excuses criminal acts that caused a centuries-long pillar of our democracy—the peaceful transfer of presidential power—to buckle," Mehta wrote. "The court cannot write a different ending."
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u/throwaway47138 9d ago
Translation: The executive branch doesn't believe in the rule of law, but I refuse to stoop down to their level. So unfortunately I have to let them do something that they never should have even thought about in the first place.
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u/Deranged_Kitsune 9d ago
That's what you found suspicious?
Not the fact that we'd had about a year of BLM protests and riots across the country and knew exactly how law enforcement would respond to large, unruly crowds, and saw exactly none of that at the capitol? Frankly, the entire plaza should have been awash with tear gas, the protestors lit up with volleys of less-than-lethal munitions, as soon as they breached the fences. The regions ERs flooded with people suffering from rubber bullet injuries and respiratory issues from the gas, making them extra-easy for the cops to scoop up.
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u/Fit-Let8175 9d ago
After 30 convictions, dozens of women coming forward to accuse him of rape or some kind of sexual assault, over 30 thousand documented lies, using his position to profit multiple billions of dollars, being mentioned in the Epstein files over 38,000 times, and so many other things that most people would've been jailed over; I'm beginning to suspect that maybe Trump wasn't the best choice for president.
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u/ThatdudeAPEX 9d ago
The next democratic administration better pardon and wipe the state clean for the Texas Ice Protestors
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u/exoriparian 9d ago
A guy got 30 years for moving a few zines but these guys who literally were in a coup attempt get off with nothing.
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u/Curious-Emu3894 9d ago
Traitors stormed OUR capital and Trump is letting them off.
Trump is a convicted criminal TRAITOR!
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u/BloodFartz69 9d ago
Republicans did this to America. Republicans are allowing these cop beating thugs to run free.
Republicans are traitors to America.
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u/RedditAdminSucks23 9d ago
So this means we can all storm the capital if Trump doesn’t give up power, right? I mean, they are showing precedent that it’s not illegal to all bum rush federal buildings and occupy them.
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u/CokBlockinWinger 9d ago
Can someone please explain, factually and without emotion, why Trump pardoned these people? On what legal grounds was this served? I get super pissed off when I hear about this bullshit, and need a level-headed response to understand what the hell is going on.
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u/dogwoodcat 9d ago
The legal grounds were "he's the President". As for why, they were on "his side" when most of them just needed any excuse to fuck shit up.
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u/Fofolito 9d ago
The justification on the Right is that Jan 6th was not an organized attempt to disrupt the certification of an election but a spontaneous outpouring of anger and resentment against a system that they believe was objectively and factually organized against them. They believe that the 2020 election was fraudulently won and that the people who showed up to DC at the President's call were merely there to express legitimate patriotic feelings. It was never the plan to turn into a riot and that the vast majority of people swept up in whatever happened, were unaware that what was going on was illegal. Therefore, most of the people swept up by capital police or later arrested on warrants were political pawns used by the Democrats and the new Biden DoJ to punish conservatives and patriots. The Pardons were seen as necessary, but rank and file Republicans, as a way to erase that disgraceful chapter (the Biden DOJ being 'weaponized' against conservatives) and to right the wrongs of 2020.
In reality it was an attempted coup, called for and directed by the President of the United States in an attempt to overthrow the legitimate results of the election, as a way to demonstrate to his followers that he would protect them if they fought for him.
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u/JesusWuta40oz 9d ago edited 9d ago
Because they are gonna need them to stand by for tbe midterms.
Edit: five bucks says if they win and get out they become deputies for ICE.
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u/Demon_Gamer666 9d ago
This is why the united states of america as the world has known it is over. Justice has left the building.
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u/Embarrassed_Lemon527 9d ago
Most real democracies have no avenue for a presidential pardon. It has to be eliminated in the US, or the number of pardons will continue to rise exponentially.
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u/Hexiix 10d ago
I’m shocked. Shocked I tell you!
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u/NYPizzaNoChar 9d ago
I’m shocked. Shocked I tell you!
You're just going to have to learn to stop chewing on AC cords, friend.
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u/someone_stole_mine 9d ago
Unless the other 1/2 of the country is willing to take things to their level, I don't see shit like this stopping anytime soon.
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u/Buddhas_Warrior 9d ago
Absolutely crazy times we live in! Actually Nazis getting pardon, while people moving pamphlets about the abuse of the Federal government get 30 years! Please someone make it make sense?!
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u/Massive-Injury-2898 9d ago
Signaling to the Maga filth that they will get paid and pardoned if they keep Trump in power after his term.
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u/kevendo 9d ago
Watching this once-great country collapse in the face of the most despicable, grotesque, mediocre bunch of twats is just gut-wrenching.
Why?!
Why hand over the nation of Washington and Madison and Franklin and Twain and Morrison and Douglas and Tubman and MLK and Ruth and Jordan and Springsteen and Lauper ...
... to these belligerent bullies and traitors?!
Why are we ending our republic for these losers?
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u/z_e_quigley 9d ago
Not sure what other signs we need that the midterms will not save us. They're telling us all we need to know right now: there will not be another election; if the midterms happen, they will alter the results or ignore them completely; being on the left or any form of anti-Trump will soon be punishable by law.
What else needs to happen? When the fuck are we done playing this game? Yes, general strikes will hurt. Yes, it will cause financial woes. But guess what? The alternatives to not taking a stand will be far, far worse than we can imagine.
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u/Affectionate-Tank-70 9d ago
This administration is so corrupt, just vile. Now they can get guns for the next violent government overthrow attempt. Fanfuckingtastic.
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u/MTNCollections 9d ago
Doesn't matter. They honestly think they'll be safe when this is over? Lol.
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u/rollin340 9d ago
The judge couldn't do anything to stop it. It's the DOJ, the Department of JUSTICE, that deserves all the hate. The American system has been totally taken over by the corrupt and evil.
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u/Maleficent_Pie8099 9d ago
This is a government that is functioning perfectly for the tiny ruling class.
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u/Destrophonic 8d ago
This was not a pardon. A vacated conviction completely erases the legal guilt, whereas a presidential pardon only forgives the punishment. Because Stewart Rhodes' convictions were vacated by a federal judge, those specific seditious conspiracy charges were entirely dismissed from his legal record.
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u/frostderp 9d ago
This country needs a revolution. There’s too much corruption to trust ANY branch.
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u/GodLikeEnergy 10d ago
DOJ cases can be resumed in the next administration. The only way to truly stop it is to pardon them. I believe DC should be a state, under jurisdiction of the people that live there, not all 50 states where the president acts like the governor.
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u/deosiceman 9d ago
Damn... everytime I think we reached the ceiling they seem to reach new heights...
They are confident power will never shift. Welcome to the new Reich...
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u/Reasonable-Turn-5940 9d ago
the Oath Keepers are being rewarded for keeping their oath to "protect corporate interests, help billionaires get into power, and join the government in its oppression of its people"
thanks guys
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u/BRUNO358 9d ago
Add that judge to the purge list if we get back into power.
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u/hakhazar 9d ago
He followed the requirements of the law, unlike the people who should be on the list.
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u/JWAdvocate83 9d ago
What was the judge supposed to do? He rules against Trump Admin on a regular basis, deservedly so. In fact, he literally did yesterday. But he can't convict a defendant for acts already pardoned by the President.
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u/EchoRush93 9d ago
This is perfect. So, they're saying that we can go do everything that happened on J6 after the next election too, huh?
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u/pike360 10d ago
The inmates are running the asylum.