Federal prosecutors are seeking over two years in prison — 27 months, to be exact — for Seattle resident and Capitol rioter Mark Leffingwell, who pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement after punching two officers while at the Capitol last January. Leffingwell had been facing up to eight years in prison, as previously noted by a press release from the Justice Department — although the federal judge who’s handling his sentencing still has the ability to go above what prosecutors are seeking. Leffingwell’s sentencing is apparently scheduled for early next month, on February 10.
Trump uses language he knows caused the Jan 6 violence; suggests he’d pardon the Jan 6 defendants, some of whom have been charged with seditious conspiracy; threatens prosecutors; and admits he was attempting to overturn the election.
He’d do it all again if given the chance.
— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) January 31, 2022
As previously explained by that Justice Department press release, Leffingwell “made his way just inside the Senate Wing entrance of the U.S. Capitol building at approximately 4 p.m. on Jan. 6,” at which point he “stood at the front of a crowd of people who had been rebuffed by a line of U.S. Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department officers who were preventing rioters from entering the building.” The press release adds that “[after] minutes of chanting, the crowd moved closer to the line of officers,” at which point a pair of Capitol Police officers “attempted to keep the crowd, including Leffingwell, at bay by pushing them back.” Leffingwell punched the officers and ended up as one of the few rioters to initially get arrested on the day of the violence.
NBC News confirms: Fulton County DA Fani Willis is asking the FBI for security help a day after Trump told his supporters to hold 'the biggest protests we've ever had' in cities with prosecutors who are investigating him. @NBCNews
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 31, 2022
Hundreds of those who have been criminally charged by federal authorities for participating in the Capitol riot have been specifically charged with assaulting law enforcement. When Trump and other Republicans defend or otherwise try and excuse what went on — and when Trump indicates that he’d be inclined to pardon certain rioters in the event that he once again wins the presidency — scores of savage assaults on police officers are among what’s essentially getting swept aside in the name of scoring political points.
The 1/6 Committee is examining how the insurrection took place and why.
To ensure our democracy never again comes so close to the brink.Â
Trump’s offer to pardon those responsible shows we’re still at risk.
And suggests his only regret about Jan 6 is that it did not succeed.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) January 30, 2022
At a Texas rally, Trump said that “another thing we’ll do — and so many people have been asking me about it — if I run and if I win, we will treat those people from January 6 fairly. We will treat them fairly… And if it requires pardons, we will give them pardons. Because they are being treated so unfairly.” Other serious alleged offenses that Trump seems apparently fine with include seditious conspiracy, a charge that was recently doled out against individuals including Stewart Rhodes, the violent leader of the far-right group called the Oath Keepers. That’s what’s at issue here. Trump consistently fails to distinguish between those who had some role in January 6 when offering his broad justifications for the events.
Feds to seek 27 months in prison in Jan 6 case of Mark Leffingwell, who pleaded guilty to assaulting police
He's accused of punching 2 officers in head
A former Marine, feds say "Leffingwell knew that allegiance to .. US takes precedent over allegiance to any political party" pic.twitter.com/7ANHxqPMwZ
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) January 30, 2022
Featured Image (edited): via Blink o’fanaye on Flickr and available under a Creative Commons License
