Day: December 19, 2024

Trump’s Jan. 6 Political-Prisoner Pardons Could Address Some Real Injustices ~ VIDEO

Ammoland Inc. Posted on  by 

On his first day in office, President-elect Donald Trump promises he will pardon at least some of the 1,500 or so people who have been charged with crimes in connection with the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

He notes that most of those defendants were not violent and that they faced a lot of pressure to plead guilty, as about 1,000 have done so far.

Trump’s most vociferous critics are apt to view any pardons in these cases as an outrageous and self-interested attempt to excuse the behavior of “insurrectionists” who sought to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. But even though Trump himself is largely to blame for the riot, which was inspired by his unfounded insistence that then-President-elect Joe Biden had stolen the election, [we shall see about that] he raises some valid points about prosecutorial power, which can lead to unjust results that might be remedied by the prudent use of presidential clemency.

As of November . 6, the Justice Department reports, about 590 people had been charged with “assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement agents or officers or obstructing those officers” during the riot. They included 169 defendants “charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to an officer.”

More than 300 defendants had pleaded guilty to felonies, while 661 had pleaded guilty “only to misdemeanors.” Defendants who pleaded not guilty, by contrast, typically have been convicted of felonies.

Prosecutors had a bunch of potential charges to choose from, including misdemeanors such as demonstrating inside the Capitol, “disorderly or disruptive conduct,” and entering or remaining in a restricted building without authorization. Sentences in such cases ranged from probation to short jail terms. Even defendants who received relatively light sentences may have grounds to complain that the charges they faced were not deployed consistently.

According to a recent report from the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General, four FBI informants “entered the Capitol during the riot,” while 13 “entered the restricted area around the Capitol.” [See “FBI had 26 informants at Jan. 6 Capitol riot — and most were involved, bombshell DOJ report confirms “.]

None of those informants have faced prosecution.

Although the D.C. U.S. Attorney’s Office claims that is consistent with its policy of “generally” not charging protesters who did not enter the Capitol itself, but that does not explain why the four informants who admittedly entered the building got off scot-free.

The potential felony charges in the Capitol riot cases, which carry much more severe penalties, include violent crimes such as assaulting police officers. But they also included offenses that were not necessarily violent, such as obstructing “an official proceeding,” which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison under 18 USC 1512(c)(2).

Given the possibility of such charges, Trump said on “Meet the Press” this month, defendants who pleaded guilty “had no choice.” Because prosecutors can severely penalize defendants who insist on a trial, he added, and the criminal justice system is “very corrupt” and “very nasty.”

The Section 1512 charge, which figures in about a quarter of the January . 6 case, illustrates that point. Although the Supreme Court ruled last June that the offense must involve attempts to conceal evidence, meaning it does not cover the conduct of the Capitol rioters, that seemingly important decision is expected to have little impact on the outcome of these cases.

The Justice Department says “there are zero cases where a defendant was charged only for violating” Section 1512. And even in the 26 cases where defendants pleaded guilty to that charge alone, the agreements explicitly allow prosecutors to pursue other charges now that they can no longer rely on this statute.

When you combine that sort of discretion with the puzzling practice of imposing sentences after trial based on allegations that the prosecution failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt, it is not hard to see why some January . 6 defendants may have received excessively severe penalties.

If Trump draws appropriate distinctions and uses his clemency powers carefully — a big “if” — he can mitigate those injustices.

By Jacob Sullum

Jacob Sullum is a senior editor at Reason magazine. Follow him on Twitter: @Jacobsullum. During two decades in journalism, he has relentlessly skewered authoritarians of the left and the right, making the case for shrinking the realm of politics and expanding the realm of individual choice. Jacobs’ work appears here at AmmoLand News through a license with Creators Syndicate.

Jacob Sullum
Jacob Sullum

RAIR FOUNDATION USA: Unmasking the Globalist-Islamic Agenda and the Betrayal of the West

 Unmasking the Globalist-Islamic Agenda and the Betrayal of the West 
This week, RAIR Foundation brings you explosive investigations and unfiltered truths exposing the silent advance of Sharia, government complicity, and the war on Western civilization. Imam Siraj Wahhaj boasts of the Islamic takeover in New York while terror-tied ICNA launches a dangerous "Dawah" campaign to infiltrate American homes. From Muslim CIA operatives betraying the U.S. Constitution to Saudi Arabia’s 2034 World Cup takeover, we uncover how Western leaders are surrendering under pressure, selling out our values, and funding our own demise.

We also shine a spotlight on Europe’s last patriots—Martin Sellner, Rocío de Meer, and Raisa Blommestijn—who bravely fight mass migration, censorship, and the erosion of free speech despite relentless persecution. Meanwhile, chilling exclusive interviews and investigations reveal how jihad, globalism, and Marxist alliances are deliberately destabilizing the West.

From the war-torn streets of Syria to the genocide brewing in Bangladesh, RAIR has brought you exclusive videos—translated and shared across the world—that expose the horrors ignored by mainstream media.

🔥 This is a battle for the soul of our nations. Read, share, and stand with us—RAIR delivers the truth they want silenced, covering every corner of the world so you can stay informed and take a stand.

🗣️ Share this. Spread the truth. Defend the West.


 
Imam Siraj Wahhaj’s speech at the ICNA 2024 conference exposes a deliberate and foreign-funded strategy to replace Western institutions and values with Islamic dominance, enabled by government complacency and taxpayer dollars, posing a direct threat to America’s survival.

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WARNING: Terror-Tied ICNA Launches Dangerous New 'Dawah' Campaign to Convert American Infidels to Islam

ICNA’s latest campaign is not outreach—it is a strategic, calculated step toward infiltrating American homes, spreading radical ideology under the guise of cultural understanding, and advancing the global agenda of Islamic dominance.

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Sharia Over Constitution: Muslim CIA Analyst Betrays America, Media and Government Cover for Islam

The Asif William Rahman case reveals that no matter how outwardly assimilated a devout Muslim may appear, their ultimate allegiance to Islamic Sharia and the global ummah undermines the U.S. Constitution, making their presence in America’s most sensitive institutions a dangerous threat to national security.
 

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The Islamic State’s swift victory in Syria was enabled by deliberate U.S. support during the Obama administration, including funding, training, and arming jihadist forces, while ignoring clear opportunities to eliminate their advances—an action that empowered a group driven by Islamic eschatology and sharia-based offensive jihad to pose a direct and existential threat to Western civilization.

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An Islamic immigrant transformed a second-hand warehouse into the Apex Mosque—a Sharia stronghold quietly advancing Islamic conquest, step by step, while America sleeps.
 

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'Is It Hate to Say That Africa Doesn’t Fit in Europe or That Spain Should Remain Spanish' – Vox Party’s Rocío de Meer

“It’s a lie that they are refugees fleeing from wars,” Rocío de Meer stated. “What war is there in Algeria? What war is there in Morocco? What war is there in Mauritania?”
 

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Saudi Psychiatrist Exposes Germany’s Active Operation: Welcoming Jihadis to Islamize the West While Crushing Ex-Muslim Refugees (Exclusive Interview)

Western governments are not merely betraying genuine refugees—they are weaponizing mass migration to silence dissent, empower Sharia oppression, and destabilize their own nations from within.
 

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Jamaat-e-Islami’s declared ambition to turn Bangladesh into a Sharia-ruled state is fueling a genocidal campaign against Hindus, Christians, and women, as the nation descends into chaos, echoing the horrors of 1971 while the world shamefully looks away.
 

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FIFA’s decision to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia is a shameless betrayal of Western values, forcing iconic Western cultural events to bow to Islamic laws, legitimizing an oppressive regime through sportswashing, and sacrificing human rights, fan freedoms, and moral integrity for Saudi oil money.
 

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Free Speech vs. Sharia: Dutch Politician Fights Leftist Effort to Criminalize Criticism of Islamic Antisemitism

 

The Left is waging war on truth, using courts to criminalize criticism of Islamic antisemitism while shielding and enabling Jew-hatred under the guise of tolerance and cultural sensitivity.
 

 
Martin Sellner, whose Identitarian Movement garnered more followers than the youth organizations of all mainstream parties combined, has become the leading voice for remigration, breaking barriers to normalize once-unspeakable ideas despite relentless censorship and persecution.
 

Raisa Blommestijn’s conviction for daring to criticize mass migration exposes a chilling assault on free speech, as the Dutch judiciary prioritizes silencing dissent over addressing uncomfortable truths.
 

In a candid interview with BFM TV, Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s National Rally, took a firm stance on the Syrian refugee crisis and the growing influence of jihadist forces in Syria. Le Pen described the situation as an impossible choice for Syrians between Bashar al-Assad’s regime and jihadist groups.
 

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Musk, Ramaswamy And Republican Officials Urge House GOP To Kill Johnson’s Federal Funding Bill

(Left-center) U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) speaks to reporters. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) / (R-top) Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, Co-Chair of the newly announced Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) / (R-middle) Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Co-Chair of the newly announced Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) / (R-bottom) U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) arrives for the Senate Republican leadership elections at the U.S. Capitol. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
3:32 PM – Wednesday, December 18, 2024

The new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) leaders in Trump’s incoming administration, Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk, blasted House GOP leadership on Wednesday, actively urging Republicans to kill a controversial stopgap measure to prevent a government shutdown.

“This bill should not pass,” Musk posted on his X platform.

“Ever seen a bigger piece of pork?” Musk continued, referencing an image showing the legislative text.

Ramaswamy also chimed in and explained why the new measure is unfavorable in his eyes.

“It’s full of excessive spending, special interest giveaways & pork barrel politics. If Congress wants to get serious about government efficiency, they should VOTE NO,” Ramaswamy posted on X.

“Congress has known about this deadline since they created it in late September. There’s no reason why this couldn’t have gone through the standard process, instead of being rushed to a vote right before Congressmen want to go home for the holidays. The urgency is 100% manufactured.”

Meanwhile, Johnson (R-La.) suggested that the two DOGE leaders should take into account his difficult predicament, even though both Musk and Ramaswamy chairs have widely criticized the spending patch that leadership revealed on Tuesday night.

“I was communicating with Elon last night. Elon and Vivek and I are on a text chain together, and I was explaining to them the background of this,” Johnson said on “Fox & Friends” on Wednesday regarding the controversial new measure.

“Vivek and I talked last night at almost midnight, and he said, 'Look, I get it. We understand you’re in an impossible position. Everybody knows that,’” Johnson claimed.

The government will shut down Friday night unless congressional leaders act to stop a lapse. The new resolution on Tuesday would provide government funding through March 14th, 2025.

However, the 1,547-page continuing resolution (CR) is reportedly jam-packed with a variety of add-ons, including $100 billion for disaster relief, a one-year extension of the farm bill, up to $2 billion for the reconstruction of Maryland’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed earlier this year after a cargo ship collided with it, and $10 billion for farmer assistance.

Additionally, Breitbart News reported that “The (CR) released Tuesday night — negotiated on the GOP side by Johnson — includes tens of billions of dollars in waste and includes funding for controversial items, including a pay raise for members of Congress as well as a one-year extension of the State Department’s Global Engagement Center (GEC), which funds organizations that censor conservative media.”

 GOP officials continued to post their thoughts on the new CR.

Republicans are openly opposing Johnson’s efforts, accusing him of trying to push the bill through before the 118th Congress ends and lawmakers go home for the holidays.

The measure has angered a slew of Republicans, especially Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and Missouri Senator Josh Hawley, who argue that it should have been a clean CR and that many of the additional provisions should be discussed separately.

Legislators have also complained that they were not given enough time to read the lengthy document.

Johnson has been courting Musk and Ramaswamy since the 2024 election. Earlier this month, he invited them to the U.S. Capitol for talks with senators, he mingled with them both at Mar-a-Lago and again during one of President-elect Donald Trump’s UFC appearances.

“Remember, guys, we still have just a razor-thin margin of Republicans,” Johnson continued on “Fox & Friends.” “So any bill has to have Democrat votes. They understand the situation. They said, ‘It’s not directed at you, Mr. Speaker, but we don’t like the spending.’”

“We got to get this done because here’s the key: By doing this, we are clearing the decks and we are setting up for Trump to come roaring back with [the] America First agenda,” Johnson added.

At the beginning of next year, Congress will have a busy schedule as it must balance Trump’s plans with the unfinished business of federal funding for fiscal year 2025 before moving on to fiscal year 2026, which is due on October 1st, 2025.

Soon after the news broke, Trump logged on to his Truth Social platform and explained his thoughts on the matter.

“Congress is considering a spending bill that would give sweetheart provisions to government censors and for Liz Cheney. This bill would make it easier to hide the records of the corrupt January 6 committee—which accomplished nothing for the American people and hid the security failures that happened that day. The bill would also give Congress a pay increase while many Americans are struggling this Christmas. Increasing the debt ceiling is not great, but we’d rather do it on Biden’s watch. If Democrats won’t cooperate on the debt ceiling now, what makes anyone think they would do it in June during our administration? Let’s have this debate now. We should pass a streamlined spending bill that doesn’t give Chuck Schumer and the Democrats everything they want. Republicans want to support our farmers, pay for disaster relief, and set our country up for success in 2025. The only way to do that is with a temporary funding bill WITHOUT DEMOCRAT GIVEAWAYS combined with an increase in the debt ceiling. Anything else is a betrayal of our country,” Trump stated.

 

 

 

 

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Senate Approves $895B Defense Bill Despite Democrat Opposition To Youth ‘Trans Care’ Ban

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 17: Incoming U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) (R) speaks to reporters following the weekly Senate luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on December 17, 2024 in Washington, DC. Thune spoke on the passing of the National Defense Authorization Act and the upcoming government funding bill. Thune was joined by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) (L) and Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY). (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Incoming U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) (R) speaks to reporters following the weekly Senate luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on December 17, 2024 in Washington, DC. Thune spoke on the passing of the National Defense Authorization Act and the upcoming government funding bill. Thune was joined by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) (L) and Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY). (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

OAN Staff James Meyers
1:52 PM – Wednesday, December 18, 2024

The Senate approved the Pentagon’s massive $895 billion annual budget on Wednesday, which also prohibits the use of federal funds to provide transgender surgeries for minors with gender dysphoria, angering pro-LGBTQ Democrats.

In an 85-to-14 vote, the Senate passed the 1,800-page National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which had cleared the House of Representatives last week and now just needs President Joe Biden’s signature. 

At the start of every new fiscal year on October 1st, Congress is tasked with passing the NDAA to authorize defense spending and specify expenditures. This year’s bill, which comes more than two months late, amounts to a 1% uptick over last year’s budget. 

The bill also features a 4.5% pay hike for service members across the board at the start of 2025. 

While NDAAs historically garner bipartisan support, Republicans were able to successfully throw out the bill’s provision on child transgenderism, which Democrats uplifted.

GOP officials argue that since a child’s brain doesn’t stop developing throughout their teens and mid-20s, with many “phases” and confusion naturally experienced throughout their childhood, it’s ethically wrong to allow under-18 minors to permanently alter their bodies forever due to a mental disorder.

The new NDAA blocks the military’s health care service Tricare from footing the bill for “gender transition” coverage pertaining to service members’ children under the age of 18. All 21 Senate Democrats were against the provision change.  

Led by Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), she claimed that the transgender policy could have an impact on an estimated 6,000 to 7,000 gender dysphoric children of service members. 

According to the Modern Military Association of America, there are close to “10,000 transgender youth ages 6 to 22” with parents active in the military. 

Besides the transgender provisions, the NDAA aimed to improve conditions for service members, including a 14.5% bump for junior troops in a bid to help recruitment efforts. An amendment was also added to the bill that would authorize the Department Of Defense (DoD) to safeguard the border from drones, which comes after the recent arrival of drones in the Northeast. 

“Murderous drug cartels and foreign adversaries have taken advantage of the chaos of the last administration to fly drones unchecked into American airspace,” Ernst said in a statement.

“Border security is national security, and Americans deserve real measures to protect them against a growing threat.”

Additionally, the measure enables the use of the National Guard to help support efforts to control the crossing of illegal immigrants across the U.S.-Mexico border. Hiring individuals based on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) will also be prohibited until the DoD is able to conclude its investigation of DEI programs. 

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Trump Warns Cheney of Dire Consequences Amid Witness Tampering Allegations in Jan. 6 Probe

ROYAL OAK, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 21: Former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) speaks at a town hall with Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, at the Royal Oak Music Theatre on October 21, 2024 in Royal Oak, Michigan. Cheney joined Vice President Harris for stops Monday in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. (Photo by Sarah Rice/Getty Images)
Former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) speaks at a town hall with Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, at the Royal Oak Music Theatre on October 21, 2024 in Royal Oak, Michigan. (Photo by Sarah Rice/Getty Images)

OAN Staff James Meyers
10:55 AM – Wednesday, December 18, 2024

President-elect Donald Trump says that former GOP Representative Liz Cheney could face harsh consequences after a House panel called for her to be investigated by the FBI for possible witness tampering while on a Democrat-led committee investigating the January 6th, 2021, protest.

“Liz Cheney could be in a lot of trouble based on the evidence obtained by the subcommittee, which states that 'numerous federal laws were likely broken by Liz Cheney, and these violations should be investigated by the FBI,” Trump posted on Truth Social early Wednesday.

His comments came just hours after the House Administration Oversight Subcommittee, led by Chairman Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), issued an interim report on Tuesday calling for the Justice Department to investigate Cheney’s actions before Trump is set to take back the White House. 

Cheney had purportedly exchanged calls and text messages with Cassidy Hutchinson, a first-term White House aide to then-President Trump, using the encrypted app “Signal” just weeks before her June 2022 testimony. However, the majority of the “incriminating” information that Cheney claimed to have learned was later proven false, House Republicans have previously highlighted.

Nevertheless, it’s still up in the air regarding whether Trump’s nominees to lead the Justice Department will act on the committee’s recommendation.

“Evidence uncovered by the Subcommittee revealed that former Congresswoman Liz Cheney tampered with at least one witness, Cassidy Hutchinson, by secretly communicating with Hutchinson without Hutchinson’s attorney’s knowledge,” the report from Chairman Loudermilk said.

The former Wyoming rep’s communications with Hutchinson were illegal and were “outside the due functioning of the legislative process and therefore not protected by the Speech and Debate clause,” Loudermilk argued.

Additionally, Hutchinson testified publicly, claiming that she was told Trump was so enraged when Secret Service agents refused to drive him to the U.S. Capitol on the day of the protest that he allegedly “lunged” for the steering wheel. 

However, those claims were proven false by photographs from the day, which showed that Hutchinson had misidentified the vehicle where the alleged encounter took place. The driver later confirmed that Hutchinson’s testimony was false.

Whether her testimony was purposely invented or simply a misunderstanding is still being debated.

Meanwhile, Cheney remarked on the matter Tuesday afternoon, accusing Loudermilk of “lies and defamatory allegations.” She is also reportedly on President Joe Biden’s list of people to preemptively pardon before he leaves the White House. 

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3 INFURIATING Reasons to REJECT the New Spending Bill

Republican leadership in the House of Representatives is trying to push through a “continuing resolution” bill right before Christmas. But this CR bill has grown so bloated that it’s practically an omnibus, which Speaker Mike Johnson promised he wouldn’t back. Yet here we are again … Glenn and fellow BlazeTV host‪@lizwheeler‬ review 3 of the worst things included in this bill – but just ONE of them should be enough to make every TRUE conservative in Congress vote AGAINST it. First, it includes a 1-year renewal of the Global Engagement Center, a State Department sub-agency that has become “the nexus of the censorship-industrial complex” against Americans. Then there’s an expansion of the “Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness and Response Act”, which would give the government the power to conduct gain-of-function research in the case of a national emergency. And lastly, it holds hurricane relief hostage. "Does that sound like you’re negotiating with honest people?" Glenn says. Maybe we should just let the government shutdown happen. Turn it off and back on again.

Biden FLOODED the Government With DEI, But Trump Has ONE Way to Win

With just weeks left in office, President Biden (or whoever’s calling the shots) has decided to hire 1,200 DEI officials. Is this part of a plot to undermine Donald Trump’s plans and make it harder for him to rid the government of woke Deep State bureaucrats? Glenn and fellow BlazeTV host ‪@lizwheeler‬ discuss how other Democrats have recently proposed things like this, including a UK-style “shadow cabinet” that would oppose Trump. Liz also gives her advice to Trump on how to deal with these new DEI officials, who will be paid hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to focus on things like “health equity” …