Federal prosecutors have pushed back against claims that a video of "QAnon Shaman" Jacob Chansley exonerated anyone in the Capitol mob on January 6, 2021, arguing that the video lacked context and that Tucker Carlson's portrayal of the rioter's activities was misleading. The Justice Department also argued that the seditious conspiracy trial against the five Proud Boys leaders should not be dismissed based on the footage.
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House Republicans have announced plans to investigate the select committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot, with the Justice Department arguing that defendants should not be allowed to delay their criminal trials. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has suggested the committee was politically biased and is looking into Capitol security and the legal treatment of the defendants. The outcome of the investigation is unknown and it is unclear how it will affect the Jan. 6 defendants.
The U.S. Department of Justice has released a report finding that the Louisville Metro Police Department and the city of Louisville have violated citizens' constitutional and civil rights through the use of unreasonable tactics such as unjustified neck restraints, police dogs, and tasers. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the findings and said the LMPD has made strides to improve its practices since the investigation began. The Justice Department, the city of Louisville, and the LMPD have agreed in principle to a consent degree.
Paul Manafort, former chairman of Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, has agreed to pay $3.15 million to settle a civil case filed by the Justice Department. The case alleged that Manafort had willfully failed to disclose more than 20 offshore bank accounts and had filed false tax returns from 2006-2015. It is unclear if the settlement will have any impact on the ongoing investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Ethan Melzer, a former US Army soldier, was sentenced to 45 years in prison on Friday for his role in a plot to attack a US military base in Turkey and kill his fellow service members. He had provided sensitive details to a neo-Nazi, pro-jihadist group known as the Order of the Nine Angles (O9A) in connection with its plot to spark a jihadist terror attack. His motivation was to cause a mass casualty event and further the goals of white supremacy and the downfall of Western civilization. The sentence is the maximum penalty for his crimes.
United States Attorney General Merrick Garland made an unannounced trip to Ukraine on Friday to reaffirm the US's commitment to justice and security in the country. He joined President Volodymyr Zelensky at the “United for Justice Conference” to discuss the importance of international justice and the need for accountability for crimes committed in Ukraine. The trip is part of the US's ongoing commitment to support Ukraine and its people and to hold Russia accountable for its actions.
The US Justice Department has argued that former President Donald Trump can be sued in civil lawsuits for damages incurred during the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, rejecting his claims of absolute immunity. The Department clarified that the brief does not determine whether Trump should be held liable, but argued that a president cannot be absolutely immune for speech that incites violence. The lawsuits allege that Trump incited the violence by making false claims about the election results and encouraging his supporters to march on the Capitol.
A federal judge has ruled that former President Donald Trump and FBI Director Christopher Wray can be deposed in a lawsuit brought by former FBI agent Peter Strzok. The ruling ends a yearlong dispute over whether Strzok could question Trump and Wray under oath, with the depositions limited to two hours and a “narrow set of topics”. The Biden White House must decide by late March whether the current president will assert executive privilege over conversations that Trump had directly.