In this Jan. 6, 2021, file photo, President Donald Trump speaks during a rally protesting the electoral college certification of Joe Biden as President in Washington.
AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File
Donald Trump asked a US judge to block the January 6 Committee from obtaining White House records.
Judge Tanya S. Chutkan denied the request and said the documents are of interest to the public.
The National Archives and Records Administration will give investigators the documents on Friday.
US District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan denied Donald Trump’s emergency request to block the January 6 Committee from obtaining White House records, including his daily presidential diaries, activity logs, and call logs related to that day.
On Tuesday morning, Chutkan denied an unusual emergency motion filed on Monday night by Trump’s attorneys asking her to stay her ruling, despite the fact that she had not made a decision, until he could appeal the case. Chutkan issued her ruling later in the day and denied Trump’s motion to block the records.
“Plaintiff is unlikely to succeed on the merits of his claims or suffer irreparable harm, and because a balance of the equities and public interest bear against granting his requested relief,” Chutkan wrote in her decision.
The Biden administration declined a request from Trump’s legal team in October asking Biden to assert executive privilege over the files. Still, Trump argued to the court that future presidents would suffer “sustainable injury and irreparable harm” if the documents are disclosed, chilling presidential aides’ willingness to give advice.
Chutkan rebuffed Trump’s argument, citing the actions of past presidents waiving executive privilege when dealing with “matters of grave public importance,” such as Watergate, Iran-Contra, and 9/11. She also said that the incumbent president – Joe Biden – is in the best position to evaluate the effects that the documents’ disclosure would have on the executive branch, according to her decision.
In light of Chutkan’s decision, the National Archives and Records Administration will give investigators over 1,600 pages of documents that it requested on Friday. The files are expected to include files of various former White House officials, pages from the binders of former Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany, and a draft text of Trump’s speech for the Save America March on January 6.
Icelandic startup PLAY has received initial permission from the DOT to operate nonstop flights to the US.
PLAY CEO Birgir Jónsson explained investor expectations in the long-term plan have pushed it to enter the US market.
The airline plans to target New York, Boston, and Washington DC with a single-class, no-frills product.
Iceland startup PLAY has gotten initial approval from the US Department of Transportation to operate flights to the US, and it hopes to welcome leisure travelers onboard flights to and from the East Coast next April.
In August, new Icelandic low-cost carrier PLAY sent an application to the DOT requesting permission to fly to the US starting next summer, though PLAY CEO Birgir Jónsson told Insider it’s aiming for spring. The request, which the DOT initially approved on Tuesday, included the freedom to operate regularly scheduled commercial and charter service between Iceland and the US using single cabin Airbus A321 aircraft.
Although the application did not specify which routes it intends to fly, Jónsson told Insider it would be targeting daily flights to New York, Boston, and Washington DC, though nothing can be confirmed until the airline has acquired the slots at each airport.
PLAY was incorporated shortly after its predecessor, WOW Air, ceased operations in 2019. WOW regularly flew between Iceland and the US using Airbus A330 and A320 series aircraft, and PLAY plans to do the same, though with a different approach.
“WOW was successful in the market we are moving into, serving the East Coast and working in a 24-hour loop, meaning they got the aircraft out of Iceland in the afternoon and back in the following morning, which utilized the aircraft very well. However, the problem is they expanded too quickly and invested in wide-body jets to fly to the West Coast. Instead, PLAY will focus only on the 24-hour loop to the East Coast, essentially replicating the good things about WOW and avoiding its mistakes,” explained Jónsson.
PLAY’s onboard product to the US is still under discussion, but will likely be zero frills in a single-class configuration, meaning no inflight meals, wifi, or entertainment, and add-ons, like luggage, will be at a charge, says Jónsson.
“At the moment, we are focusing on the lowest price and a comfortable, clean, and secure way of transport, but it’s not an experience,” Jónsson told Insider.
Jónsson explained customers are looking for the lowest price, so they will win the market by having the lowest fare compared to competitors.
PLAY’s reasoning for entering the US market now after only two months of service is due to investor expectations and the fact that the airline has gotten good deals on aircraft. According to Jónsson, the airline secured $90 million for its long-term business goal, which involves operating a hub-and-spoke model between the US, Iceland, and beyond. This financial strength has allowed the airline to secure a low price point for aircraft 10 to 12 years in the future, explained Jónsson.
Furthermore, PLAY has also secured a unique aircraft payment plan, known as “pay by the hour,” meaning the company only pays for aircraft when it uses them, according to Jónsson. PLAY takes advantage of the setup by not flying on Wednesdays, so it pays nothing for its aircraft on that day. This has put the airline in a good financial position, allowing it to focus on long-term goals, like serving the US.
PLAY’s ambitious move to the US comes soon after its June 24 launch. The airline has been steadily improving its load factor and on-time performance, having filled 52.1% of available seats in September and having 96.2% of flights arrive on time, according to the carrier. Jónsson hopes to continue its success as PLAY moves into the US and expands in Europe.
A district attorney general wants to add Mark Zuckerberg to a Facebook privacy lawsuit.
The lawsuit was filed in 2018 on behalf of people affected by the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
If added as a respondent, Zuckerberg could face potential financial penalties, The NYT reported.
The attorney general for the District of Columbia, Karl Racine, wants to add Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg as a respondent to a privacy lawsuit against the company.
Racine told The New York Times he planned to file an amendment adding Zuckerberg to an ongoing case first filed against Facebook in 2018 on behalf of DC residents whose data was compromised during the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
A 2010 product change that ultimately facilitated the kind of data-scraping used by Cambridge Analytica was Zuckerberg’s “brain child,” Racine told The Times, citing evidence uncovered during a period of discovery on the case.
“Under these circumstances, adding Mr. Zuckerberg to our lawsuit is unquestionably warranted, and should send a message that corporate leaders, including the CEO, will be held accountable for their actions,” Racine told The Times in a statement.
If Zuckerberg was successfully added then he could be subject to financial penalties, The Times reported.
Per The Times, Racine can seek up to $5,000 for every resident who was affected by the Cambridge Analytica scandal. In his original 2018 filing Racine said that more than 340,000 Washington DC residents were affected, although The Times reported that 300,000 residents were affected.
This could mean a maximum total penalty of up to $1.7 billion. It was not immediately clear how any financial penalty would be split between Facebook and Zuckerberg, should he be added as a respondent.
Insider emailed Racine’s office for clarification out of hours, and did not immediately receive a reply.
Facebook can try to get Racine’s amendment dismissed, The Times reported. Facebook did not immediately respond when contacted by Insider about whether it would seek to dismiss.
Facebook shareholders filed a lawsuit against the company in September this year saying it overpaid the Federal Trade Commission by nearly $5 billion as part of a “quid pro quo” to protect Zuckerberg.
A picture of Christopher Worrell released by the FBI.
FBI
Christopher Worrell, a Capitol riot defendant, has been in jail with a broken wrist for four months.
A federal judge said jail officials violated his civil rights by denying him appropriate medical care.
The judge referred the case to the DOJ for a civil rights investigation.
A federal judge Wednesday held two Washington, DC, jail officials in civil contempt of court after ruling that they had violated a Capitol riot defendant’s civil rights by denying him access to medical care.
In a hearing about medical delays for Christopher Worrell, a Proud Boys members and riot suspect, US District Judge Royce Lamberth said that DC Department of Corrections officials failed to hand over critical documents that were needed to approve surgery for Worrell’s wrist, which he broke in May while in custody.
“It’s clear to me the civil rights of the defendant were violated by the DC Department of Corrections,” Lamberth said, according to the Fort Myers News-Press. “I don’t know if it’s because he’s a January 6 defendant or not.”
He added: “It’s more than just the inept and bureaucratic shuffling of papers. Does no one care? Does no one follow up?” The Daily Beast reported.
Worrell, who was detained shortly after his March 12 arrest in Florida, is accused of pepper-spraying Capitol Police officers during the insurrection and engaging in violence and disorderly conduct, among other charges.
In the Wednesday hearing, Lamberth also issued a show-cause order and said he was referring the matter to the Department of Justice to investigate whether Worrell’s civil rights were violated, the Fort Myers News-Press reported.
Lamberth did not, however, impose any sanctions or penalties on the two jail officials in question, Warden Wanda Patten and DC Department of Corrections Director Quincy Booth.
Worrell’s attorney, Alex Stavrou, did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment. Stavrou told The Daily Beast that he and his clients were “pleased” with the judge’s Wednesday ruling, and “pray” that the investigation would be done quickly.
The surgery has not been performed yet, Fort Myers News-Press reported.
Worrell, 50, was placed in custody in March after another judge said that the evidence against him, including his level of preparation and history of intimidating and threatening behavior, met the government criteria for denying bond, Naples News reported.
In June, Worrell – who also has non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma – applied twice to be freed on medical grounds after saying his condition was “rapidly deteriorating” in jail. However, his attempts were rejected by two separate judges, one of whom was Lamberth.
In the court documents, Worrell did not mention his broken wrist at the time and referred only to his non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
The FBI tracked down Worrell at his home in Naples, Florida, in March after someone close to his girlfriend tipped off the bureau, saying they had identified him in pictures from the riot.
He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him.
US President Joe Biden speaks during a virtual briefing by Federal Emergency Management Agency officials on preparations for Hurricane Ida, in the South Court auditorium of the White House in Washington, DC, on August 28, 2021.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
President Joe Biden said Republican efforts to block an increase of the debt ceiling would be “irresponsible.”
President Joe Biden said on Saturday that Republican efforts to block the US’ ability to pay its bills on time would be “unconscionable.”
Congress has about two weeks to raise or suspend the debt ceiling to avert what could be a catastrophic hit to the economy, ranging from delays in Social Security checks to seniors, turmoil in financial markets, cuts to safety net programs, and even a spike in interest rates.
Republicans, led by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, have signaled they could try to block the effort to lift the debt ceiling and torpedo Biden’s economic goals. McConnell has remained adamant that raising the debt limit is something only Democrats must do. The US has never before defaulted on its debts.
“I hope that Republicans won’t be so irresponsible as to refuse to raise the debt limit and to filibuster,” Biden told reporters on Saturday. “That would be totally unconscionable. That’s never been done before.”
Raising the debt ceiling allows the US government to pay back what it owes, and the limit had to be lifted this year regardless of Biden’s spending plans. Democrats are pressing Republicans to help raise it, arguing another $7.8 trillion in debt was racked up under President Donald Trump. Republicans also raised or suspended the debt limit three times under the Trump administration.
Democrats’ best bet for lifting the debt ceiling on their own is reconciliation, an arduous, time-consuming procedure governed by strict budgetary rules. It also allows certain bills to be passed with just a 50-vote majority.
Biden said on Saturday that “everybody is frustrated” following a week of setbacks and squabbles over the debt limit and his economic agenda, but he added that he’s confident both an infrastructure bill and a $3.5 trillion social spending bill will ultimately be passed by Congress.
Democrats need to keep the government funded while also keeping their promises to pass a $550 billion investment in US roads, bridges, and railroads as well as funding for childcare, healthcare, and fighting climate change. Two moderate Democratic senators are uneasy with the magnitude of the proposed changes and want the $3.5 trillion social spending bill to be trimmed.
Biden said he is “going to work like hell to make sure we get both these passed,” adding that both plans have the support of a majority of Americans.
“There’s nothing in any of these pieces of legislation that’s radical, that is unreasonable,” he said, adding he would travel the country to win more support for both bills. “I believe I can get this done.”
The Justice for J6 rally began at noon on Saturday in front of the US Capitol. There were far more police officers, journalists, and counter-protesters than the 150 to 200 protesters who attended.
A few minutes before the scheduled start, the strains of Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli’s signature “Con te partirò” suddenly started blasting over the Mall at high volume.
Robert Jimenez, an audio engineer and owner of “All About Shows” based in Silver Spring, Maryland, confessed that he always does his soundchecks with opera. He said that he received the gig from Matt Braynard, a former Trump administration staffer, and the “Look Forward America” group three weeks before, with a 50% deposit of the $7500 fee for the sound system, stage, and video screen.
“I have to submit my ID and business license to the police for any event we do here, so I need at least five days’ notice,” he said. “Today, I have five staff including myself and three volunteers. We had to bring generators for power.”
U.S. Capitol police at the “Justice for Jan. 6” rally.
Alan Chin for Insider
US Capitol police made a show of force with new riot armor and shields. The city was clearly determined to avoid the stunning, violent scene that unfolded on Jan. 6, when thousands of protesters forced their way into the Capitol. 643 alleged rioters would later face criminal charges.
In the days leading up to Saturday’s protest, The Proud Boys and other right-wing groups urged people to stay away.
A woman who would identify herself only as Kesia.
Alan Chin for Insider
A woman who would identify herself only as Kesia from Maryland said she attended the Jan. 6 rally.
“I will be out here again and I was here on Jan. 6th and I’m not ashamed to say that,” she said.
A man in a raccoon-fur hat declined to give his name.
Alan Chin for Insider
A young man in a raccoon-fur hat was less forthcoming. He declined to answer questions about where he was from, whether he was at the Capitol on Jan. 6, or to give his name. “I’m not saying anything about myself or where I was on any day, ever. They should never have been arrested. I just want to be visible,” he said, adding that he saw the Biden administration as illegitimate.
As for his hat, he said that he had made it using the “frontiersman’s method.”
“You take the raccoon and make a cut starting from the base of the feet, back. Then you cut a brim around the front, and take the feet and stitch them to the beginning of the curve, and stitch up the inside. That’s it. I do it as a hobby. I’ll be watching videos as I’m working. You can do it in 20-25 minutes,” he said.
Counter-protester Tim Smith with his handmade sign.
Alan Chin for Insider
Between the police and a large showing from the media, the protesters’ showing was modest. A counter-protester, Tim Smith, came with a handmade sign that read “LOSER” in the same style as the signs from the 2020 Trump campaign.
The sign mocked former President Donald Trump, who lost the 2020 presidential election and baselessly claimed it was due to voter fraud.
Geraldine Lovell from Prince George’s County, Maryland, was surrounded by journalists.
Alan Chin for Insider
Geraldine Lovell, from Prince George’s County, Maryland, was one of the first protesters to arrive, and was initially warned by the police that if she were counter-protesting, she would have to go elsewhere to an adjacent but physically separated area that they had prepared. She assured the police that she was in support of the demonstration.
Washington DC resident Thomas Ritchie.
Alan Chin for Insider
Another protester, Thomas Ritchie, said he moved to Washington DC 4 months ago, after spending the last 11 years in Helena, Montana. He said that the staff he carried had been a gift from his Montana church.
“I am wearing a sackcloth because of everything that is wrong and evil with the world, he said. “I know something big is going to happen, I just don’t know what, yet, or when. We kill people for killing people.”
The protest was called by former Trump staffer Matt Braynard (center).
Alan Chin for Insider
The rally was organized by former Trump staffer Matt Braynard. When a journalist asked him to identify himself, Braynard replied, “you should do your homework,” and walked away.
Protester Diane Atkins.
Alan Chin for Insider
Diane Atkins said she goes by “Diane *Anglo-Saxon* Atkins” and identifies as a “Proud Christian American, Republican, activist.”
Behind her, a member of a private security team guarding the state and the rally speakers was wearing a mask that said “I can’t breathe” and “Black Lives Matter.”
None of the guards answered questions about their assignment nor identified themselves.
Jeremiah Shivers came from Massachusetts with his family and his Great Dane.
Alan Chin for Insider
Jeremiah Shivers came from Massachusetts with his family and his Great Dane to attend the rally. The dog was wearing a sign that said “Abolish the Democrats.”
Police and media outnumbered participants at the Justice for J6 rally.
The U.S. Capitol is seen behind newly-erected fencing on September 17, 2021 ahead of the ‘Justice for J6’ rally scheduled for September 18, in Washington, United States.
(Photo by Bryan Dozier/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
A protest at the Capitol in support of those arrested after the Jan 6 insurrection is expected on Saturday.
Donald Trump has pledged his support to those who rioted.
Security concerns in the Capitol are mounting, with high fencing in place and National Guard protecting the area.
Donald Trump says his “heart is with those standing for rioters” as police are on high alert for a right-wing rally in Washington DC on Saturday.
The ‘Justice for the J6’ riot rally is framed as a solidarity movement for the 560 people arrested in connection with the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol.
On his website, Donald Trump proclaimed his support and continued to peddle the falsehood that the 2020 election was rigged.
“Our hearts and minds are with the people being persecuted so unfairly relating to the January 6th protest concerning the Rigged Presidential Election,” he said. “In addition to everything else, it has proven conclusively that we are a two-tiered system of justice. In the end, however, JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL!” wrote the former president.
U.S. Capitol police patrol the Capitol grounds on September 17, 2021 amidst a state of heightened security ahead of the ‘Justice for J6’ rally scheduled for September 18, in Washington, United States
(Photo by Bryan Dozier/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The event is organized by Look Ahead America, which states it works to “empower patriotic Americans.” It is lead by Matt Braynard, who worked on the data team for Trump’s 2016 campaign,.
In a video, Braynard said that the goal of the rallies is to raise awareness about the civil rights violations endured by “political prisoners” arrested in the January 6 riot.
Razor wire and fences still surround the United States Capitol building at sunrise a few days after the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
US Capitol Police will reinstall fencing around the Capitol building ahead of a far-right rally.
The rally, dubbed “Justice for J6,” is scheduled for September 18.
The event is being held to support rioters who stormed the Capitol on January 6, according to its organizers.
US Capitol Police will reinstall fencing around the perimeter of the Capitol ahead of the upcoming “Justice for J6” rally planned for September 18.
Capitol Police chief Tom Manger, who confirmed the news to Insider, told reporters on Monday that authorities will put up the fencing “a day or two” ahead of the event.
The fencing is expected to come down “soon” after the September 18 rally if “everything goes well,” Manger told reporters.
Law enforcement officials are preparing for potential clashes and violence at the event, as counterprotests are being scheduled on the same day and inflammatory rhetoric surrounding the event has increased online, according to an internal Capitol Police memo obtained by CNN.
“We are closely monitoring September 18 and we are planning accordingly,” Manger said in an emailed statement to Insider. “After January 6, we made Department-wide changes to the way we gather and share intelligence internally and externally. I am confident the work we are doing now will make sure our officers have what they need to keep everyone safe.”
Fencing was initially erected around the federal government building following the January 6 riot, which saw supporters of former President Donald Trump overpower police and break into the Capitol complex. The fencing remained up until July.
The upcoming event is being organized by Look Ahead America and led by Matt Braynard, the former director of data and strategy for the Trump campaign, Insider previously reported. It is scheduled to take place at 12 p.m. local time on Saturday at Union Square, a public plaza located just west of the Capitol building.
Protestors should refrain from wearing or bringing political paraphernalia and should stick to donning red, white, and blue “to show your support of the J6 prisoners,” according to details of the event on Look Ahead America’s website.
Top Democrats, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Republicans, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, were briefed on Monday by Capitol police on the forthcoming security measures.
The FBI released new footage Wednesday of a person suspected of planting explosive devices in Washington, DC, hours before the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol.
In the footage, a person wearing jeans and a hoodie can be sitting walking up to and sitting down on a park bench while carrying a bag. The FBI said the footage comes “from along the suspect’s route” in Capitol Hill, where the bureau suspects they placed pipe bombs at the offices of the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee.
The bombs, which were placed the night of January 5, were discovered the next day at around 1 p.m. local time.
“The FBI has conducted more than 800 interviews, collected more than 23,000 video files, and assessed more than 300 tips related to this investigation,” the bureau said in a statement.
The FBI has previously said that an “unknown individual wore a face mask, a grey hooded sweatshirt, and black and light grey Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes with a yellow logo.”
The bureau is offering a $100,000 reward for tips.
At least 638 people have already been charged in connection with the January 6 insurrection, when a mob incited by former President Donald Trump sought to block Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks during her weekly news conference at the U.S. Capitol on September 8, 2021 in Washington, DC. Pelosi spoke on a range of issues, including the debt ceiling and climate change.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Pelosi condemned those who plan to attend a Sept. 18 rally outside the Capitol.
The House Speaker accused them of trying to “praise the people who were out to kill” on January 6.
Authorities are taking security measures in advance, according to an internal memo obtained by CNN.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi slammed those who plan on attending the upcoming rally outside the Capitol, accusing them of “coming back to praise the people who were out to kill” during the January 6 riot.
Capitol Police are preparing security ahead of a right-wing protest in Washington, DC, on September 18, according to an internal memo obtained by CNN. Intelligence officials told the Associated Press members of far-right extremist groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers are expected to attend the rally.
The rally, dubbed “Justice for J6,” aims to support the events of January 6 and demand “justice” for suspected rioters criminally charged in the insurrection. Support for the September event also increased following the unveiling of the identity of Capitol Police officer who shot Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt, CNN reported.
In remarks to reporters on Wednesday morning, Pelosi condemned those who intend on protesting outside the Capitol on September 18.
“And now these people are coming back to praise the people who were out to kill, out to kill members of Congress,” Pelosi said.
The House Speaker pledged to keep the integrity of the Capitol “intact” but did not go into specifics of security measures law enforcement will take to protect the building.
A Capitol Police spokesperson told Forbes the USCP is “working with our local, state, and federal partners” in preparation for September 18. The DC Metropolitan Police will have an “increased presence around the city where demonstrations will be taking place,” spokesperson Brianna Burch told Forbes.
