Latest news with #StopTheSteal
Al Arabiya
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Ex-FBI Agent Charged in Capitol Riot Now Works on Justice Department's 'Weaponization' Task Force
A former FBI agent charged with joining a mob's attack on the US Capitol and cheering on rioters is now advising the Justice Department official overseeing its weaponization working group, which is examining President Donald Trump's claims of anti-conservative bias inside the department. The former FBI supervisory agent, Jared Lane Wise, is serving as a counselor to Justice Department pardon attorney Ed Martin Jr., who also directs the working group, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person was not authorized to publicly discuss a personnel matter and spoke on condition of anonymity. A department spokesperson declined to comment. The New York Times was first to report on Wise's appointment. When Trump returned to the White House in January, he picked Martin to serve as interim US Attorney for the District of Columbia. But the president pulled his nomination to keep the job on a more permanent basis two days after a key Republican senator said he could not support Martin for the job due to his defense of Capitol rioters. Martin was a leading figure in Trump's 'Stop the Steal' movement. He spoke at a rally in Washington on the eve of the January 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol. He represented three January 6 defendants and served on the board of the nonprofit Patriot Freedom Project, which reports raising over $2.5 million to support riot defendants. Attorney General Pam Bondi called for creating the weaponization group in February to investigate claims by Trump and Republican allies that the Justice Department unfairly targeted conservatives during President Joe Biden's administration. The group's review includes the work of former special counsel Jack Smith, who led two federal prosecutions of Trump that were ultimately abandoned after Trump was elected to a second term. Fox News host Jeanine Pirro replaced Martin as the top federal prosecutor in Washington, but Martin immediately moved over to his current Justice Department position. Wise, who worked as a special agent or supervisory special agent for the FBI from 2004 through 2017, was arrested in Oregon on Capitol riot–related misdemeanor charges in May 2023. Wise repeatedly shouted 'Kill 'em!' as he watched rioters assaulting officers outside the Capitol, according to an FBI agent's affidavit. Wise clapped his hands and raised his arms in triumph after he entered the building through the Senate wing door, the affidavit says. He left the building about nine minutes after entering. Police body camera footage showed Wise berating police officers outside the Capitol and repeatedly shouting 'Shame on you!' 'I'm former law enforcement,' he told them. 'You're disgusting. You are the Nazi. You are the Gestapo. You can't see it.' Wise was on trial in Washington when Trump returned to the White House in January and immediately pardoned, commuted prison sentences, or ordered the dismissal of cases for all of the nearly 1,600 people charged in the attack. The case against Wise was dismissed before the jury reached a verdict.
Associated Press
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Ex-FBI agent charged in Capitol riot now works on Justice Department's 'weaponization' task force
WASHINGTON (AP) — A former FBI agent who was charged with joining a mob's attack on the U.S. Capitol and cheering on rioters is now working as an adviser to the Justice Department official overseeing its 'weaponization working group,' which is examining President Donald Trump's claims of anti-conservative bias inside the department. The former FBI supervisory agent, Jared Lane Wise, is serving as a counselor to Justice Department pardon attorney Ed Martin Jr., who also serves as director of the working group, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person was not authorized to publicly discuss a personnel matter and spoke on condition of anonymity. A department spokesperson declined to comment. The New York Times was first to report on Wise's appointment. When Trump returned to the White House in January, he picked Martin to serve as interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. But the president pulled his nomination to keep the job on a more permanent basis two days after a key Republican senator said he could not support Martin for the job due to his defense of Capitol rioters. Martin was a leading figure in Trump's 'Stop the Steal' movement. He spoke at a rally in Washington on the eve of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol. He represented three Jan. 6 defendants and served on the board of the nonprofit Patriot Freedom Project, which reports raising over $2.5 million to support riot defendants. Attorney General Pam Bondi called for creating the 'weaponization' group in February to investigate claims by Trump and Republican allies that the Justice Department unfairly targeted conservatives during President Joe Biden's administration. The group's review includes the work of former special counsel Jack Smith, who led two federal prosecutions of Trump that were ultimately abandoned after Trump was elected to a second term. Fox News host Jeanine Pirro replaced Martin as the top federal prosecutor in Washington, but Martin immediately moved over to his current Justice Department position. Wise, who worked as a special agent or supervisory special agent for the FBI from 2004 through 2017, was arrested in Oregon on Capitol riot-related misdemeanor charges in May 2023. Wise repeatedly shouted, 'Kill 'em!' as he watched rioters assaulting officers outside the Capitol, according to an FBI agent's affidavit. Wise clapped his hands and raised his arms 'in triumph' after he entered the building through the Senate wing door, the affidavit says. He left the building about nine minutes after entering. Police body camera footage showed Wise berating police officers outside the Capitol and repeatedly shouting, 'Shame on you!' 'I'm former law enforcement,' he told them.' You're disgusting. You are the Nazi. You are the Gestapo. You can't see it.' Wise was on trial in Washington when Trump returned to the White House in January and immediately pardoned, commuted prison sentences or ordered the dismissal of cases for all of the nearly 1,600 people charged in the attack. The case against Wise was dismissed before the jury reached a verdict. ___ Associated Press writer Alanna Durkin Richer contributed to this report.
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What Trump sees in Jeanine Pirro
Only in the Trump administration could the appointment of a Fox News host to a high-level law enforcement position be seen as an improvement. And yet, President Donald Trump's nomination of Jeanine Pirro to serve as U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia is in some ways preferable to Ed Martin, his (failed) first choice. Martin was an election denier who supported the 'Stop the Steal' movement and provided legal representation to some of the defendants charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Trump appointed him interim U.S. attorney for D.C. in January. Martin proceeded to fire and demote prosecutors who worked on cases involving Jan. 6 defendants. His aggressive use of the social media platform X suggested a prosecutor more bent on retribution and culture wars than on law and order. Martin sent official letters demanding answers from Democratic politicians for their statements about Trump and targeted Georgetown University Law Center for its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. When it became clear that Martin would fail to garner enough votes for confirmation in even a GOP-led Senate because of his role in the events of Jan. 6, Trump withdrew the nomination. Martin was instead appointed to serve in positions that required no Senate confirmation — pardon attorney and head of the DOJ's Justice Department's "Weaponization Working Group" created to investigate special counsel Jack Smith and others who assisted in investigations against Trump. Trump named Pirro as Martin's replacement, first on an interim basis and last week to the permanent position. Unlike Martin, Pirro has serious prosecution experience, having served as domestic violence prosecutor before becoming a judge and then district attorney for Westchester County, New York, a position to which she was elected three times. She has not worked as a prosecutor in 20 years, though, stepping down from her position to run for Senate against Hillary Clinton back in 2006. Nevertheless, Pirro, 73, has plenty of what Trump seems to prize most — loyalty. Pirro's ex-husband, Albert J. Pirro Jr., previously served as Trump's lawyer. On Fox News, Pirro has established herself as a reliable supporter, channeling Trump's combative style. In 2016, she called Trump's 'Access Hollywood' comments 'disgusting' but notably said she would still support him. After the 2020 election, Pirro's show aired false claims alleging election irregularities by Dominion Voting Systems, leading to her inclusion in a defamation lawsuit that resulted in Fox News having to pay a $787 million settlement. She called the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol a political 'narrative,' as CNN notes, and demanded investigations into the DOJ and Capitol Police. This unwavering loyalty was rewarded in 2021 when Trump pardoned Albert Pirro, who had been convicted of tax evasion and conspiracy in 2000. So, yes, Pirro may be more qualified than Martin. But choosing between the two is a little like trying to decide if it's better to lose your home in a fire or in a hurricane. Both are devastating. Despite her experience as a prosecutor, Pirro shares Martin's reputation as a political firebrand. As a former U.S. attorney, I know that the job requires a commitment to following the Principles of Federal Prosecution, the DOJ's policy manual, which forbids the consideration of politics in charging decisions. In fact, federal prosecutors must avoid even the appearance of bias in their work and recuse themselves if their impartiality could be reasonably questioned. In the District of Columbia, where the U.S. attorney's office might be called upon to handle matters involving members of Congress and federal agencies, confidence in the independence of the U.S. attorney is paramount. Pirro's history as a strident Trump booster would absolutely and obviously undermine public confidence in the soundness of her discretionary decision-making in the high-profile cases that are likely to come across her desk. I am reasonably confident that our legal system, with its checks and balances, can prevent Pirro from obtaining convictions against Turmp's political enemies, but she would have enormous power to make their lives miserable just by initiating investigations. Criminal probes can result in enormous legal fees, harm reputations and create enormous stress for targeted individuals and their family members. As U.S. attorney, Pirro could apply tremendous pressure, even if no charges are ultimately filed. Unlike federal judges and Cabinet officials, U.S. attorneys rarely endure questioning at a confirmation hearing, instead subjecting themselves to scrutiny by senators outside the public arena. If the Senate takes seriously its work to provide advice and consent in the confirmation process, it will nonetheless demand answers from Pirro in writing and in private before allowing her to use the criminal justice system as a tool of retribution in our nation's capital. This article was originally published on
WIRED
17-06-2025
- Politics
- WIRED
Far-Right ‘Appeal to Heaven' Flag Seen at Jan. 6 Riot Flown Above Government Agency in DC
Vittoria Elliott Leah Feiger Jun 17, 2025 7:03 PM The "Appeal To Heaven" flag, a popular symbol for Christian nationalists that was waved by January 6 rioters, was raised over the Small Business Administration headquarters last week. Photograph: SBA_Kelly on X A controversial 'Appeal to Heaven' flag that has recently become associated with the 'Stop the Steal' movement and Christian nationalism was flown above the Small Business Administration (SBA) agency last week in Washington, DC. On June 11, Kelly Loeffler, the former senator from Georgia and current administrator of the SBA, participated in a ceremony where a new American flag was raised over the agency's headquarters in DC. Just beneath the American flag, on what appeared to be the same halyard, was an 'Appeal to Heaven' flag. Sources tell WIRED that the 'Appeal to Heaven' flag was raised for less than a day. Though the flag's roots date to the Revolutionary War, in recent years it has become a popular symbol for the far-right. The 'Appeal to Heaven' flag was waved by January 6 rioters at the Capitol in 2021 and has become associated with President Donald Trump's supporters who deny the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. The flag has also been linked to Christian nationalists, who believe that the US should be a Christian nation, rather than a secular one. 'That the 'Appeal to Heaven' flag is being flown on a government building alongside the American flag should be shocking to anyone who doesn't wish to live in a theocracy,' says Jon Lewis, a research fellow at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University. 'The contemporary usage of the Appeal to Heaven flag is synonymous with Christian nationalism, full stop.' 'Those who carried the 'Appeal to Heaven' flag to the Capitol on January 6 did so because they truly believed they had the opportunity to inject Christian fundamentalism into the very foundation of our democracy, and the image of the same flag on the SBA will give them ample evidence they succeeded,' Lewis adds. Other Republicans have previously shared their support for the 'Appeal to Heaven' flag. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has displayed the flag displayed outside of his office and the flag was controversially flown outside of associate justice of the Supreme Court Samuel Alito's vacation home in New Jersey. In an interview with the Associated Press, Johnson said he did not know that the flag was associated with election deniers. In a letter to lawmakers last year, Alito said the same thing. (Alito also came under fire for the flying of an upside-down American flag at his home in Virginia. An upside-down flag is a distress signal that has, in recent years, become associated with right-wing protesters). In a June 11 post on her X account, Loeffler wrote, 'Today at SBA's Flag Day Ceremony, we proudly raised a new AMERICAN MADE flag over our headquarters in Washington. It is a privilege to serve under its Stars and Stripes - on behalf of the 34 million small businesses who represent the best of America.' The post, which includes a photograph of the Appeal to Heaven flag and photographs of Loeffler and others seemingly looking up at both flags, is still up. It's unclear who was responsible for flying the controversial flag. One SBA staffer who spoke to WIRED on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press says that they saw the flag while leaving the office that day and it appeared to have been taken down by the next morning. 'It was pretty jarring to walk out of work and see that flag on the building, and it's frustrating because it makes it seem like the agency as a whole supports what it has come to stand for, when that's just not true,' they say. 'We're proud to do work that supports, or at least is supposed to support, all Americans. The decision to raise that flag isn't one that reflects the views of everyone at SBA.' 'I think it would've concerned more people if they knew what [the flag] was associated with,' says a second SBA staffer, who also asked to remain anonymous, of the 'Appeal to Heaven' flag. Loeffler briefly served as the Republican senator from Georgia after being appointed to the seat by Governor Brian Kemp in 2020. She lost her bid for re-election in 2021 to then-Democratic senate candidate Raphael Warnock. In the wake of Trump's loss to former president Joe Biden, Loeffler called on Brad Raffensperger, Georgia's secretary of state, to resign, falsely alleging that he had 'failed to deliver honest and transparent elections.' Before she eventually certified the results of the 2020 election, Leoffler refused to fully answer questions about whether Trump had lost the election. In February, after she cochaired his inaugural committee, Trump selected her to serve as administrator for the SBA. Loeffler and the SBA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jack Ciattarelli secures the Republican nomination for New Jersey governor
Former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli secured the Republican nomination for New Jersey governor shortly after the polls closed in the June 10 primary. While the results will not be official until later this month, Ciattarelli was declared the victor by the Associated Press and the Washington Post at about 8:17 p.m. There were hundreds gathered at Ciattarelli's party at Bell Works in Holmdel well before the polls closed though no official announcement of his win had been made as of 8:30 p.m. Ciattarelli, who narrowly lost to incumbent Gov. Phil Murphy back in 2021, all but secured the nomination a few weeks ago when President Donald Trump endorsed him in a social media post. In a social media post, Trump said the former assemblyman is a 'terrific America first candidate.' 'Jack, who after getting to know and understand MAGA, has gone ALL IN, and is now 100%," Trump wrote, seemingly acknowledging that Ciattarelli initially called the president a "charlatan" in 2015. Ciattarelli later endorsed Trump and, in 2020, the former New Jersey Assemblyman spoke at a "Stop the Steal" rally promoting the false conspiracy theory that voter fraud put Democrat Joe Biden in office. Ciattarelli has never publicly endorsed that view. Results: See North Jersey 2025 primary results for Bergen, Essex, Passaic and Morris counties After losing to Gov. Phil Murphy in 2021, the Republican said he would run again. He lost in the 2017 primary to former Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno. A Somerville resident and Raritan native, Ciattarelli has spent decades in politics and served in the state Assembly and in county and local government. He beat former radio personality Bill Spadea and state Sen. Jon Bramnick. It is unclear who Ciattarelli will face in November as he tries to succeed Murphy. As of June 1, there were 6,574,692 registered voters in New Jersey, including 2,451,752 Democrats and 1,624,437 Republicans. That is 44,302 fewer Democrats and 60,666 more Republicans than at this time last year. The nation will be watching the Garden State's general election unfold as a bellwether — New Jersey and Virginia are the only states holding elections for governor this year. Pundits are already portraying the two races as referendums on the second Trump administration's policies and agenda. Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehouse. Email: sobko@ This article originally appeared on Jack Ciattarelli wins Republican nomination for NJ governor
