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May 04, 2023 11:22 AM UTC

Proud Boys Convicted of "Seditious Conspiracy"

  • 11 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE: Local Proud Boys self-appointed spokesman Louie Huey responds defiantly:

We figure it will at least muffle them. Federal prison tends to do that.

—–

Enrique Tarrio will have to continue leading the “Proud Boys” from a prison cell.

As The Washington Post reports, former President Trump’s sort-of private army failed to convince a jury that the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection was just their patriotic duty:

Former Proud Boys chairman Henry “Enrique” Tarrio and three other members of the extremist group were found guilty Thursday of seditious conspiracy in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

A jury deliberated for seven days in Washington before finding Tarrio, 29, and other defendants guilty on 31 of 46 counts. The jury returned not guilty verdicts on four counts and continued deliberating on 11 remaining counts. The result was another decisive victory for the Justice Department in the latest of three seditious conspiracy trials held after what it called a historic act of domestic terrorism to prevent the peaceful transfer of power from Donald Trump to Joe Biden after the 2020 presidential election.

Tarrio, dressed in blue suit and vest with red tie, gazed at his relatives in the courtroom gallery as the verdict was read. The other men fixed their eyes on the jury foreman…

…Legal analysts said the convictions on the historically rare and politically weighty crime of seditious conspiracy sent a necessary signal of deterrence to extremists contemplating political violence. [Pols emphasis]

Tarrio remains defiant, telling reporters in a call from jail that he is “standing on principle” and that his prosecution has something to do with the 2024 election being manipulated. It’s all nonsense, of course, and a jury saw right through it.

The New York Times underscores the seriousness of today’s verdict:

The sedition charge, which is rarely used and harks back to the Union’s efforts to protect the federal government against secessionist rebels during the Civil War, was also used in two separate trials against nine members of another far-right group, the Oath Keepers militia. Six of those defendants — including Stewart Rhodes, the organization’s founder and leader — were convicted of sedition; each of the others was found guilty of different serious felonies.

As the verdicts were read in the fourth-floor courtroom, Mr. Tarrio, Mr. Pezzola and the other defendants — Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs and Zachary Rehl — remained steely. With the exception of Mr. Pezzola, the men were also found guilty of conspiring to obstruct the certification of the election, which took place at the Capitol on Jan. 6. All five defendants were convicted of a third conspiracy count as well, which accused them of interfering with the duties of members of Congress that day.

On the conspiracy counts alone, the men could face a maximum of nearly 50 years in prison. And they were found guilty of other felonies as well.

Ruh-roh

Today’s verdict is also another ominous sign for Trump himself. As MSNBC explains:

Today’s verdicts, which include convictions for multiple other serious crimes, are sure to bolster federal prosecutors in Washington and local prosecutors in Fulton County, Georgia, who are considering charges against former President Donald Trump in connection with events before and during Jan. 6…[Pols emphasis]

…The convictions add to the former president’s legal woes. Recall the first presidential debate in 2020, when Trump famously told the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by.” The effect of that callout to the militants became visible to the nation on Jan. 6, and again to the jury here. At trial, the government introduced a message from one Proud Boy who wrote right after the debate that “Donald has given us a command.” Prosecutors also introduced the group’s messages suggesting that some coordination with the White House may have occurred before Jan. 6.

The outcome of this trial and previous prosecutions of the “Oath Keepers” makes it clear that the Jan. 6 insurrection was a planned and coordinated attack on democracy, all of which could (and should) embolden investigators as they look deeper into Trump’s direct role in the attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The wheels of justice may turn slow…but they are indeed turning.

Comments

11 thoughts on “Proud Boys Convicted of “Seditious Conspiracy”

  1. Just a reminder:  Sherronna Bishop, now living in TX, but former campaign chair for Lauren Boebert was all about the Proud Boys. The Tina Peters trial has been moved to October. As part of that investigation the phone of Sherronna Biship was confiscated. I have to believe there are more Proud Boy connections to the Colorado GOP-especially as it is configured in CO's 3rd Congressional District. 

    https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/gop-candidates-campaign-chief-god-proud-boys/story?id=73636943

    1. I think we have a pretty long standing extradition treaty with Texas.

      The GQP in the Lone Star state is probably gonna try to change that. As more and more insurrectionists move to seditionist havens like  Texas, Idaho, and such, they will need to protect themselves.

    1. There's a place all ready and waiting for the worst of the worst.

      Gitmo, baby!!!!!!!!!!

      (. . . and the mango führer they rode in on.  Let him author his coloring book Mine Kompf there.)

  2.   Judge Kelly….. ” Alright Gentlemen, so before we go on to sentencing, would any of you like to visit with our “Memory Counselor”, Mr. Jack?

  3. Worth noting — there are three different conspiracy charges. 

     * Count One: Sedition Conspiracy got 4 guilty, 1 not guilty.

     * Count Two: Conspiracy to Obstruct an Official Proceeding got 4 guilty, 1 hung jury

     * Count Four: Conspiracy to Impede an Officer got 5 guilty.

    Verdicts so far can be found at Empty Wheel:

    WAPO article says "A jury deliberated for seven days in Washington before finding Tarrio, 39, and other defendants guilty on 31 of 46 counts. The jury returned not guilty verdicts on five counts — including acquitting one member, Dominic Pezzola, of seditious conspiracy — and hung on 10 others. "

    WAPO article also has the "conspiracy" charges counted up:  "Fourteen people have now been convicted in the three Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy trials, the highest-profile cases stemming from the largest prosecution in U.S. history. … Four other members of the two groups previously pleaded guilty to the count."  Four have been acquitted of Seditious Conspiracy, but convicted on other charges.

  4. First rule of fight club……..stay satirical don't go kinetic if you are a bunch of morons.

    Oath Keepers type organizations that hold a majority members that are former and current LEO/Military need to be crushed. 

  5. There is NOTHING PATRIOTIC about being convicted of overthrowing the United States government that you claim to support.

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