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u.s. news Diamars 1 maart 2022

Many Capitol riot cases could hinge on 1st trial’s outcome

(AP) — The Justice De- took at least two firearms
partment launched one “It’ll really be interesting to with him to Washington: an
of the largest and most see how strong a case the AR-15 rifle and a Smith &
complex criminal investi- government has and whether Wesson pistol. When FBI
gations in its history after or not they’re relying on evi- agents searched Reffitt’s
a mob of Donald Trump dence that, when pushed and home in Wylie, Texas, they
supporters stormed the tested, stands up. It’s going found a handgun in a holster
U.S. Capitol over a year to have a huge impact going on a nightstand in the defen-
ago. Now it’s time for a forward,” added Sofer, now a dant’s bedroom. Prosecutors
jury to hear some of the partner at a law firm. say photos and video of Ref-
government’s evidence fitt during the riot show a
about the unparalleled at- Reffitt is a member of a mi- handgun holster on his right
tack on American democ- litia-style group called the hip, with what appears to be
racy. “Texas Three Percenters,” a silver object inside the hol-
according to prosecutors. ster.
The first trial for one of the The Three Percenters militia
hundreds of Capitol riot movement refers to the myth On the morning of Jan. 6,
prosecutions began this that only 3% of Americans Reffitt said he planned to ed an unprecedented volume Reffitt’s case may lead to a
week, with jury selection fought in the Revolutionary “do the recon and then come of evidence, with hundreds flurry of guilty pleas by other
starting Monday for the case War against the British. back for weapons hot” and of thousands of documents riot defendants.
against Guy Wesley Reffitt. sent messages about meeting and thousands of hours of
The Texas man is charged On Jan. 6, 2021, Reffitt was at a “rendezvous point,” ac- videos to share with defense “And that can benefit defen-
with bringing a gun onto armed with a handgun in a cording to prosecutors. attorneys. Shared files total dants on occasion because it’s
Capitol grounds, interfering holster on his waist, carrying more than nine terabytes of better than the alternative if
with police officers guarding zip-tie handcuffs and wear- “These messages, along with information and would take the alternative is a conviction
the building, and threatening ing body armor and a helmet the weapons that Reffitt car- over 100 days to view, the de- following a trial,” Danilewitz
his teenage children if they equipped with a video camera ried and the gear he wore, partment says. added.
reported him to authorities. when he and others charged make clear that the defen-
at police officers on the west dant did not come to D.C. More than 750 people have An acquittal could inspire
Reffitt’s trial could be a bell- side of the Capitol, according with the intention to engage been charged with federal other defendants to “dig in
wether for many other Capi- to prosecutors. in peaceful activity,” prosecu- crimes related to the riot. their heels” and either push
tol riot cases. A conviction tors wrote. Over 200 of them have for a better plea offer from
would give prosecutors more “This action caused the police pleaded guilty, mostly to mis- prosecutors or gamble a trial
leverage in plea talks with ri- line guarding the building to The siege resulted in the demeanors carrying a maxi- of their own, he said.
oters facing the most serious retreat closer to the building deaths of five people, includ- mum sentence of six months’
charges. An acquittal may itself; soon after this, law en- ing a police officer. The Jus- imprisonment. More than Defense attorney William
lead others to wait for their forcement was overwhelmed, tice Department says more 100 riot defendants have Welch has said there is no
own day in court. and rioters flooded the build- than 235 rioters have been been sentenced. And at least evidence that Reffitt dam-
ing,” prosecutors wrote in a charged with assaulting or 90 others have trial dates this aged property, used force or
Reffitt “truly is the canary in court filing. impeding law enforcement, year. physically harmed anybody.
the coal mine,” said Gregg injuring over 100 officers. In a May 2021 court filing,
Sofer, a former federal pros- Reffitt retreated only after an Rioters caused over $1 mil- Philadelphia-based defense Welch said none of the vid-
ecutor who served as U.S. officer pepper sprayed him in lion in damage to the Capitol. attorney Justin Danilewitz, eos or photos shows a gun
attorney for the Western Dis- the face, prosecutors said. who was a federal prosecu- in Reffitt’s possession at the
trict of Texas from October The Justice Department says tor in New Jersey from 2012 Capitol.
2020 to February 2021. Prosecutors believe Reffitt its investigation has generat- to 2017, said a conviction in

High court to weigh limits to EPA efforts on climate change

(AP) — The Supreme power plants, a development at reducing the spread of case as about who should premature, a view shared by
Court is hearing a case that has alarmed environ- COVID-19. Last summer, make the rules. “Should it the administration.
its conservative majority mental groups. They worry the court’s 6-3 conservative be unelected bureaucrats, or
could use to hobble Biden that the court could preemp- majority ended a pause on should it be the people’s rep- He said the administration’s
administration efforts to tively undermine whatever evictions over unpaid rent. In resentatives in Congress?” opponents are advancing
combat climate change. plan Biden’s team develops January, the same six justices Morrisey said. West Virginia “horror stories about extreme
to address power plant emis- blocked a requirement that is leading the states opposed regulations the EPA may is-
The administration already sions. Biden has pledged to workers at large employers to broad EPA authority. sue in the future. The EPA is
is dealing with congressional cut greenhouse gas emissions be vaccinated or test regularly writing a new rule on a clean
refusal to enact the climate in half by the end of the de- and wear a mask on the job. But David Doniger, a climate slate.”
change proposals in Presi- cade. West Virginia Attorney Gen- change expert with the Natu-
dent Joe Biden’s Build Better eral Patrick Morrisey, speak- ral Resources Defense Coun- The power plant case has a
Back plan. A broad ruling by the court ing at a recent event in Wash- cil, said the Supreme Court’s long and complicated history
also could weaken regula- ington, cast the power plant consideration of the issue is that begins with the Obama
Now the justices, in argu- tory efforts that extend well administration’s Clean Pow-
ments Monday, are taking up beyond the environment, er Plan. That plan would
an appeal from 19 mostly Re- including consumer protec- have required states to reduce
publican-led states and coal tions, workplace safety and emissions from the genera-
companies over the Environ- public health. Several con- tion of electricity, mainly by
mental Protection Agency’s servative justices have criti- shifting away from coal-fired
authority to limit carbon di- cized what they see as the plants.
oxide emissions from power unchecked power of federal
plants. agencies. But that plan never took ef-
fect. Acting in a lawsuit filed
The court took on the case Those concerns were evi- by West Virginia and others,
even though there is no cur- dent in the court’s orders the Supreme Court blocked
rent EPA plan in place to deal throwing out two Biden ad- it in 2016 by a 5-4 vote, with
with carbon output from ministration policies aimed conservatives in the majority.