'I have common sense': Judge slaps down MAGA rioter's excuses to his face
United States District Court Judge Dabney Friedrich did not appear pleased with a convicted MAGA rioter's attempt to make excuses for himself during a Friday sentencing hearing.
As reported by CBS News' Scott MacFarlane, Friedrich delivered what he described as a "blistering" interjection during the sentencing hearing of Barry Ramey, a member of the Proud Boys who was charged with pepper-spraying police after he marched to the Capitol wearing tactical gear that prosecutors said showed he came prepared to commit acts of violence.
The interjection in question came when Ramey's attorney tried to argue that their client only wore a tactical vest for defensive purposes, while the knee pads he equipped during the riots were to protect his "vulnerable knees."
In addition to this, the attorney argued that Ramey didn't bring the pepper spray he used on Capitol police but only found it on the scene.
This was apparently too much for Judge Friedrich, however.
“That doesn’t ring true to me," she said, according to MacFarlane. "I have common sense."
Additionally, reports MacFarlane, Friedrich whacked Ramey's attorney for arguing their client had been "completely forthcoming," as she said he has only admitted to facts that the court has clear evidence to prove.
"What has he admitted that the court doesn’t already have evidence of?" she asked. “He’s admitting only what he can’t deny."
Friedrich would go on to give Ramey a five-year prison sentence.
AFPRudy Giuliani 'has exposure as a potential co-conspirator': J6 committee’s top investigator
A former U.S. Attorney who served as the House Jan. 6 committee’s top investigator said Thursday that former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani could be facing serious legal jeopardy of his own.
Timothy Heaphy during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace” said that the former New York City mayor “has exposure as a potential co-conspirator” in special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation over allegations of election interference.
“Rudy Giuliani has had exposure from the beginning,” Heaphy said, noting that “he was directly soliciting the submission of these fake electors, and continuing to make these public statements with no basis in fact or law.”
Heaphy’s assertion is supported by the account of former Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers, who said Wednesday during an appearance on CNN that Giuliani, among others in the Trump orbit, offered him “proof” of election fraud that in his estimation was no such thing.
Heaphy suggested that Giuliani’s submission of fake electors is the reason “his license to practice law has been removed.”
“Now,” Heaphy added, “I don't know if he's continuing to stick to that when he goes in front of the grand jury – he did stick to that when he testified before the select committee – or whether or not he has changed his tune and has worked out some sort of deal with the special counsel where he will admit that he had awareness that there was no basis in fact in law and continued nonetheless to perpetuate the fake collector scheme, and ultimately aided and abetted the attempt to obstruct the official proceeding."
He noted:
“That's that is a missing piece, what Mr. Giuliani's status is, but there's no question to call just based on the record, we know that he has exposure as a potential co-conspirator.”
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