District of Columbia Chief Judge admits bias against January 6th defendants She should be removed from all cases against the Capitol kerfufflers

Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell, from her government biography.

We have spent a fair amount of bandwidth on the January 6th “insurrection,” an event that I have called the Capitol kerfuffle, because it was really no more serious than a fraternity keg party gone a bit out of control. And we have said that U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan needs to be removed from all of the kerfuffle cases, because he has demonstrated a clear bias against the defendants.

Well, now his boss has added her 2¢, and she, too, has demonstrated clear bias. From The Washington Post:

Chief federal judge in D.C. assails ‘almost schizophrenic’ Jan. 6 prosecutions: ‘The rioters were not mere protesters’

by Rachel Weiner | October 28, 2021 | 5:55 PM EDT

The chief judge presiding over the federal court in Washington on Thursday unleashed a blistering critique of the Justice Department’s prosecution of Capitol rioters, saying fiery rhetoric about the event’s horror did not match plea offers involving minor charges.

“No wonder parts of the public in the U.S. are confused about whether what happened on January 6 at the Capitol was simply a petty offense of trespassing with some disorderliness, or shocking criminal conduct that represented a grave threat to our democratic norms,” Judge Beryl A. Howell said in court Thursday. “Let me make my view clear: The rioters were not mere protesters.”

While she and other judges have expressed similar concerns before, this was Howell’s first time sentencing a rioter and her first chance to fully air her views and demand answers from prosecutors. She took the opportunity, spending over an hour interrogating prosecutors on the decision to let Tennessee video game developer Jack Jesse Griffith plead guilty to the misdemeanor of parading inside the Capitol.[1]40 U.S.C. § 5104(e)(2)(G) – Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building; The penalty for violating 40 U.S.C. §5104(e)(2) is a misdemeanor conviction punishable by a maximum fine … Continue reading

Howell, who was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2010, also oversaw portions of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Before taking the bench, she served as a prosecutor and worked on cybersecurity law in the public and private sector.

Why, she asked, when prosecutors called the riot an “attack on democracy . . . unparalleled in American history,” were Griffith and other participants facing the same charge as nonviolent protesters who routinely disrupt congressional hearings?

“It seems like a bit of a disconnect,” Howell said — “muddled” and “almost schizophrenic.”

“Unparalleled in American history”? Perhaps they’ve forgotten a rather serious disagreement with the federal government that occurred between 1861 and 1865?

I would note here that even Jefferson Davis, the President of the Confederate States of America, though held in appalling conditions through two years of ‘pre-trial’ imprisonment by vengeful General Nelson Miles, was never brought to trial for treason, or any other offense. He was released on $100,000 bail, and moved to Quebec. On Christmas Day of 1868, President Andrew Johnson issued an unconditional pardon and amnesty for treason “”every person who directly or indirectly participated in the late insurrection or rebellion.” Robert E Lee was indicted, but never arrested, tried or punished, though he lost the right to vote. The Capitol kerfufflers have been treated more harshly than than General Lee!

There’s more at the original, including the point that:

Other federal judges in D.C. have ignored probationary recommendations from prosecutors and imposed jail time in riot cases,

much of which shows the strong judicial bias against the kerfufflers. Don’t talk to me about the law when we are allowing judges who have publicly admitted a bias against the people before their courts.

Were I, by some miracle, to become President, I would immediately issue blanket pardons for all of the January 6th defendants.

References

References
1 40 U.S.C. § 5104(e)(2)(G) – Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building; The penalty for violating 40 U.S.C. §5104(e)(2) is a misdemeanor conviction punishable by a maximum fine of $5,000 or up to six months in prison, or both. Footnote by DRP, not part of the Washington Post article.
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5 thoughts on “District of Columbia Chief Judge admits bias against January 6th defendants She should be removed from all cases against the Capitol kerfufflers

  1. I’ve come to realize that like all other institutions the legal institution has become almost completely corrupted by “woke” college graduates over the past two decades and therefore I expect zero justice. This disgrace of a human and lawyer just proves I’m right.

    BTW, thanks for:

    ” Dana says:
    October 29, 2021 at 10:34 am

    And a civil society cannot exist when one person calls another commenter’s wife a whore. ”

    I am quite disappointed that Teach did not at least suspend Elwood until he apologized. That’s all. Not flag him forever. Just have him apologize. At this point I have no choice but cut off my comments from The Cove. Funny, I’ve felt calmer over the last few days occasionally clicking in and not feeling I needed to respond to that idiot.

    Soon I’ll even stop clicking in then completely erase it from my favorites like I did Patterico.

      • Well, I do appreciate you standing up for June. What Elwood said is inexcusable especially since she has nothing to do with this. We all know I’ve called Elwood some pretty bad names as he has me but I would never drag his wife or family into the fray. I suppose Teach does not think that was over the line but I have to stay true to my wife so I’m finished there.

          • Elwood’s response, or lack thereof, exemplifies the problem with religious leftist. Regardless of how wrong they are they will never apologize. It’s a matter of religious faith that we are so evil they can do anything they want to us and we deserve it. After all, both June and I voted for Trump. Which is why given the chance they will kill us all. Just like it’s a matter of faith for a mooslem so it is for a radical leftist.

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