National

The New Jersey man who used chemical spray to assault police officers, including the late Brian Sicknick, during the Jan. 6 insurrection was sentenced to 80 months in prison on Friday, the Washington Post reports.

The big picture: Sicknick suffered two strokes and died of natural causes the day after the Capitol attack. Julian Khater pleaded guilty in September to two felony charges for assaulting police officers with a dangerous weapon — pepper spray — and causing bodily injury.

"I wish I could take it all back," Khater said in court, per the Post. 

George Tanios, Khater's co-defendant in the case, pleaded guilty in July to two misdemeanor charges after agreeing to a deal with federal prosecutors.

Go deeper: Nearly 40% of Jan. 6 defendants sentenced so far got prison

Jan. 6 rioter gets nearly 7 years for assaulting police, including Sicknick

Sicknick suffered two strokes and died of natural causes the day after the Capitol attack.

Photo of protesters fighting against a police line at the U.S. Capitol during a riot

RIoters during the attack on the Capitol  in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. Photo: Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Capitol riot

2020 election

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Politics & Policy

Three active-duty U.S. Marines have been arrested and charged for storming the Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection, according to court documents.

Why it matters: They are the latest in a series of former and current military personnel to face consequences for participating in the deadly attack.

Details: Cpl. Micah Coomer and Sgts. Joshua Abate and Dodge Dale Hellonen were inside the Capitol for roughly 52 minutes after breaching the building, according to an FBI affidavit. 

While inside they took several photos and videos, at one point placing a red MAGA hat on a statue to pose with it, per the affidavit.

Afterward, Coomer posted on Instagram a collection of photos with the caption "Glad to be apart [sic] of history," the affidavit said. In one Instagram conversation on Nov. 7, 2020, Coomer had allegedly expressed "his beliefs that the election was unfair and fraudulent." 

He also at one point noted support for the far-right extremist group Boogaloo Bois, which has called for a second civil war.

Each Marine faces four misdemeanor charges, including disorderly conduct in the Capitol building with the intent to impede or disrupt Congress.

The big picture: The Pentagon has said that domestic extremism poses a serious threat to the military, with extremists often attempting to recruit service members into their movement.

It was a Marine who became the first known active-duty member of the military to be charged for involvement in the insurrection last May.

The majority of Proud Boys members indicted for sedition for violence during the Jan. 6 attack were also U.S. military veterans.

Go deeper: Defense Secretary Austin orders military "stand down" to address extremism

3 active-duty Marines charged for storming Capitol

They are the latest in a series of former and current military personnel to face consequences for participating in the attack.

Photo of a mob of Trump supporters crowded into a Capitol hallway with signs and banners 

Trump supporters swarm a hallway in the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021. Photo: Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Donald Trump

A federal judge declined to dismiss charges of criminal contempt of Congress against former Trump White House adviser Peter Navarro on Thursday, clearing the way for a trial in a case that’s dragged on in court since Navarro refused to comply with a subpoena issued by the now-defunct House Jan. 6 select committee.

Why it matters: Navarro is one of several Trump allies who have defied subpoenas related to the Capitol insurrection and argued that they are "unlawful." Many have been unsuccessful in their challenges.

How we got here: The panel issued the subpoena last February, citing his efforts in developing a plan to delay Congress' certification of the election results. 

Navarro pleaded not guilty in June to two counts of contempt of Congress, one for refusing to appear for a deposition and the other for refusing to produce documents requested by the committee. 

He has maintained that he cannot testify because former President Trump invoked executive privilege, which can allow presidents and their aides to sidestep congressional scrutiny. If convicted, he faces up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $100,000.

What they're saying: Navarro has "failed to come forward with any evidence to support the claimed assertion of privilege," District Judge Amit Mehta wrote in the 39-page ruling.

He has offered "neither a sworn affidavit nor testimony from him or the former President" to back up his claims, Mehta said. "Without actual proof, the court cannot find that there was a formal invocation of privilege."

Mehta further dismissed Navarro's argument that the committee should have reached out to Trump about his invocation of privilege. 

The claim "improperly places a burden on the Committee that belongs with the former President," Mehta noted. "The court cannot dismiss an indictment for contempt of Congress on the mere presumption that President Trump would have asserted executive privilege if only he had been asked."

Navarro, who has accused the committee of pursuing a politically motivated witch hunt, also failed to "provide sufficient evidence of undue political influence," Mehta said.

Worth noting: Former Trump strategist Steve Bannon was convicted on contempt charges last July after making similar arguments in his trial. 

He was sentenced to four months in prison and is appealing the verdict.

Judge declines to dismiss contempt charges against ex-Trump aide Peter Navarro

Navarro has "failed to come forward with any evidence" to support his arguments for dismissing the case, the judge said.

Photo of Peter Navarro looking to his right 

Former Trump White House adviser Peter Navarro walks out of the Prettyman Courthouse in Washington on Aug. 31. Photo: Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images

Peter Navarro

A federal judge said Tuesday that a California woman who breached the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection "followed then-President Trump’s instructions" in breaking the law.

Driving the news: Danean MacAndrew, who traveled to D.C. from California for Trump's rally and filmed herself storming the Capitol with the mob of pro-Trump supporters, was found guilty on charges including violent entry and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building after a three-day bench trial.

What they're saying: Before the Jan. 6, 2021, rally on Jan. 6, MacAndrew tweeted at him "that she too felt that '[t]raps had been set' in the '#RiggedElection' of 2020," District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly wrote in the 18-page opinion. "And at the 'Stop the Steal' rally, then-President Trump eponymously exhorted his supporters to, in fact, stop the steal by marching to the Capitol.

"Defendant marched to the Capitol where, she testified, she understood that only Congress had the power to fix the election’s outcome and that Congress was likely in session while she was around and in the Capitol," Kollar-Kotelly said.

"Every step of the way, from the western boundary of Capitol grounds, to the West Lawn, to the Upper West Terrace, to the interior of the Capitol itself, she saw sign after sign that her presence was unlawful," Kollar-Kotelly said. "Nevertheless, heeding the call of former President Trump, she continued onwards to 'stop the steal.'

"Having followed then-President Trump’s instructions, which were in line with her stated desires, the Court therefore finds that Defendant intended her presence to be disruptive to Congressional business."

The big picture: Kollar-Kotelly's words echo rhetoric in the House Jan. 6 select committee's final report, which alleges that Trump engaged in a "multi-part conspiracy to overturn the lawful results of the 2020 Presidential election."

Other Jan. 6 defendants have also blamed Trump and accused him of giving "presidential orders" to attack the Capitol.

At his first broadcast-network appearance since Capitol riot, former Vice President Mike Pence told ABC's "World News Tonight" that Trump's actions during the insurrection meant he "decided to be part of the problem."

Yes, but: Trump has maintained that the report and its allegations are a political witch hunt. 

The former president had "urged the crowd to 'peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard' on Jan. 6, a fact, just like the Unselect Committee, this biased judge deliberately omitted," said Trump spokesperson Liz Harrington said in a statement to Axios, in reference to both Kollar-Kotelly's ruling and the now-dissolved panel. 

"The violations of due process and unfair treatment of political prisoners by the U.S. government during this saga will forever be a stain on our country," Harrington added.

Go deeper... 187 minutes: Jan. 6 hearing to show Trump's deliberate inaction

Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment from Liz Harrington, a spokesperson for former President Trump. 

Judge: Jan. 6 rioter who broke into Capitol followed "Trump's instructions"

Danean MacAndrew traveled filmed herself storming the Capitol after traveling to D.C. from California.

Photo of Donald Trump raising a finger as he looks into the distance

Donald Trump greets the crowd at his "Stop The Steal" rally on Jan. 6, 2021 in Washington, D.C. Photo: Tasos Katopodis via Getty Images

Sandra Garza, the longtime partner of the fallen U.S. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, filed a lawsuit Thursday against former President Trump and two other defendants charged with assaulting Sicknick during the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Driving the news: The lawsuit, filed by lawyers for Garza and Sicknick’s estate, seeks $10 million in damages. It alleges wrongful death and conspiracy to violate civil rights. Sicknick suffered two strokes and died of natural causes after clashing with rioters during the Jan. 6 attack.

Medical examiner Francisco J. Diaz told the Washington Post after the autopsy that events at the Capitol on Jan. 6 "played a role in his condition."

What they're saying: "Through his words and conduct, Defendant Trump endorsed and ratified the violent actions of the mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol, including Defendants Khater and Tanios," states the lawsuit, referring to Jan. 6 rioters George Tanios and Julian Khater.

"Before directing the mob to the U.S. Capitol, Defendant Trump instructed them to 'fight like hell' and declared that 'you’re allowed to go by very different rules' and 'you have to show strength,'" the complaint alleges. "Defendant Trump intended these words to be taken literally." 

He also "intentionally riled up the crowd and directed and encouraged a mob to attack the U.S. Capitol and attack those who opposed them," per the complaint.

"The violence that followed, and the injuries that violence caused, including the injuries sustained by Officer Sicknick and his eventual death, were reasonable and foreseeable consequences of Defendant Trump’s words and conduct."

The big picture: Garza has said that she and Sicknick were Trump supporters before the Capitol riot. "He knew that Brian was devoted to him, and he did not once reach out to me ... he didn't even send a letter of condolences," Garza told CBS News in June 2021. "He did absolutely nothing."

Ahead of the first anniversary of the riot, Garza told "PBS NewsHour" that she holds Trump "100% responsible" for her partner's death — and that he "needs to be in prison" for his role in the deadly assault.

Tanios and Khater, who faced charges for assaulting police officers with chemical sprays, both took pleaded deals last year.

The other side: "President Trump clearly and unequivocally stated that Americans should 'peacefully and patriotically make their voices heard," a spokesperson for Trump said in an emailed statement.

"President Trump is immune from frivolous attacks and will continue to be fully focused on his mission to Make America Great Again."

Tanios and Khater couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

Sandra Garza v. Donald Trump complaint

Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment from a spokesperson for former President Trump.

Partner of fallen Capitol Police officer sues Trump for $10 million

Sicknick suffered two strokes and died of natural causes after clashing with rioters during the Jan. 6 attack.

Former President Trump arrives for an event at his Mar-a-Lago home on Dec. 31, 2022 in Palm Beach, Florida. Photo: Joe Raedle via Getty Images

The House Jan. 6 select committee has made public dozens of transcripts of witness testimony gathered from its investigation — before and after the release of its highly anticipated final report.

Driving the news: The transcripts include the testimonies of former Trump lawyer John Eastman, far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio, Trump's acting assistant attorney general Jeffrey Clark, Cassidy Hutchinson, a former aide to ex-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows,  former Defense Secretary Mark Esper and former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.

Many of the witnesses primarily exercised their Fifth Amendment right to not answer questions.

The transcripts nevertheless shed light on the scope of evidence obtained by Jan. 6 investigators.

Details: The committee has released the transcripts in batches during the month of December. 

The big picture: The panel voted unanimously this month that former President Trump committed crimes in his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and referred him to the Department of Justice on at least four criminal charges, including insurrection and obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress.

Its final report, which was released Dec. 23, came as the culmination of a year and a half of work, including hundreds of depositions and hundreds of thousands of documents and other material evidence.

The panel estimated that between the November 2020 election and the Jan. 6 insurrection, Trump or his inner circle "engaged in at least 200 apparent acts of public or private outreach, pressure, or condemnation, targeting either State legislators or State or local election administrators, to overturn State election results," per the report.

Go deeper: Jan. 6 committee's unanswered questions

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.

Jan. 6 select committee releases dozens of transcripts of witness testimonies

Most of the witnesses primarily exercised their Fifth Amendment right to not answer questions.

Former President Trump speaks at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla., on Nov. 15. Photo: Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Jan. 6 select committee

Jan. 6 select committee chair Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) said Monday that he has "no doubt" the Department of Justice (DOJ) will charge former President Trump once it evaluates the evidence compiled by the panel.

Why it matters: Thompson's comments to CNN follow the committee's unanimous vote to refer Trump to the DOJ on at least four criminal charges, including insurrection and obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress.

What he's saying: "The committee looked at it long and hard, and from my vantage point, we couldn't do anything except make the referral," Thompson told CNN after the panel's hearing on Monday.

"It was clear in the evaluation of the evidence uncovered by our committee that those actions taken by ... former President Trump, clearly created a problem for this country," he added.

"I'm convinced that now that our committee has released our information, they will take the information that we've shared with them and proceed with the investigation," Thompson added. 

"I have no doubt that once the investigation proceeds and is concluded, if the evidence is as we presented it, I'm convinced the Justice Department will charge former President Trump. No one — including a former president — is above the law."

The big picture: The referrals are non-binding and do not require the DOJ to take any additional action but could inform the DOJ's own investigation into Trump.

 "Viewing it as a former prosecutor, I think there's sufficient evidence to charge the president," Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union."

Trump announced his 2024 presidential campaign last month.

Jan. 6 committee chair says he has "no doubt" DOJ will charge Trump

The committee voted Monday to refer Trump to the DOJ on at least four criminal charges, including insurrection.

Photo of Bennie Thompson speaking into a mic

Rep. Bennie Thompson, chair of the Jan. 6 select committee, speaks during the panel's last public hearing on Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 19, 2022. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Two men, including the leader of Hawaii's Proud Boys chapter, were each sentenced to fours years in prison on Friday for their involvement in the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection.

Driving the news: Nicholas Ochs, 36, and Nicholas DeCarlo, 32, threw smoke bombs at the police line on Jan. 6 before breaching the Capitol. DeCarlo defaced the Memorial Door with the words, "Murder the Media," the name of their social media channel, as Ochs recorded the action, according to the Department of Justice.

Details: Ochs, who founded the Hawaii branch of the far-right Proud Boys, traveled to D.C. from Honolulu and met up in Virginia with DeCarlo, who traveled from Texas.

Once they stormed the Capitol, Ochs and DeCarlo also "rummaged through a U.S. Capitol Police duffel bag" while DeCarlo took a pair of plastic handcuffs, prosecutors said.

Walking away from the building, Ochs allegedly said, "Sorry we couldn’t go live when we stormed the f----in’ U.S. Capitol and made Congress flee."

Both men pleaded guilty to obstruction of an official proceeding in September. In addition to their prison terms, Ochs will have to pay a $5,000 fine, $2,000 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. DeCarlo will similarly have to pay a $2,500 fine, $2,000 in restitution and a $100 special assessment.  

The big picture: The DOJ has arrested over 900 people in connection to the riots.

Worth noting: Ochs ran as a Republican for a seat in the Hawaii House of Representatives during the 2020 election but was defeated by Democrat Adrian Tam. 

Proud Boy who wrote "Murder the Media" on Capitol sentenced to 4 years in prison

Nicholas Ochs and Nicholas DeCarlo also threw smoke bombs at the police line on Jan. 6 before storming the Capitol.

Photo of a giant American flag flying over a crowd of pro-Trump supporters at the Capitol

Pro-Trump protesters gather outside the U.S. Capitol grounds before breaching the Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C. Photo: Tasos Katopodis via Getty Images

Attorney General Merrick Garland said Wednesday that the Department of Justice is seeking access to "all the transcripts and all the other evidence" collected by the House Jan. 6 committee to use as part of the DOJ's own investigation.

Why it matters: His comments follow a monthslong effort to secure witness testimonies obtained behind closed doors. The DOJ previously suggested that the committee's failure to hand over witness transcripts undermines the federal investigation into the Capitol insurrection.

Between the lines: The panel, which has interviewed over 1,000 people, does not have the authority to pursue criminal charges. But the DOJ could use the evidence to bring in witnesses, including Trump associates, pursue potential criminal cases and conduct new interviews led by federal law enforcement officials.

What he's saying: "We would like to have all the transcripts and all the other evidence collected by the committee so that we can use it in the ordinary course of our investigations," Garland said at a news conference.

"We are asking for access for all of the transcripts and that’s really all I can say right now."

Pointing to the recent convictions of several Oath Keepers involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection, Garland added, "As the verdict of this case makes clear, the department will work tirelessly to hold accountable those responsible for crimes related to the attack on our democracy."

Their response: Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), who chairs the House Jan. 6 committee, told reporters on the Hill Wednesday that the panel plans to publicly release transcripts of interviews and its long-awaited report before the Christmas holiday.

"We will share whatever we have with any agency that requests it just like the public will have access to our report and material, too," Thompson said.

Worth noting: The transcripts have served as a point of contention between the DOJ and committee members, some of whom have publicly criticized the DOJ's delay in acting on cases.

The big picture: The Justice Department has arrested over 900 people in connection with the riots. 

Some members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers involved in the riot have already pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy charges.

Hundreds of other defendants have pleaded guilty or were convicted of charges stemming from Jan. 6.

Go deeper: McCarthy tells Jan. 6 committee to preserve its findings

Garland reiterates DOJ's demand for all transcripts, evidence in House Jan. 6 probe

The DOJ previously suggested that the committee's failure to hand over transcripts undermines the federal Jan. 6 investigation.

Merrick Garland, U.S. attorney general, speaks during a news conference at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 30, 2022. Photo: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The South Carolina Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a lower court ruling ordering former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to testify before a Georgia grand jury investigating efforts to overturn 2020 election results.

Why it matters: Meadows, a close ally to former President Trump, could be a key witness in the investigation. He and other Trump allies sought to avoid testifying after the grand jury issued subpoenas.

Meadows, who currently lives in South Carolina, had argued that he cannot be compelled to testify, claiming the special grand jury is not a criminal probe. 

What they're saying: "We have reviewed the arguments raised by Appellant and find them to be manifestly without merit," South Carolina’s Supreme Court justices wrote.

Don't forget: Meadows was on the line during a January 2021 phone call when Trump told Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to "find 11,780 votes."

A top aide to Meadows also testified to the Jan. 6 committee earlier this year that he warned Jan. 6 "might get real, real bad" in the days prior, suggesting he was aware of the risk of violence.

The big picture: Giuliani appeared before the grand jury in August after an unsuccessful attempt to avoid giving testimony.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) also testified last week after a failed legal battle that went all the way to the Supreme Court, which ultimately rejected his bid to block the grand jury's subpoena.

Go deeper: Meadows sought pardon after Jan. 6, his former top aide testifies

Editor's note: This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates. 

Mark Meadows must testify in Georgia election probe, S.C. Supreme Court rules

Meadows, a close ally to former President Trump, could be a key witness in the investigation.

Photo of Mark Meadows holding his glasses

Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows speaks during a forum at FreedowmWorks headquarters on Nov. 14 in Washington, D.C. Photo: Drew Angerer via Getty Images

Mark Meadows (North Carolina politician)

Sneak Peek

Axios Sneak Peek

Moments after taking the oath of office, President Biden sought to soothe a nation riven by political divisions and a global pandemic, while warning that "we have far to go" to heal the country and defeat a "virus that silently stalks the the country."

Why it matters: From the same steps that a pro-Trump mob launched an assault on Congress two weeks earlier, the new president paid deference to the endurance of American political institutions. 

What they're saying: "This is America's day. This is democracy's day. The day of history and hope. Of renewal and resolve," Biden said.

"Through a crucible through the ages, America has been tested anew and America has risen to the challenge. Today, we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate, but of a cause. The cause of democracy," he continued.

"Democracy is precious. Democracy is fragile. At this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed."

Biden vowed to "confront domestic terrorism," and channeled former President Abraham Lincoln in his pledge to help "bring America together and united our nation." 

"This is a great nation. We are good people." Biden said. "But victory is never assured."

Biden directly addressed Trump's supporters and asked them to "hear me out" before vowing to be "a president for all Americans." "We must end this uncivil war."

Trump, breaking with tradition, did not attend his successor's inauguration.

Biden at one point in the speech led the country in prayer, acknowledging he will take on the presidency at a time the U.S. remains polarized and in the grips of a coronavirus crisis that has killed more than 400,000 Americans.

"We will press forward with speed and urgency," he said. "For we have much to do in this winter of peril and significant possibilities. Much to repair, much to restore, much to heal, much to build, and much to gain."

"My whole soul is in it. Today, on this January day, my whole soul is in this."

What to watch: While Biden's speech included olive branches to Trump supporters, his immediate actions are aimed at reversing many of the policies that Trump imposed in the opening days of his presidency. 

After the speech, Biden will return to the White House, where he served as vice president just eight years ago, with 15 executive actions awaiting his presidential signature. 

His flurry of executive actions is the start of an ambitious agenda to reverse much of Trump's legacy.

Inaugural address: Biden vows to be "a president for all Americans"

Biden also directly addressed Trump’s supporters and asked them to “hear me out."

Politics

Joe Biden

The top Republicans who have acknowledged Biden as president-elect

The fact that so few have done so highlights Trump's lasting power in the GOP.