College Park: A rally is to be organized a day earlier to protest against the alleged misbehavior with the jailed rebels on January 6. capital In the riots, a federal judge on Friday sentenced a California architect to probation for his role in the violence, stressing that the rebellion “represents a threat to democracy” and in a “tragic and unfortunate way.” “It resonates.
United States District Judge Paul Friedman Noted that security fencing has been put up around the Capitol in preparation for Saturday’s rally, which he called “misguided” by those who accuse him of mistreating the jailed insurgents who have lost the former president’s certification. Tried to stop. Donald Trumpdamage to Joe Biden.
Friedman sentenced Valerie Elaine Arke to three years’ probation and ordered her to perform 120 hours of community service.
Justice Department prosecutors said they recommended a probationary sentence for Ehrke because she was inside the Capitol for about a minute, only about 15 feet into the building and not involved in any violence or destruction of property. Was. Friedman said that Erke’s role in the rebellion was “as little as it should be”.
More than 600 people have been indicted for federal crimes related to the riots. Ehrke is one of about 70 defendants who have pleaded guilty to riot-related charges.
Friedman said some believe the incarcerated rebels are “patriots”.
“And some of them may be on some level. But on another level, the conduct they did to advance their beliefs is not a First Amendment speech nor a First Amendment legitimate protest,” Friedman said. “What happened was a riot, an incitement, a rebellion”.
He echoed another judge’s position that probation should not be an “automatic consequence” for a misdemeanor sentence like Ehrke’s. “Everybody who attacked the capital represented a threat to democracy, to our democratic norms and continues to resonate in a sad and unfortunate way,” Friedman said.
Ehrke is the seventh Capitol riot defendant to be sentenced. He pleaded guilty to illegal parade, demonstration or picketing in the Capitol building on June 30.
More than 40 Capitol riot defendants have pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor offense that carries a maximum prison term of 6 months and a fine of $5,000.
Ehrke told the judge that the January 6 riot was “such a unique situation”.
“I didn’t have the depth of experience to understand that I needed to get out there or stay away,” she said.
In a letter submitted to the court before his sentencing, Erke called himself “a good member of society” who often picks up trash in his neighborhood and works free of charge on architectural projects in his community.
“I am a small town girl who loves my city, my state and my country,” she wrote.
Prosecutors asked Friedman to sentence Ehrke to three years’ probation and 40 hours of community service. Assistant US Attorney Kevin Birney said Arke was among the first defendants in the capital riot who agreed to plead guilty.
“The government puts a lot of burden on him,” he said.
Ehrke traveled to Washington, DC on January 5 from his home in Arbuckle, California, to attend Trump’s speech the next day. After hearing the speech, she initially returned to her hotel room.
“However, when she saw a news story about how people were going to the US Capitol, she decided she wanted to be part of the crowd,” prosecutors wrote in a court filing.
Ehrke recorded and uploaded videos to Facebook when she went to the Capitol, accompanied by a caption that said she was walking towards the “violated” building. Arke must have heard the alarm sounding throughout the Capitol as he entered. He was stopped behind a crowd of people when police began pushing him out of the building through a hallway and through a door.
Ehrke posted on Facebook, “We made it in, right before they kicked us all out. I felt the pepper spray in my throat. Lol.”
The picture was a fiery “cue” for Ehrke’s Facebook profile, an apparent reference to QAnon conspiracy theory. Many QAnon followers believe that Trump was fighting a covert campaign against deep-state enemies, prominent Democrats and the devil-worshipping of Hollywood’s elite, who were operating a child sex-trafficking ring. .
The riots disrupted the certification of the 2020 Electoral College vote count. More than 100 law enforcement officers were injured during the mob attack, which caused more than $1 million in property damage.
United States District Judge Paul Friedman Noted that security fencing has been put up around the Capitol in preparation for Saturday’s rally, which he called “misguided” by those who accuse him of mistreating the jailed insurgents who have lost the former president’s certification. Tried to stop. Donald Trumpdamage to Joe Biden.
Friedman sentenced Valerie Elaine Arke to three years’ probation and ordered her to perform 120 hours of community service.
Justice Department prosecutors said they recommended a probationary sentence for Ehrke because she was inside the Capitol for about a minute, only about 15 feet into the building and not involved in any violence or destruction of property. Was. Friedman said that Erke’s role in the rebellion was “as little as it should be”.
More than 600 people have been indicted for federal crimes related to the riots. Ehrke is one of about 70 defendants who have pleaded guilty to riot-related charges.
Friedman said some believe the incarcerated rebels are “patriots”.
“And some of them may be on some level. But on another level, the conduct they did to advance their beliefs is not a First Amendment speech nor a First Amendment legitimate protest,” Friedman said. “What happened was a riot, an incitement, a rebellion”.
He echoed another judge’s position that probation should not be an “automatic consequence” for a misdemeanor sentence like Ehrke’s. “Everybody who attacked the capital represented a threat to democracy, to our democratic norms and continues to resonate in a sad and unfortunate way,” Friedman said.
Ehrke is the seventh Capitol riot defendant to be sentenced. He pleaded guilty to illegal parade, demonstration or picketing in the Capitol building on June 30.
More than 40 Capitol riot defendants have pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor offense that carries a maximum prison term of 6 months and a fine of $5,000.
Ehrke told the judge that the January 6 riot was “such a unique situation”.
“I didn’t have the depth of experience to understand that I needed to get out there or stay away,” she said.
In a letter submitted to the court before his sentencing, Erke called himself “a good member of society” who often picks up trash in his neighborhood and works free of charge on architectural projects in his community.
“I am a small town girl who loves my city, my state and my country,” she wrote.
Prosecutors asked Friedman to sentence Ehrke to three years’ probation and 40 hours of community service. Assistant US Attorney Kevin Birney said Arke was among the first defendants in the capital riot who agreed to plead guilty.
“The government puts a lot of burden on him,” he said.
Ehrke traveled to Washington, DC on January 5 from his home in Arbuckle, California, to attend Trump’s speech the next day. After hearing the speech, she initially returned to her hotel room.
“However, when she saw a news story about how people were going to the US Capitol, she decided she wanted to be part of the crowd,” prosecutors wrote in a court filing.
Ehrke recorded and uploaded videos to Facebook when she went to the Capitol, accompanied by a caption that said she was walking towards the “violated” building. Arke must have heard the alarm sounding throughout the Capitol as he entered. He was stopped behind a crowd of people when police began pushing him out of the building through a hallway and through a door.
Ehrke posted on Facebook, “We made it in, right before they kicked us all out. I felt the pepper spray in my throat. Lol.”
The picture was a fiery “cue” for Ehrke’s Facebook profile, an apparent reference to QAnon conspiracy theory. Many QAnon followers believe that Trump was fighting a covert campaign against deep-state enemies, prominent Democrats and the devil-worshipping of Hollywood’s elite, who were operating a child sex-trafficking ring. .
The riots disrupted the certification of the 2020 Electoral College vote count. More than 100 law enforcement officers were injured during the mob attack, which caused more than $1 million in property damage.
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