Joe.My.God. LGBT News
Washington DC’s CBS affiliate reports:
Brandon Straka’s attorney, Bilal Essayli, and federal prosecutors appeared before U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich on Wednesday for a status hearing to discuss the release last week of a sentencing memo detailing aspects of his cooperation with the government’s investigation into the Capitol riot.
“It’s been brought to my attention that Mr. Straka has been making questionable comments about the truth of his plea and the nature of his cooperation,” Fredrich said. “I want to know, should I be expecting a motion to withdraw his plea? Because I would gladly hold an evidentiary hearing.”
NPR reports:
“He’s losing more and more credibility by the moment,” Friedrich said at the hearing, which was held via teleconference.
Judge Friedrich said the defendant, Brandon Straka, was possibly opening himself up to prosecution for lying to federal investigators.
“What he needs to appreciate is he is potentially incriminating himself for [18 U.S. Code Section] 1001 prosecution,” said Friedrich, referring to the criminal law against making “materially false” statements to the federal government.
Law & Crime reports:
According to prosecutors, Straka provided information about Ali Alexander, who, according to the government, “is viewed by many as the preeminent leader of the Stop the Steal movement.”
“Mr. Alexander may have had direct contact with the Executive Branch of government and other government officials who are sympathetic to the Stop the Steal movement concerning the orchestration of the events leading up to January 6,” the prosecution’s memo says.
Straka also is said to have provided information about Simone Gold, described as a “rabid Stop the Steal supporter.” Gold was charged with felonies and misdemeanors in connection with her breach of the Capitol; she was recently sentenced to two months in jail.
Straka has reportedly made multiple social media posts claiming that he was coerced into pleading guilty and is in fact innocent. The judge, as you can see, takes a very dim view of that.
Judge Friedrich says she ordered the motions unsealed that she did because attorneys in the case already noted Brandon Straka’s cooperation in the docket: “The cat was out of the bag on that.”
She’s correct. I, and others, reported on it in January. https://t.co/WBfTKnvY5L
— Jordan Fischer (@JordanOnRecord) August 3, 2022
Judge Friedrich says she IS going to unseal Brandon Straka’s sealed Jan. 20 pre-sentencing hearing — “in part, if not in full” — once she receives comments from attorneys.
— Jordan Fischer (@JordanOnRecord) August 3, 2022
Judge Friedrich: “It’s been brought to my attention that Mr. Straka has been making questionable comments about the truth of his plea and the nature of his cooperation. I want to know, should I be expecting a motion to withdraw his plea? Because I would gladly hold a hearing…”
— Jordan Fischer (@JordanOnRecord) August 3, 2022
Judge Friedrich: “He faces exposure for making false statements to federal law enforcement officers. So I suggest you advise him to show the discretion that he did not show before Jan. 6.”
— Jordan Fischer (@JordanOnRecord) August 3, 2022
Judge Friedrich: “It makes me question every statement he made to me at the time of sentencing. Every single one. He’s losing more credibility by the moment… What he needs to appreciate is he is potentially incriminating himself for a 1001 prosecution.”
— Jordan Fischer (@JordanOnRecord) August 3, 2022