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Charles McGonigal and the Unclassified Oligarch Info

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emptywheel
A protective order dispute between SDNY and Charles McGonigal's co-defendant reveals that all the discovery in the case is unclassified. But McGonigal and his attorney, former Bill Barr aide Seth DuCharme, both undoubtedly know of classified information they could demand.
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Where Alina Habba Didn't Personally Search

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emptywheel
A declaration Alina Habba submitted in May 2022 in the Tish James investigation of Trump Organization has been taken as declaration covering all the locations where Trump had classified documents. But there are gaps.

Egalitarian Cities In Early Central America

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Ed Walker
Two examples of egalitarian societies in Mesoamerica, and a discussion of the rise of religion.
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"A Demonic Force:" Dominion Just Gave Jack Smith Useful Evidence

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emptywheel
Fox News knew that platforming of Trump's false claims would damage the country. And they did it anyway. 
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The "Escalating," "Aggressive," "Intensifying" Step of Subpoenaing Key Witness Mark Meadows

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emptywheel
It is not aggressive for Jack Smith to subpoena Mark Meadows. It may, however, reflect an interest in the funding of Meadows' "insurrectionist's clubhouse."
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Alleged DNC Hacker's Co-Conspirator, Vladislav Klyushin, Convicted of Cheating Elon Musk and Others

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emptywheel
Vladislav Klyushin was convicted today of filling a safe with cash via a hack-and-insider trading conspiracy with one of the guys who allegedly hacked John Podesta.
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Judge Kelly's Basis for His "Tools" Determinations

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emptywheel
Judge Tim Kelly's guidelines for admitting written statements of "tools" of the alleged Proud Boy conspiracy.
Pezzola

How J6C's Obstinance on Transcripts Enabled Dominic Pezzola's Attempt to Sow Conspiracy Theories

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emptywheel
The January 6 Committee's refusal to turn over transcripts to DOJ until December has endangered the Proud Boys case for a second time.
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Active Shooter Event at Michigan State University [FINAL UPDATE—08:50 AM]

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Rayne
Michigan State University's active shooter situation ended about 12:28 a.m local time.
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Trump's National Security Adviser Responded to an Attack on the Capitol by Sending Personal Tweets

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emptywheel
Robert O'Brien claims to remember virtually nothing about what he did on January 6. I'm sure that's among the things that Jack Smith would like to question him about.

Alex Saab: The Businessman Inside the DEA Informant Inside the Claimed Venezuelan Diplomat Inside the Alleged Putin "Laundry Man"

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emptywheel
In testimony last August, Robert O'Brien suggested that a Colombian extradited on money laundering charges to the US in 2021 is "Vladimir Putin's laundry man."
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Super Bowl LVII

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bmaz
Super Bowl LVII is upon us. Let's rock and roll.
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Some People Have Sex Toys; Trump [Claims He] Has Empty Classified Evening Briefing Folders

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emptywheel
Trump's lawyers told DOJ that the reason people they paid to search Trump's properties found an empty classified folder is because he has an empty classified folder fetish. He does have an empty classified folder fetish. But that cannot explain why it remained in his residence in December, after not being found in August.
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A Book Author, A Religious Leader, and A Pollster Walk into Trump's Classified Document Bar

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emptywheel
The answer to the most pressing Trump document theft story from yesterday -- why did a former White House aide now working for Trump's PAC have classified materials on her laptop -- may answer the most pressing outstanding question from the Special Master review -- who compiled a document with messages from a book author, a religious leader, and a pollster with classified documents?
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Jeff Gerth Declares No There, Where He Never Checked

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emptywheel
CJR's Jeff Gerth series did not, as it claimed, "examin[e] the American media’s coverage of Trump and Russia in granular detail.” On the contrary: Via omission and error CJR created precisely the narrative they claim to critique.
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Roger Stone's Stop the Steal Effort Included as Proof of Milkshake's Obstruction

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emptywheel
In Dan "Milkshake" Scott's statement of offense, Roger Stone is described having as much influence in preparing Milkshake for the attack on the Capitol as Joe Biggs had.
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Maggie Haberman Claims Asking a Witness to Repeat What He Said in Print Is "Most Aggressive" Move Yet

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emptywheel
When a politician resists saying under oath what he has said in a book, as Mike Pence is doing, that is the story -- not some hyped up drama about the very precedented fact that a (former) Vice President got a subpoena.
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DOJ Is Silent that Enrique Tarrio Is a "Friend of Stone"

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emptywheel
In the Proud Boy case, unlike the Oath Keepers seditious conspiracy trial, DOJ has made no mention of Enrique Tarrio's ties to Roger Stone.