2 Capitol rioters plead guilty while House hearing unfolds; judge calls their behavior 'reprehensibl

[hookaleft]

(CNN)A married couple who stormed the US Capitol on January 6 and later downplayed the level of violence pleaded guilty on Tuesday in federal court, where a judge pledged to use the case to send a message that their behavior was "reprehensible."

The plea hearing for the two Donald Trump supporters, Lori and Thomas Vinson of Kentucky, took place while the select committee hearing about the attack was underway in the House of Representatives.

The Vinsons, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of demonstrating in the Capitol. This has become the standard deal that the Justice Department has offered to nonviolent rioters.

The charge carries a potential maximum sentence of six months in jail, though they'll likely get less than that, and could even receive probation and avoid incarceration. As part of the plea agreement, both agreed to pay $500 in restitution for damage done to the Capitol.

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https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/27/politics/vinson-plea-capitol-riot/index.html

[Dan]

1. Hell, if that is all they will receive

No reason not to do it again.

[SoCalDavidS]

2. Probation & $500 Will Teach 'Em nt

[global1]

3. They'll Pay For It With Their Stimulus Money....

It's not even a slap on the hand.

[redstatebluegirl]

4. This is what my Trumper neighbor keeps saying.

They are getting light charges just like the hippies in the 60's. They even willing to do it again if this is all the punishment they get.

[greenjar_01]

5. Those demonstrably involved in violence will receive years in a federal penitentiary

Don't kid yourself about that.

[Kaleva]

6. Consequences of a federal misdemeanor conviction. There are many.

"In Nevada alone, where Watts lives, a person convicted of a misdemeanor could potentially face over 200 federal and state consequences as a result of their conviction many of which bar employment and licenser for certain fields, according to an American Bar Association database. In all, there are over 45,000 state and federal consequences for convictions. “It affects housing rights, access to loans, family rights and a whole realm of things. It’s often called the secret sentence or the silent punishment,” says Reimer, whose organization will soon release a report on the impact of collateral consequences."

https://time.com/76356/a-misdemeanor-conviction-is-not-a-big-deal-right-think-again/

[Ferryboat]

10. Loss of the right to vote, and the right to own guns

Should be a part of their punishment.

[jmowreader]

7. What is the mildest felony they could be hit with?

I would MUCH prefer a felony conviction over a misdemeanor one. Misdemeanors don’t come with loss of voting and gun rights, and at the very minimum they need to lose both.

I’d be pretty happy with 3 months in a federal prison camp and a $500 fine if they could never vote or be around a firearm again, and the gun thing would be more of a punishment to them than monetary or confinement penalties.

[lpbk2713]

8. They will laugh off a sentence like that.

And then go right back to what they were doing. They will be regarded as heroes
among the nutjobs they communicated with on line. The court should disallow their
internet access just like they do with sex offenders.

[PatSeg]

9. $500 for damages?

How many payments of $500 would it take to pay for all the damage and cleanup to the Capitol, not to mention the court costs and the expense of the investigations? I've got a feeling those payments will only be a drop in the bucket.

I know there are many who will not serve jail time, as they may only be guilty of trespassing, but this needs to have a profound effect on their lives.

[brooklynite]

11. Conjugal visits?