Trial opens for Trump supporter accused of threatening Democrats in case tied to Jan. 6 insurrection

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: Washington Post

NEW YORK — An enthusiastic supporter of former president Donald Trump who is facing federal charges that he threatened to kill prominent Democrats in the days surrounding the Jan. 6 insurrection did nothing more than make inflammatory statements online that are commonplace "in the Twittersphere," the man's attorney argued Wednesday at the start of his trial in Brooklyn.

Brendan Hunt, 37, is believed to be the first defendant to stand trial in a case authorities have connected to the failed bid by hundreds of Trump supporters to prevent Congress from counting the electoral-college votes affirming his defeat in November. Although Hunt did not join those who stormed the U.S. Capitol, prosecutors say he advocated deadly violence against lawmakers, including Senate Majority Leaders Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).

But Hunt’s attorney, Jan Rostal, told jurors Wednesday that the people targeted by her client’s alleged threats did not even know about his social media posts.

“The government is telling you about posts that were made in the middle of a vitriolic time in our history, a time when people were taking liberties in language perhaps like never before, when they felt safe to say things in the Twittersphere, if you will, that they wouldn’t say or do in person,” Rostal argued in her opening statement.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/brendan-hunt-trial-capitol-riot-pelosi-schumer/2021/04/21/5440a6fe-a1fa-11eb-a774-7b47ceb36ee8_story.html

[Marcuse]

1. "Taking liberties with language" is the Republican mission statement.

[thucythucy]

8. I have a friend who spent close to a year in a Florida prison

for "threatening" a legislator there.

He's an immigrant (naturalized citizen) and English is not his first language.

He was upset at some anti-immigrant bill that this legislator was proposing, and sent an email that basically said if you support this you and your family will also suffer (meaning that hate directed on one group inevitably poisons the whole community). Though not very well-stated, it was never intended as a threat.

Nevertheless his comment was turned over to the local police who charged him. He was convicted and sent to prison.

Too bad he wasn't able to avail himself of the "everyone (who is a hate filled Anglo MAGAt) uses language that is far worse."

[riversedge]

2. the US sure has a lot of vile ugly people.

[bucolic_frolic]

3. MAGAts, you have been deceived

You have been incited against America in order to try to keep criminals in power, criminals who plunder the people and the land in order to line their own pockets. And what do you get for your efforts? Nothing, if you're lucky. Unleash your minds from this evil band of international robbers! Reject ideas of hatred and oppression sold to you by greedy con men! Embrace the universal harmony of liberals, progressives, moderates, and independents! Peace, prosperity, love, and kindness to you, MAGAts! Throw off the shackles that bind you to criminals!

[Justice matters.]

7. Nicer than nice, but that's not what fux snooze tells them

24/7 for big money.

[FreepFryer]

4. Making terroristic threats can't be excused by "but everybody else was doing it too!"

Tough guy fucked around and is gonna find out

[OldBaldy1701E]

5. I hope so

But, being charged and being reprimanded to prison are two sometimes vastly different things. Also, that opening statement is amazing. As if that excuses his actions. I need to remember that the next time I get pulled over for speeding...

[bucolic_frolic]

6. If that specious argument is accepted, everyone can threaten with impunity

and no law enforcement agency will be able determine the serious from the benign. I think it's just a plainly DUMB line of reasoning.