Federal Judge Beryl A. Howell slams DOJ for not seeking more restitution from Capitol rioters.

[njhoneybadger]

2000 for a felony
500 for a misdemeanor
RAW STORY

[Budi]

1. Am beyond pissed as well. It is an insult to equality under the law.

A indignant mockery

[Thrill]

2. In others words. They should do it again

lol jeesh

[Irish_Dem]

3. Taxpayers are footing the bill for their insurrection.

The guilty get off free.

[lagomorph777]

4. FUCK THIS SHIT. These terrorists should be in jail for DECADES.

[dalton99a]

5. What a joke

[Walleye]

6. Pocket change. Just a cost of doing business to these assholes

[NBachers]

7. Jesus Christ - Fucking betrayed again by those we looked to for justice. How many years

have we waited for accountability, only to be cruelly joked on and let down again?

[csziggy]

8. Link to Raw Story and to WP article RS took info from

https://www.rawstory.com/judge-beryl-howell-slams-doj/

Washington Post story they took their info from (but which is behind a paywall):

Jan. 6 riot caused $1.5 million in damage to Capitol — and U.S. prosecutors want defendants to pay
By Spencer S. Hsu
June 3, 2021 at 3:19 p.m. EDT

U.S. prosecutors this week put a price tag on damage to the U.S. Capitol from the Jan. 6 breach — $1.5 million so far — and for the first time are asking defendants to cover some of the bill in plea offers, prosecutors and defense lawyers said.

The U.S. attorney’s office in Washington cited the damage estimate Wednesday in court and in plea papers filed in the case of Paul Hodgkins, 38. The Tampa crane operator pleaded guilty to one felony count of obstructing an official proceeding of Congress and faces sentencing July 19 in Washington.

“Your client acknowledges that the riot that occurred on January 6, 2021, caused as of May 17, 2021, approximately $1,495,326.55 damage to the United States Capitol,” stated a plea agreement letter sent by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Sedky and signed by Hodgkins and his attorney in May.

The document said Hodgkins agreed to pay $2,000 restitution to the Treasury Department as part of the plea.

More: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/legal-issues/capitol-riot-defendants-pay-damages-restitution/2021/06/03/74691812-c3ec-11eb-93f5-ee9558eecf4b_story.html

ETA - I saw in another article that about 550 people have been charged. If they all reached plea agreements and pay $2000 each that would be $1.1 million about two thirds of the estimated damage to our Capitol.

[bottomofthehill]

9. The US Capitol is priceless 1.5 million won't come close.

It bleeds history, it’s more than just furniture, window frames from the 1800, it’s the people who have walked past them, the people who sat in them, the legislation that was passed when it was there.

The halls of Congress and the Capitol building itself will never be seen the same again. Just another thing in the list of things Trump ruined.

It makes me both angry and sad.

[csziggy]

10. Yes, the damdage costs cannot cover the history that was lost with the vandalism

And wanton destruction.

I just hope I live long enough that TFG and his cultists are just another part of that history and not a very real danger.

[Progressive Jones]

20. These monkeys won't care what's written about them. nt

[niyad]

13. The Architect of the Capitol said over THIRTY MILLION.

[csziggy]

15. Then we need them to pay much higher restitution than $2000 each! nt

[elleng]

11. ;-(

[bucolic_frolic]

12. I read an estimate of the cost of Jan 6 today

Damages, troops, personnel time ... $500 million. And they're fining these perps a thousand bucks.

[niyad]

14. Thank you.

[bucolic_frolic]

16. Thanks for your support and not asking for more detail, it seems high to me, but ....

Price tag hits almost $500 million for the National Guard's response to the insurrection

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/national/capitol-riots/price-tag-hits-almost-500-million-national-guard-response-insurrection/65-60402cab-0899-4107-8d88-bd84822d440d

And I don't believe the estimate of $1.5 million for damage to the Capitol. Those are priceless woods, windows, doors, glass, and all the rest.

[Deminpenn]

17. Considering a large majority of Americans don't have $400

on hand to cover an emergency, $500-2000 might not be chump change to them.

[Progressive Jones]

19. Take their giant pick up trucks and guns if they can't pay cash. I have zero pity for this trash. tn

[David__77]

23. They'll have no problem getting the funds to pay these amounts.

There are many rightists who will donate big sums of money to them. They will in fact be celebrated as heroes and probably run for and win political office.

[Progressive Jones]

24. I'm grateful that none of this garbage will ever hold office where I live. nt

[Progressive Jones]

18. Why aren't judges handing out stiffer sentences? Sentencing guidelines are not required

to be followed.

Why aren't judges and prosecutors going for maximums, versus the minimums we've been seeing?

(Cue the armchair lawyers and their condescending lectures.)

[LiberalFighter]

21. Merrick needs to be pressured.

[Marthe48]

22. Listening to The Last Word

Ari Melber was talking about Judge Howell's comments. He mentioned that we don't want to be a country that puts political opponents in jail after elections and that might explain the light fines and sentences.

I have problems with that kind of thinking. When there were anti-war demonstrations in the 1960s and 70s, some of the people involved were tried, found guilty and given harsh sentences. As far as I can recall, the people at that time were protesting policies that the U.S. government supported. They weren't trying to overthrow the government. The courts didn't give protesters a pass then.

But now, people who weren't protesting policies, but actually tried to overthrow the government are getting arrested, and going to court. The sentences and fines are not onerous. In my opinion, the people who were in D.C. on Jan 6th at the behest of a traitor, whether they stormed the Capitol or swelled the crowd, committed worse crimes than any anti-war protester.

I hope that somebody gets it together and makes sure the punishment fits the crime.

[IcyPeas]

25. Misdemeanor "unlawful picketing and parading," with a maximum sentence of 6 months and $500...

Prosecutors keep cutting plea deals with Jan. 6 insurrectionists for misdemeanor "unlawful picketing and parading," with a maximum sentence of 6 months and $500.

"Judges increasingly are expressing their heartburn about that," says @MacFarlaneNews. "Judges say 'Why not more?'"

Link to tweet

?s=19