January 6 Committee Live Updates: Florida Agency Issues Nearly 30 Firearm License Suspensions For Jan 6 Rioters

Florida agency suspends almost 30 firearm licenses of Jan 6 rioters

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has suspended almost 30 gun licenses of people involved in the January 6 insurrection.

Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried issued six additional suspensions after the initial 22. She said Tuesday that more suspensions will come if more charges and sentences come down.

FDACS's licensing division overlooks concealed weapons, private investigations, private security and recovery services industries' licenses.

Their oversight includes "enforcing compliance standards and ensuring public protection from unethical business practices and unlicensed activity," according to a press release.

The agency is legally required to immediately suspend a license if the holder is charged with a disqualifying offense. Fried said those involved in the insurrection committed domestic terrorism and treasonous actions and should be held accountable.

"While Florida has the shameful distinction of being home to the largest proportion of individuals charged in relation to the insurrection, our department has been using its lawful authority and carrying out its legal duty to suspend the licenses of anyone charged with disqualifying offenses," Fried said.

Wisconsin man pleads guilty for involvement in Jan 6 riot

A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge related to his involvement in the January 6 riots.

Kevin Loftus reached a plea deal with prosecutors to parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.

While the deal does not recommend the typical six-month sentence, it requires Loftus to pay $500 in restitution to help pay for the estimated $1.5 million damage done to the Capitol during the insurrection.

Loftus was identified by a photo taken of him in the Capitol after Loftus admitted he walked into the Capitol and took photos while in the building, according to a criminal complaint.

Loftus is scheduled to be sentenced on January 31.

Trump bashes "fake" House committee and "political hacks" like Liz Cheney

Former President Donald Trump said the House committee investigating the events of January 6 is a "fake, highly partisan Unselect Committee" in a new statement.

"This is just a continuation of the Witch Hunt which started with the now fully debunked and discredited Russia, Russia, Russia Scam, quickly reverting to a perfect phone call with Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine, Impeachment Hoax #1, Impeachment Hoax #2, and now this," he said.

Trump also bashed Republican committee members Liz Cheney (R-WY) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), implying they are not real Republicans.

"They were unable to make a deal with Kevin McCarthy to put real Republicans on the Committee, so they got stuck with low-polling warmonger Liz Cheney and Cryin' Adam Kinzinger who have no idea what our Party stands for."

Overall, Trump said the committee is "composed of absolute political hacks" who want to "destroy the Republican Party and are decimating America itself."

Psaki says Trump's actions were a "unique and existential threat to our democracy"

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said former President Donald Trump "abused the presidency" and "attempted to subvert the peaceful transfer of power."

During a press conference Tuesday, Psaki was asked about Trump's lawsuit to block the release of records from January 6 to Congress.

"The former president's actions represented a unique and existential threat to our democracy that we felt could not be swept under the rug," she said.

She added that the constitutional protection of executive privilege "should not be used to shield information that reflects a clear and apparent effort to subvert the constitution itself."

Capitol Police reference the events of Jan 6 in new recruiting video

The U.S. Capitol Police reference the January 6 riots at the Capitol in a new recruiting video.

"For many of us when we saw what occurred on January 6, it stirred something in us. It certainly stirred something in me," Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said.

Manger said in the past the events of that day pushed him out of retirement.

"It was the first time since I retired that I wished I was not retired," he said. "I wanted to be a police officer again. I want to be there to help."

Jan 6 rioter arrested for pepper spraying Capitol police

An Alabama man who allegedly sprayed Capitol police officers with pepper spray on January 6 has been arrested, according to reports.

Christian Mathew Manley was arrested in Alabama Friday on charges related to the riots at the Capitol, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

The FBI reviewed Capitol CCTV footage and publically shared videos of the riot.

According to the criminal complaint, seen by Newsweek, said Manley could be seen in the Lower West Terrace, approaching the archway entrance to the Capitol while holding what appeared to be a pepper spray container.

"At approximately 2:53 p.m., Manley (circled in red) can be seen spraying pepper spray at the officers from a container that resembles the container seen in the previous screenshot," the complaint said.

Manley could then be seen allegedly "throwing the empty pepper spray canister at the officers a few seconds later."

FULL STORY: Christian Manley, Capitol Rioter Caught on Video Pepper Spraying Police, Arrested

House Committee denies Bannon's request to delay today's vote to hold him in contempt

House Select Committee on January 6 denied a request from Steve Bannon's lawyer to delay today's vote to hold Bannon in criminal contempt for refusing to testify.

After being advised of the filing of Trump's lawsuit, Bannon's lawyer Robert Costello "respectively request a one-week adjournment of our response" to the House committee's subpoena in order to "thoughtfully assess the impact of this pending litigation," according to a letter Costello wrote to the committee.

In response, Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson said Trump's lawsuit is "immaterial" to the committee's request for Bannon's testimony.

He added that the investigation is "extremely important and urgent for the nation" and "further delay in compliance by Bannon undermines the ability of the Committee to timely complete its essential responsibilities."

Therefore, Thompson denied the request, saying there are "no grounds exists for any 'adjournment' or other delay."

Jan 6 defendant asked to testify in front of the House

The U.S. House Select Committee has asked a man accused of crimes at the Capitol on January 6 to testify in front of the House.

Kentucky man Thomas Vinson pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge for his involvement in the riots and will face sentencing Friday.

According to court filings, "Vinson, through Counsel, has been approached by the House Select Committee on January 6 to testify regarding the events he witnessed on January 6, 2021."

Vinson's lawyer requested the court allow him to travel to Washington D.C. to testify.

House committee leads a broad inquiry of January 6 riot

While the general facts of the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol Building are well known, House Intelligence Committee Chairman and January 6 committee member Adam Schiff says "there are a lot of important unanswered questions."

The U.S. House Select Committee is looking into all aspects of the riot, including the role of former President Trump on that day, the connection between the White House and the rioters who broke into the building, and how the protest leading up to the insurrection were financed.

"The biggest black box though is what was the president's role? What was the role of people in the White House? What did the president know about who was coming to this rally?" Schiff said on C-SPAN. "And what did he do when he found out?"

The committee is also investigating why the U.S. Capitol Police and other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies were so unprepared for the escalation of the riot and whether their response was inadequate.

The factors that contributed to the attack, including the role of social media platforms, are also under review.

The committee has issued 19 subpoenas so far, 13 of which were to officials who helped plan rallies in support of Trump ahead of the attack.

White House says there is no basis for Bannon's refusal to testify in front of Congress

The White House sent a letter to Steve Bannon's lawyer dismissing Bannon's assertion that executive privilege protects his refusal to testify in front of Congress.

The House will vote today if Bannon will be held in contempt of Congress for defying the committee's subpoena and refusing to submit documents or testimony for his involvement in the events of January 6.

The lawyer for former President Donald Trump argued that Bannon should not disclose any information because it is protected by the executive privilege of the office of the president.

In a letter, White House Deputy Counsel Jonathan Su wrote that President Joe Biden determined executive privilege does apply to Bannon's testimony or to any documents related to January 6, according to The Associated Press.

Therefore, "at this point we are not aware of any basis for your client's refusal to appear for a deposition," Su said.

"President Biden's determination that an assertion of privilege is not justified with respect to these subjects applies to your client's deposition testimony and to any documents your client may possess concerning either subject," Su wrote to Bannon's lawyer.

Capitol police officer pleads not guilty to obstruction charges

U.S. Capitol Police Officer Michael Riley was arraigned Tuesday morning.

He is accused of obstruction for allegedly advising a January 6 rioter who posted selfies, videos and other commentary admitting his presence inside the U.S. Capitol building on Facebook to wipe his social media of evidence linking him to the attack.

Riley pleaded not guilty to both federal charges. He will be back in court on November 29.

There has been no plea deal offered yet, according to the prosecution.

Jan 6 Committee leaders condemn Trump's lawsuit

Leaders of the U.S. House Select Committee on the January 6 attack commended former President Donald Trump's lawsuit trying to stop Congress from subpoenaing White House documents related to that day.

Committee Chairman Representative Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and Vice-Chair Representative Liz Cheney (R-WY) released a joint statement calling Trump's lawsuit an attempt to "delay and obstruct" the committee's investigation.

"The former president's clear objective is to stop the Select Committee from getting to the facts about January 6th and his lawsuit is nothing more than an attempt to delay and obstruct our probe," the statement said.

"It's hard to imagine a more compelling public interest than trying to get answers about an attack on our democracy and an attempt to overturn the results of an election," they added.

FULL STORY: Cheney, Thompson Condemn Trump Lawsuit Against 1/6 Panel: 'An Attempt to Delay, Obstruct'