Biden criticises Mississippi and Texas governors for abandoning Covid-19 restrictions
Capitol Police said they have obtained intelligence of a “possible plot” by a militia group to breach the Capitol on Thursday, just months after it was attacked by a violent mob of Donald Trump supporters.
The threat appears to be connected to a conspiracy theory promoted by supporters of extremist group QAnon that Trump will rise again to power on March 4, which was the presidential inauguration day until 1933, when it was moved to January 20, according to a report in The Washington Post.
It comes as former president Trump and his ex-lawyer Rudy Giuliani have been served with a civil lawsuit in relation to the January 6 insurrection.
Attorneys for Rep. Bennie Thompson and the NAACP delivered the lawsuit to Trump at Mar-a-Lago, as reported by The Daily Beast.
The lawsuit alleges that Trump conspired with Giuliani and far-right groups, such as the Proud Boys, to prevent Congress from certifying the results of the presidential election.
What we have learned about 6 January attack
With fresh concerns about a far-right attack on the US Capitol on Thursday and Saturday, what have we learned about the riot of 6 January, when five people were killed?
Although a number of hearings have taken place on law enforcement’s response to the assault on Congress almost two months ago, many questions continue to remained unanswered. Here’s all that we know so far:
Gino Spocchia4 March 2021 13:05
‘I think President Trump has a responsibility to tell them to stand down’
Republican Michael McCaul has said that Donald Trump should tell his supporters to “stand down” after reports that extremists might try and attack the Capitol today.
An unidentified group of “militia” discussed plans in February to “take control of the Capitol and remove Democratic lawmakers on or about March 4,” according to a bulletin issued on Tuesday by the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
March 4 is the day when believers in the baseless QAnon conspiracy have claimed that former President Donald Trump, defeated by President Joe Biden in the Nov. 3 election, will be sworn in for a second term in office.
Mr McCaul told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “The Lead” said: “I think President Trump has a responsibility to tell them to stand down — this threat is credible, it’s real.”
He added: “It’s a right-wing militia group that believes that the original — because the original inaugural day was March 4 until the 20th Amendment passed, they think this is the true inauguration day and that President Trump should be inaugurated tomorrow. And that is the threat we face right now.”
Additional reporting by Reuters
Joe Middleton4 March 2021 12:35
Oregon moves to ban public display of nooses, calling them symbol of racism
Lawmakers in Oregon are moving to ban the public display of nooses, after anti-racism campaigners and city leaders petitioned to see the introduction of a bill.
The bill would make intimidation by display of a noose a misdemeanour punishable by up to a year in prison and a $6,250 (£4,485) fine.
If the bill passes then Oregon would be the sixth US state to criminalise the racist symbol being displayed in public.
Joe Middleton4 March 2021 12:16
US Senate set to debate President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package
The Democrat controlled senate will consider a motion to launch 20 hours of debate on the massive Covid-19 bill that includes funding for vaccines and medical supplies and extends jobless assistance.
Republicans’ response to the motion will likely be an early indication of the steep opposition the bill faces in the chamber.
The Senate will convene despite a warning by Capitol Police that it had obtained intelligence about a militia group’s possible plot to breach the Capitol on Thursday, a day some conspiracy theorists believe that Republican former President Donald Trump will be sworn in for a second term.
The House of Representatives canceled its Thursday session after the Capitol Police’s warning.
Additional reporting by Reuters
Joe Middleton4 March 2021 12:00
Trump served with lawsuit accusing him of breaking ‘Ku Klux Klan’ laws on day of Capitol riot
Donald Trump has been served a civil rights lawsuit accusing him of inciting the Capitol riot along with Rudy Giuliani, the Proud Boys and other far-right groups, according to reports.
Mr Trump was given the documents, filed by Democrat congressman Bennie Thompson and civil rights group the NAACP in mid-February, at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, writes The Independent’s Joanna Taylor
Joe Middleton4 March 2021 11:45
Ghislaine Maxwell being held under ‘brutal’ conditions, brother claims
The family of Ghislaine Maxwell has called for her to be released from jail while awaiting trial on child sex trafficking charges.
Maxwell’s sister Ian has claimed that she has been subjected to “brutal and degrading” treatment while awaiting trial at a detention centre in Brooklyn, as reported by The Telegraph.
“To anyone familiar with the British system of law, the American system is simply bizarre, quite frankly, cruel.
“As you know my sister is held in the most appalling conditions and subjected to brutal and unusual treatment and yet she is a pre-trial detainee,” he said.
Chantal da Silva has the details
Joe Middleton4 March 2021 11:32
San Antonio Spurs coach joins Biden in criticising Texas dropped mask mandate
President Joe Biden was critical of governors in Texas and Mississippi for dropping their Covid mask mandates on Wednesday, describing the move as “neanderthal thinking.”
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has also taken umbrage at the decision of Texas Gov Gregg Abbott to roll back on Covid restrictions, calling the decision “ignorant.”
“I’m worried about the people in our state. That’s a pretty mystifying decision considering the situation that we’re all in.”
He added that “getting rid of masks just seems ignorant to me” in comments before San Antonio’s 119-92 victory over the New York Knicks, as reported by NBC.
Joe Middleton4 March 2021 11:12
Giuliani mocked for warning of dangers of misinformation
Donald Trump’s former lawyer Rudy Giuliani has prompted derision on social media after he spoke out in a podcast on the dangers of “misinformation.”
Sharing the episode on Twitter, Mr Giuliani wrote: “Misinformation has become a daily occurrence on social media platforms. If continued unaddressed, it will eventually lead to Jefferson’s worst nightmare of a poorly informed citizenry, which he saw as the greatest danger to democracy.”
Namita Singh has the details
Joe Middleton4 March 2021 10:46
Why do QAnon supporters think Trump will return as US president today?
Some QAnon supporters are still holding out hope that Donald Trump will return as president this year and have been discussing March 4 as the day he will seize power.
Louise Hall explains why today is significant for supporters of the far-right conspiracy group.
Joe Middleton4 March 2021 10:35
Mike Pence falsely claims 2020 election marked by ‘voting irregularities’
Former vice-president Mike Pence has repeated false claims of “voting irregularities” in the 2020 election as part of a push back against a Democrat initiative to streamline election standards.
Writing in the The Daily Signal he said the election was marked by “significant voting irregularities” and that he shared “the concerns of millions of Americans about the integrity of the 2020 election” .
There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the presidential election and Pence makes no specific allegations in his piece.
Pence’s target in the op-ed is the For The People Act which contains reforms on voting rights, something he said would would “trample the First Amendment, further erode confidence in our elections, and forever dilute the votes of legally qualified eligible voters.”
Joe Middleton4 March 2021 10:18