Proud Boys Sentencing Delayed

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Facts

  • The two former Proud Boys leaders who were scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday for their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021, US Capitol riots had their sentence hearings delayed, according to a US Marshals Service spokesperson.1
  • Former Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio and one of his subordinates, Ethan Nordean, were the first of five former members of the conservative group to face sentencing, with the three others set for Thursday and Friday. However, the hearings were postponed after Judge Timothy Kelly was out sick.2
  • Though initially reported as an "emergency," a court spokesperson confirmed that there is "no emergency," and court filings show that Tarrio’s sentencing has been rescheduled for Sept. 5. Meanwhile, Nordean will be sentenced on Sept. 1.3
  • Joe Biggs, Zach Rehl, and Dominic Pezzola, who prosecutors argue should face 33, 30, and 20 years in prison, respectively, will also face rescheduled sentences. The five defendants were convicted after a four-month trial of seditious conspiracy charges related to the riots.4
  • This comes as the founder of fellow right-wing group the Oath Keepers, Stewart Rhodes, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for his role in the riots. Prosecutors want Tarrio and his fellow Proud Boys to receive the same sentence plus 15 years for alleged terrorism.5
  • Former Pres. Donald Trump, who is the overwhelming frontrunner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, also faces charges for his role in the events of Jan. 6. He maintains he has done nothing wrong, and his trial is set for March 4.6

Sources: 1CBS, 2CNBC, 3Yahoo News, 4NBC, 5Reuters, and 6Associated Press.

Narratives

  • Left narrative, as provided by MSNBC. The Proud Boys are a radical right-wing militant organization that has shown it will resort to violence to impose its agenda. Its leaders are domestic terrorists who conspired to overthrow American democracy and subvert the results of a free and fair election. While they will now serve time for their crimes, the nation must be vigilant to ensure that organizations like the Proud Boys don't spread their dangerous agenda.
  • Right narrative, as provided by American Greatness. The Dept. of Justice has been weaponized against its political opponents, and the Proud Boys leaders are just a handful of the hundreds of people being targeted for political dissent. The media is in lockstep with the government as it pushes a warped narrative about the events on Jan. 6, 2021, as crooked courts redefine terms like terrorism and sedition to take down Trump and his supporters.

Predictions