Trump-Appointed Prosecutor Opens Review of Justice Department's Jan. 6 Cases

Source: msn/WSJ

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WASHINGTON—A top Trump-appointed prosecutor has opened an internal review of the Justice Department’s decision to charge hundreds of Jan. 6 defendants with felony obstruction offenses in connection with the Capitol attack, according to people familiar with the matter.

Acting U.S. attorney Ed Martin in Washington, D.C., asked prosecutors in an email Monday to turn over files, documents, notes, emails and other information related to the cases, the people said, which included charges against some of the most violent rioters at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The Supreme Court last year ruled the department overstepped in relying upon an Enron-era obstruction statute, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, to charge defendants with obstructing the joint session of Congress that convened on Jan. 6 to certify former President Biden’s election victory over President Trump.

Martin described the use of the obstruction charges as a failure and referred to his inquiry as a “special project.” The contents of his email were described to The Wall Street Journal. Justice Department spokespeople had no immediate comment.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-appointed-prosecutor-opens-review-of-justice-department-s-jan-6-cases/ar-AA1xXtci