Judge to Proud Boys: No, Violently Storming the Capitol Isn’t a First Amendment Exercise

A federal judge is not buying the First Amendment argument that the Proud Boys are spinning in an attempt to evade criminal punishment for their alleged participation in the attack on the U.S. Capitol. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly on Tuesday refused to throw out charges against four members of the far-right group—Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, and Charles Donohoe—who were indicted in March on riot-related offenses, including conspiracy and obstructing an official proceeding. (All have pleaded not guilty.) Lawyers for the four men had sought to dismiss the charges by arguing, among other things, that the conduct they… Read Full Article