Trump news live: Oath Keepers leader tried to call ex-president on Jan 6, court hears – The Independent

Trump says he took cognitive test because people kept calling him stupid

A member of the Oath Keepers militia group has pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy in relation to the 6 January riot and with the plea deal sealed, it has emerged that he was present when the militias leader tried to contact Donald Trump after the Capitol riot had ended.

According to court documents filed in the case of William Todd Wilson, who is now co-operating with the government, leader Stewart Rhodes called an individual on speaker phone after leaving the Capitol grounds and implored this person to tell President Trump to call upon groups like the Oath Keepers to forcibly oppose the transfer of power. However, the unidentified person on the other end of the line apparently refused to put Mr Trump on the phone.

The news comes after Mr Trumps oldest son, Donald Jr, voluntarily testified to the select committee investigating the insurrection. In a session conducted without a subpoena, the presidents oldest child reportedly answered questions without pleading the Fifth Amendment.

The committee is still considering whether and how to request testimony from the former president himself as it tries to piece together his movements and communications on the day of the riot.

The ex-presidents oldest son compared the arrest of a far-right figure who pleaded guilty to helping people break into the US Capitol to Gestapo tactics.

Brandon Straka stood outside an entrance to the Capitol on 6 January 2021 and urged a crowd of intruders inside, shouting go, go, go, and later encouraged rioters to grab a Capitol Police officers shield.

Alex Woodward6 May 2022 05:00

TV personality and Republican senate candidate Mehmet Oz will be joined by Trump and recently nominated Ohio GOP Senate candidate JD Vance at a rally in Pennsylvania on Friday.

Alex Woodward6 May 2022 04:00

After speaking at a Senate Budget Committee on union-busting efforts and federal contracts for companies like Amazon that allegedly flour federal labor law, Amaon Labor Union president Christian Smalls joined a White House meeting with Kamala Harris and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh as well as Starbucks union workers and other organizers.

Mr Smalls in a red, yellow and black jacket with eat the rich printed on the front also met Joe Biden.

Alex Woodward6 May 2022 03:00

Truth Social Trumps platform to stand up to the tyranny of Big Tech, as he described it is the most high profile among several newer platforms to launch as a direct challenge to mainstream social media platforms, viewed among right-wing figures and users as too constrictive or conspiring to remove their views after they were kicked off for flouting rules about Covid-19 misinformation, violence and harassment.

Despite billing itself as a platform for free expression against the alleged tyranny of companies like Twitter, Truth appears singularly devoted to the Trump universer and right-wing media ecosystem.

Alex Woodward6 May 2022 02:00

The 26-year-old far-right congressman the youngest member of the House has faced a slow-drip leak of embarrassing videos and photos over the last month, after telling a right-wing broadcaster that about alleged orgies among his Washington colleagues.

He claims the leaks are aimed to discredit him, punishment for speaking out about members of Congress. His standing in an upcoming primary election in which polls show him falling behind has one life raft: Donald Trump.

The Independents John Bowden has more:

Alex Woodward6 May 2022 01:00

Karine Jean-Pierre will be stepping into the role of White House press secretary this month.

She will be the first openly LGBT+ and first Black person to serve as a presidents top spokesperson, after serving Ms Psakis top deputy since Joe Biden took office last year. She joined the Biden campaign in 2020 after serving as chief public affairs officer for MoveOn.org and as an NBC News political analyst.

Alex Woodward6 May 2022 00:00

The much-hated Capitol Hill fencing, used last year to secure the area around the Capitol for months after Jan 6, is back and reinstalled around the Supreme Court amid tensions over the Courts assumed plans to overturn Roe V Wade in the coming weeks or months.

Videos of the perimiter showed that an entire city block, including one of the Capitol Hill neighborhoods nicest green spaces, was cordoned off by the black metal barricades as of Thursday.

Read more from The Independents Bevan Hurley:

John Bowden5 May 2022 23:00

More than a dozen members of the so-called Trucker Convoy are suing the District of Columbia after the city allegedly refused them entry when it shut down some exit ramps leading into the District from the beltway on the day of their protest.

According to the suit, on at least four occaisions those participating in the convoy (which included both trucks and smaller vehicles) were stopped from entering the city itself.

Read more from The Independents Greg Graziosi:

John Bowden5 May 2022 22:30

North Carolinas Madison Cawthorn is the youngest member of Congress, and also one of the most controversial.

The embattled 26-year-old Trump loyalist faces a contested primary election in two weeks amid a steady drip-drip campaign of leaked photos and videos of Mr Cawthorn in embarrassing situations.

But the congressman also faces real controversies: He was recently cited for bringing a gun into an airport, as well as for driving under the influence on a revoked license.

Read more in The Independent from John Bowden:

John Bowden5 May 2022 22:00

Amazon Labor Union president Christian Smalls was before the Senate Budget Committee for a hearing on the use of federal dollars in relationships with companies found to be in violation of federal labor law, like Amazon.

The ranking Republican member, Lindsay Graham, challenged Mr Smalls on his unionisation efforts and regarding whether his complaints about the company could be handled by Americas legal system.

Senator Graham, you forgot that the people are the ones who make these companies operate, Mr Smalls lectured the South Carolina senator. If were not protected, the process for holding these companies accountable is not working for us thats the reason why were here today.

Read more from The Independents Alex Woodward:

Alex Woodward5 May 2022 21:30

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Trump news live: Oath Keepers leader tried to call ex-president on Jan 6, court hears - The Independent