WTF Just Happened Today

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

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1/ The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack subpoenaed a former Justice Department lawyer who tried to use department resources to push Trump’s false claims of voting fraud in the 2020 election. Internal emails show that Jeffrey Clark urged top DOJ officials to send out a letter he drafted that falsely claimed the FBI found evidence of voter fraud in multiple states. Richard Donoghue, who served as the acting deputy attorney general at the time, replied: “There is no chance that I would sign this letter or anything remotely like this […] from where I stand, this is not even within the realm of possibility.” In early January, Trump reportedly entertained a plan to fire acting attorney general Jeffrey Rosen and replace him with Clark, who would publicly pursue Trump’s baseless claims of voter fraud. The committee is seeking documents and a deposition from Clark by Oct. 29. Rosen, meanwhile, sat for an interview with the committee today. (Washington Post / Politico / NBC News / NPR / CNN)

2/ A federal judge held Washington, D.C.’s corrections director and jail warden in contempt of court, ruling they had improperly delayed medical treatment for a defendant detained as part of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Judge Royce Lamberth acted after jail officials failed to turn over the information needed to approve surgery for Christopher Worrell, who broke his wrist in May while in custody. Worrell, a member of the Proud Boys, was charged with four felonies, including rioting and spraying pepper gel at police. Prosecutors have alleged that Worrell traveled to Washington and coordinated with Proud Boys leading up to the attack. Lamberth, calling Worrell’s delayed treatment “incompetent” and “inexcusable,” said he would refer the case to the Justice Department to investigate whether the jail violated the civil rights of other detained Jan. 6 defendants. (New York Times / Washington Post / Associated Press)

3/ The U.S. will lift travel restrictions at land borders with Canada and Mexico for fully vaccinated travelers. Starting in November, nonessential travelers, such as those entering for tourism or to visit family members, will be required to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination to Customs and Border Protection officers when they cross land borders. For the last 19 months, only “essential travel” had been allowed across the Canadian and Mexican borders. In January, essential travelers will also be required to be fully vaccinated. Unvaccinated travelers will continue to be banned from crossing. (New York Times / Associated Press /