DOJ: More than 50 charged so far in connection with deadly Capitol siege
Trump supporters try to break through a police barrier, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington. Lonnie Coffman, of Alabama, was charged on Jan. 7, 2021, with possession of an unregistered firearm (destructive device) and carrying a pistol without a license. Joshua Pruitt, was charged on Jan. 7, 2021, with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority. Council allegedly unlawfully entered the Capitol building, and when stopped by law enforcement, he pushed the officer. โThe lawless destruction of the U.S. Capitol building was an attack against one of our nationโs greatest institutions,โ said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Sherwin.
Court: Money owed can't block voting rights for NC felons
A North Carolina court ruled Friday that outstanding restitution, fees or other court-imposed monetary obligations can't prevent convicted felons from voting if they've completed all other portions of their sentence. The ruling, which may face appeals, could pave the way for an influx of felons to have their voting rights restored amid hotly contested races for the presidency and U.S. Senate in the battleground state. Therefore, they ruled that the provision of state law regarding the payment of financial obligations violates the equal protection clause of the state constitution. It wasn't immediately clear how many of those were prevented from voting solely because of monetary obligations and would benefit from Friday's ruling. The plaintiffs, which include advocacy groups and several ex-offenders seeking to vote again, have argued that the 1970s-era state law on restoration of voting rights disproportionately hurts minorities and is racially discriminatory.