Prosecutors are asking U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly to sentence Enrique Tarrio, the group’s former chairman, to 33 years in prison and to sentence his co-defendant Ethan Nordean, another former leader, to 27 years.
Those recommendations exceed the longest sentence handed out so far over the assault by the former president’s supporters on the seat of government, including Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes who was sentenced in May to serve 18 years.
Sure, but also consider that Trump is incidental or perhaps convenient to his goals. The violent revolution is what this guy wanted, not Trump. This was just the best opportunity that was ever going to come along in his lifetime.
Trump specifically said the proud boys should “stand back and stand by” during the presidential debates when asked to disavow their actions. They were also in direct contact with Roger Stone, one of Trump’s decade long advisors. There is video of them on Jan 6 with Stone, talking with him and “providing security.” They then led the charge into the capitol, breaching the building and riling up his supporters to do exactly what Trump wanted that day, create havoc to prevent the democratic turnover of power.
The proud boys and Trump’s camp were tied at the hip, coordinating with each other. It wasn’t a “happy accident” that they kept showing up for Trumps bullshit.
I don’t disagree with that, but I’m saying they cared more about white revolution than Trump specifically. These aren’t folks who got duped into simping for Trump, he just provided them the opportunity they’d been looking for all along.