A hearing is underway now in the case of Richard Barnett, one of the Capitol insurrection defs (photographed at Pelosi's desk) — the govt is challenging an Arkansas magistrate judge's release order. Chief Judge Beryl Howell in DC halted his release until she rules on the matter

New: The Trump campaign filed a three-page letter in the 3rd Circuit this morning requesting oral argument in its big case trying to undo Biden's win in PA: https://t.co/oSOEc27he8

There is a lot to unpack here, too much for one tweet, so bear with me

The 3rd Circuit doesn't let lawyers who aren't members of the court's bar to appear unless they're pro bono. Trump's legal team still asks to let Rudy Giuliani argue, saying he hasn't been able to get the "necessary certifications due to Covid-19 complications"

Trump's lawyers write that given how many people voted for him, the claims "should be heard on the merits" — but recall this case is not up on appeal about the merits. The campaign is asking for emergency review of the judge denying its request to file a 2nd amended complaint

They contend oral argument would be helpful to address issues raised by PA, the DNC, and other parties in briefs filed yesterday, which they then touch on in a set of footnotes

The first footnote argues there was no undue delay in filing the 2nd amended complaint b/c given the shifting makeup of the campaign's legal team, there was "confusion" that led to the filing of the 1st amended complaint, which removed sections and a number of counts

A federal judge in DC is holding a detention hearing in the cases of Capitol insurrection defendants Eric Munchel (who was photographed wearing tactical gear and holding a bunch of zip tie handcuffs) and his mother Lisa Eisenhart — the govt is arguing to keep both behind bars

Re: the zip tie handcuffs that Munchel and Eisenhart allegedly picked up inside the Capitol, AUSA Ahmed Baset says they were visible to lots of people passing by at the time but these two not only took them, but did so "with glee"

Baset says it's true that Munchel and Eisenhart aren't charged with physically hurting anyone, the evidence shows they were looking for lawmakers, who had been cleared out. "They should not be given credit for that," Baset argues.

Baset says that Munchel was in touch with the Proud Boys in Tennessee *after* Jan. 6 and talked about how he'd wanted to join their ranks before but didn't know how

Munchel's lawyer Sandra Roland argues that the Tennessee magistrate judge who granted pretrial release to Munchel and Eisenhart got it right in finding that the govt failed to show there were no combination of release conditions that would protect the community

Sidney Powell has moved to dismiss Dominion's defamation lawsuit. She argues that when she accused Dominion of being part of an election-rigging scheme with ties to Venezuela, "no reasonable person would conclude" those "were truly statements of fact" https://t.co/RDPD1eGvY3

Powell argues she can't be liable if the information she based her "opinions and legal theories" on were actually unreliable, comparing herself to reporters who get 1A protection when they cite sources; but she later also makes clear she disputes that her info was "false"

Powell also raises jurisdictional and venue-related arguments, basically saying the parties + allegations lack sufficient ties to DC and the case should be moved to Texas

The (sort of) retreat of the Kraken: Sidney Powell argues she can't be sued for defamation because her voter fraud lies were just "opinions and legal theories."

"...no reasonable person would conclude that the statements were truly statements of

The hundreds of criminal cases brought re: the Jan. 6 insurrection show how potent Powell and other Trump allies' conspiracy theories were — for ex, one man charged with assaulting cops echoed Powell's false claims that voting machines were tampered with

A Full Court Reference at the Jammu & Kashmir High Court will shortly take place to bid Farewell to Chief Justice of J&K HC, Hon’ble Ms. Justice Gita Mittal as she demits her office.

Webcast link: https://t.co/d9PybM7HGp

The Full Court has assembled.

#Farewell #JammuAndKashmir #HighCourt

Advocate-General of Jammu and Kashmir commences his address as he recounts how it was a historical day when CJ Gita Mittal took over the High Court and how she took the institution to new heights.

#Farewell #JammuAndKashmir #HighCourt

The AG lists the judgments of Justice Mittal, including but not limited to matters related to trans persons, colour-blindness et al, to showcase how a Judge never dies and lives through their judgements.

#Farewell #JammuAndKashmir #HighCourt

ASG Vishal Sharma delivers his address.

#Farewell #JammuAndKashmir #HighCourt

1/

The SNP versus the Law

The SNP is in trouble. They know it and we know it. It’s almost certain that Nicola Sturgeon will need to resign for lying to Holyrood

This explains the frantic calls for another referendum

Brexit is done and the sky didn’t fall in

2/

This removes their number one Bête Noire. A Disastrous hard Brexit

They were banking on that happening. There will be, and are, difficulties with the new trading arrangements but these will play out over years and will be sorted one way or another

3/

The Law

As it stands, the SNP cannot call another referendum without the permission of the UK Parliament

Some people dispute this, including many in the SNP

So. What’s the alternative?

The could call a non binding non legal referendum but what’s the point

Unionist will

4/

boycott it and non SNP councils will refuse to participate

Although that’s their latest plan, it’s a non starter

In the absence of a S30 order their only recourse is to test the competence to hold another referendum in the Supreme Court

This is fraught with dangers

5/

They have to balance the possibility of getting a positive SC judgement against getting a negative judgement

I’ll start with the negative judgement first

Were the Scot Gov to go to the SC they would risk not one but two massively disastrous and fatal outcomes

So Dominion sued Rudy for defamation. How are they ever going to allege actual malice?

Back in the mists of time, we suggested that the proposed Scottish Hate Crime bill might be used as a stick to beat women who wanted to discuss the GRA, sex-based rights, & welfare of gender confused children.

We were told we were being silly: no one would do that.

Thread/

Today, we saw two proposed amendments to the hate crime bill with regard to #FreeSpeech in relation to transgender identity.

A general one from @humzayousaf & one from @liamkerrmsp which covers many of the topics women feared might result in prosecution - thank you!

If anyone had doubts that the extremists of gender ideology did not intend to use this legislation as a means to silence and intimidate, the frothing indignation of anti-woman activists who might be prevented from filing hourly hate crime reports, surely laid this to rest.

Naturally, Scottish Green Party were quick to charge into the fray. Emz Cuthbertson, co-convener of SGP women & Rainbow Greens, was in no way hyperbolic in referring to it as a "transphobes charter", with Dr Kevin finding the idea of not being able to shut women up "terrifying".

Also up were activist James (who once promoted a lurid fantasy about lesbians beating up a NB child at Edinburgh Pride) & serial party hopper, Tristan who was horrified that "misgendering" was not about to be a crime & thinks advocating child counselling is "conversion therapy".

Entering 2021, our hearts are already broken.

That's exactly why we're ready to fight the good fight

And let me say this WADR in response to understandably heartbroken, frustrated and passionate people suggesting that I'm an easy touch, a RINO, naive, or insufficiently dedicated to conservatism: >

These remarks come up not only in response to my video saying that we must remember and live by the principles we say we're fighting for, but to my tweets saying that Lin Wood has lost touch with reality or that John Roberts is not being blackmailed. >

I've been a conservative activist since I was a teenager. The announcements for conservative events I was running were torn off the walls at Princeton in the 80's. Interviewers at law firms recommended that I not be extended an offer because the Federalist Society was Nazis. >

More recently I left one law firm partnership after being told I could not represent the Gab social media platform after it the representation been approved up and down the org chart and on the eve of filing.

People might say we were Nazis. >