Bodies of six aid workers killed in Israeli strike transported from Gaza as fallout grows

April 4, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The bodies of six of the seven World Central Kitchen aid workers killed in an Israeli military missile strike this week left Gaza on Wednesday, hospital officials said, as the fallout from the deadly incident continues to grow.

The bodies were taken by ambulance from the Abu Youssef Al-Najjar Hospital morgue in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, hospital officials said, beginning the long journeys home to their respective countries around the globe.

“On this day, as we bid farewell to martyrs of foreign nationalities — three martyrs of the humanitarian duty of British nationality, one American, one Australian, and one Polish — this is a sign that the weapons provided by the British and American governments in support of the Israeli occupation army in weapons, money and equipment, do not differentiate between Palestinians and other nationalities,” said Marwan Al-Hams, director of the Abu Youssef Al-Najjar Hospital.

Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, 25, the seventh aid worker killed in the strike, was laid to rest in Gaza on Tuesday, according to reports.

The aid workers, ranging in age from 25 to 57, were killed Monday night when their three-vehicle convoy, including two armored cars, was hit after leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse in central Gaza, where the aid workers had helped unload more than 100 tons of humanitarian aid brought to Gaza on the maritime route, according to the statement from WCK, a humanitarian organization dedicated to delivering food aid.

Herzi Halevi, chief of the Israel Defense Forces, said in a video statement Tuesday that the airstrike that killed the aid workers was a “grave mistake” and was “not carried out with the intention of harming the WCK aid workers.”

“It was a mistake that followed a misidentification at night, during a war, in very complex conditions. It shouldn’t have happened,” Halevi said. “This incident was a grave mistake. Israel is at war with Hamas, not with the people of Gaza. We are sorry for the unintentional harm to the members of WCK.”

Halevi’s statement echoed those of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli military and government officials, who promised that Israel would conduct a thorough and transparent investigation of the missile strike.

In addition to Abutaha, the WCK aid workers killed in the strike were identified as Damian Sobol, 35, of Poland; Jacob Flickinger, 33, a duel U.S.-Canada citizen; and Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom, 43, of Australia. Also killed were three members of the WCK security team, John Chapman, 57, James (Jim) Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47, all of Great Britain.

In a statement identifying the seven aid workers, WCK CEO Erin Gore described them as “the heroes of World Central Kitchen.”

“These seven beautiful souls were killed by the IDF in a strike as they were returning from a full day’s mission,” Gore said. “Their smiles, laughter, and voices are forever embedded in our memories. And we have countless memories of them giving their best selves to the world. We are reeling from our loss, the world’s loss.”

President Joe Biden said in a statement Tuesday that he is “outraged” and “heartbroken” by the deaths of the aid workers.

“They were providing food to hungry civilians in the middle of a war,” Biden said. “They were brave and selfless. Their deaths are a tragedy.”

Ophir Falk, a foreign policy advisor to Netanyahu, called allegations that the aid workers were deliberately targeted “absurd.”

“The last thing we would want in the world is to endanger civilian lives. We seek to minimize civilian casualties,” Falk said. “The last thing we would want is for humanitarian aid workers to be, to be harmed. And we go to great lengths to minimize civilian casualties. This war is a complex war. The incident happened in the middle of the night. It should not have happened. And we’ll do everything possible so that it doesn’t happen again.”

What you need to know about bird flu after person became infected in Texas

April 4, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Bird flu, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus, was first detected in 1996 among birds in China, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One year later, an outbreak occurred in Hong Kong that resulted in 18 human cases, including six deaths, after the people were infected directly by birds.

In late 2021, a version of the virus arrived on U.S. shores and was detected in wild birds. Since February of 2022, the virus has been causing outbreaks in commercial poultry supply — leaving over 80 million birds affected in nearly all states, according to the CDC. Nearly 10,000 wild birds have also been impacted.

While the virus is most common in birds it has more recently spread to some other animal populations such as harbor seals, mountain lions, raccoons, polar bears, red foxes, as well as striped skunks, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Rarely, the virus can infect humans after interacting with an animal. Most recently, a dairy worker in Texas was presumed to be infected by sick cattle, according to the CDC. This is the second human case ever to be reported in the U.S.

There has not been any spread of the virus between people in the U.S., according to CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen. The risk to the public remains low, she added.

A total of nearly 900 human cases have been identified since 2003, with about half dying from the infection, according to the World Health Organization. Almost all the human cases were linked to close contact with infected birds or contaminated environments.

“I want folks to know that for 20 years, the United States government has been preparing and trying to learn about avian flu,” Cohen told ABC News.

The sick patient out of Texas reported eye redness as their only symptom and is recovering after isolating and being treated with an antiviral drug, according to the public health agency.

“We have treatment that is available, things like Tamiflu. Not only do we have that in pharmacies, but we have it in stockpile, here in the country. And we have vaccine candidates that are matched to the current virus,” Cohen said.

She maintained that the U.S. government is closely monitoring the situation.

“The fact that it spread to one human case is certainly making us want to take this very seriously. But folks should know that right now, the risk to them is very low,” Cohen said.

“These are the things that reassure me: 20 years of preparation, no genetic changes to this virus, no human-to-human spread and nothing in the virus in terms of adaptations that would make us think it is more adaptive to human spread,” she added.

Recent analyses from the CDC indicate that the virus has not adapted to better infect humans.

“As we look more closely at the virus’s genetics, it is very similar to the virus that we’ve seen spread in bird populations. And so, we’re not seeing an important change in the virus that would increase our alarm,” said Dr. John Brownstein, chief innovation officer at Boston Children’s Hospital and an ABC News medical contributor.

Those who work with wild animals or livestock may be at higher risk of being exposed and infected with bird flu, according to the CDC.

People should avoid direct contact with wild birds and observe them from a distance, according to the CDC. It is also important to avoid contact with sick or dead animals, in general. Human infections can occur when the virus gets into a person’s eyes, nose or mouth, or is inhaled, typically after prolonged contact.

“The risk really is concentrated in those that are working in close proximity to animals and birds,” Brownstein said.

“And those are the people that we, of course, need to improve our surveillance and make sure that we identify any case as early as possible,” he added.

Because milk products are pasteurized, there is no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply, according to the USDA. Other federal agencies like the FDA and CDC warn against drinking raw milk or products made from it, due to the risk of viruses and bacteria, which may lead to infection or foodborne illnesses.

“So far, there is no concern for food in our supply chain. There is no risk to those that are consuming dairy and meat products,” Brownstein said.

The USDA also remains confident that the meat supply is safe and reminds us that cooking to a safe internal temperature kills bacteria and viruses, including bird flu.

“We feel in a good place to be able to understand this, learn more, and be prepared. But we are taking it very seriously. And so, you are seeing a mobilization of all of the government levers that we have to make sure that we are prepared,” Cohen said.

Trump keeps teasing an announcement on abortion ‘soon’ but dodges on specifics

April 4, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Former President Donald Trump speaks at the Faith and Freedom Road to Majority conference at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., June 24, 2023. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) — On the heels of the Florida Supreme Court upholding the state’s 15-week abortion ban and paving the way for a six-week ban with few exceptions, former President Donald Trump on Tuesday teased that he will announce his own abortion plan “next week” — but offered no further details on an issue that could shape the 2024 race.

Trump’s brief comment, answering a shouted question about the Florida abortion ban at the end of a press conference-style campaign event in Michigan, comes after months of the former president dodging questions about his stance on the specifics of abortion restrictions.

At the same time, he has championed his role in the end of Roe v. Wade, which he has celebrated for preventing abortions while saying it boosted states’ rights.

Tuesday was not the first time Trump teased an update on abortion, telling Fox News’ Howard Kurtz just last month that he’ll be making a decision “pretty soon” and that “there will be a certain spot” and he wants to “make both sides happy.”

Walking out of a polling location in Florida last month after voting for himself in the state’s Republican primary, Trump again said he’ll be “talking about that soon,” while not saying when.

The Trump campaign has also declined to say if he supports or opposes a measure on the November ballot that would broaden abortion access in Florida and undo the current restrictions.

On the campaign trail so far this election cycle, Trump has mainly avoided stating whether he supports or opposes a specific number of weeks when it comes to abortion bans, insisting it’s “probably better” that the discussion be left up to the states as long as they uphold three exceptions: rape, incest and the life of the mother.

In private conversations with allies and advisers, however, Trump has expressed support for a 16-week national abortion ban with those same exceptions, ABC News reported in February, citing two sources. At the time, his campaign did not deny the reporting but issued a statement that said he would work to find middle ground on abortion, which has become a familiar refrain for him on the trail.

In an interview with NBC News in September, Trump made a point of criticizing Florida’s six-week ban, which is now on the verge of taking effect, as a “terrible thing and a terrible mistake.”

“I think the Republicans speak very inarticulately about this subject,” he said then, contending then that there would be some kind of politically viable compromise.

“Other than certain parts of the country, you can’t — you’re not going to win on this issue. But you will win on this issue when you come up with the right number of weeks,” he said.

He’s also been repeating a broad rhetoric about his support for abortion opponents, touting his role in the end of Roe through his three Supreme Court justice appointments as the evidence that he’s a champion of the anti-abortion cause.

“We did something that was a miracle,” he said during a town hall in January, suggesting that the lack of abortions since the court ruling two years ago had “saved” millions of lives.

“Nobody has done more in that regard than me,” he said.

On the Florida Supreme Court’s decision on Tuesday, Trump campaign senior adviser Brian Hughes sought to stress his support for states’ rights to their own abortion laws — while rival Joe Biden’s campaign tried to tie Trump to the “extreme” Florida restrictions to argue that the issue would boost him at the ballot box.

“Protecting abortion rights is mobilizing a diverse and growing segment of voters to help buoy Democrats,” Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez wrote in a strategy memo, in part.

Trump’s adviser pushed back, slamming what he called Democrats’ far more permissive abortion policies.

“President Trump supports preserving life but has also made clear that he supports states’ rights because he supports the voters’ right to make decisions for themselves,” Hughes said in a statement to ABC News.

In recent weeks, however, Trump has alluded to the possibility of some level of restriction at the federal level, repeatedly mentioning discussions about a 15-week or 16-week ban during media interviews, while still claiming he’s not committed to a specific number and praising himself for sending the rights back to the states.

“I’m hearing about 15 weeks and I haven’t decided yet,” Trump said during an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity in February. “Also, we got it back to the states where it belongs,”

“Now it’s in the states — a lot of states who are taking a vote of their citizens and votes are coming out both ways — but largely they’re coming in with a certain number of weeks, and the number 15 is mentioned,” Trump continued.

“I haven’t agreed to any number. I’m going to see — we want to take an issue that was very polarizing and get it settled and solved so everybody can be happy,” he told Hannity.

Trump similarly floated 15 weeks during an interview with WABC-TV last month, claiming “even hard-liners” seem to be agreeing that “15 weeks seems to be a number that people are agreeing.”

Then he promised: “I’ll make that announcement at the appropriate time.”

New England braces for spring snowstorm as Upper Midwest faces blizzard conditions, power outages

April 4, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The calendar says it’s spring, but winter storm warnings are in effect in the Midwest and the Northeast as snowstorms slam both regions.

In the Northeast, heavy snow will blanket the mountains and ski resorts of upstate New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine.

Some of the higher elevations in New England could see more than 2 feet of snow.

The snow will pick up in intensity late Wednesday night and continue through Thursday.

In Maine, low visibility is expected and travel is discouraged, Gov. Janet Mills said.

“Folks need to be prepared at home for the possibility of an extended power outage with emergency supplies, alternate power sources, and should charge their mobile devices in advance,” Pete Rogers, director of the Maine Emergency Management Agency, said in a statement.

In the Midwest, Wisconsin is buried under more than 1 foot of snow and facing winds up to 35 mph.

A blizzard warning was issued for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where gusty winds combined with snow could cause very low visibility.

Largest US egg producer temporarily halts production due to avian flu at Texas facility

April 4, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — As avian flu continues to spread in birds across the United States, a major chicken egg manufacturer has temporarily halted production after the highly contagious disease was detected at its facilities.

Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., the nation’s largest producer and distributor of fresh eggs, announced the positive test result for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) at its Parmer County, Texas facility on Tuesday.

The outbreak has resulted in the loss of nearly “1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets, or approximately 3.6% of the Company’s total flock as of March 2, 2024,” Cal-Maine Foods announced. This was due to guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on poultry infections.

The company followed U.S. Department of Agriculture protocols in shutting down operations and said it’s “working to secure production from other facilities to minimize disruption to its customers.”

While there are “robust biosecurity” measures in place, the egg producer said “no farm is immune from HPAI” which is “still present in the wild bird population and the extent of possible future outbreaks, with heightened risk during the migration seasons, cannot be predicted.”

Despite a recent human infection following an outbreak at a Texas cattle farm, the risk of bird flu to the public is considered low and no person-to-person spread has occurred, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Amidst the increase in outbreaks, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reminded consumers that HPAI “cannot be transmitted through safely handled and properly cooked eggs.”

There is also no known risk related to HPAI associated with eggs currently in the retail market and as of time of publication, no eggs have been recalled.

Cal-Maine Foods said in the release that it’s working “closely with federal, state, and local government officials and focused industry groups to mitigate the risk of future outbreaks and effectively manage the response.”

The Ridgeland, Mississippi-based company produces, grades, packages, and markets fresh shell cage-free, organic, pasture-raised, free-range, and nutritionally enhanced eggs.

King Charles III opens parts of Buckingham Palace, Balmoral Castle for first time

April 4, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(LONDON) — King Charles III is giving the public a never-before-seen glimpse into two of the most iconic royal residences, Buckingham Palace and Balmoral Castle.

Starting this summer, members of the public will be able to tour the East Wing of Buckingham Palace for the first time, according to an announcement Wednesday from the Royal Collection Trust.

The tour will include a stop in the room that members of Britain’s royal family gather in before stepping out on the palace’s famous balcony, where they wave to the public after major events like coronations, jubilees and the annual Trooping the Colour.

The East Wing tour will also include visits to rooms used by the royals for official meetings and events, according to the Royal Collection Trust.

The tour, which will run daily in July and August, comes after five years of renovations to the East Wing to “upgrade the historic building’s infrastructure, improve access and preserve it for future generations,” according to the Royal Collection Trust.

Also opening this summer for the first time is Balmoral Castle, the royal family’s estate in Scotland.

Balmoral Castle was particularly beloved by the late Queen Elizabeth II, who spent the final months of her life there in 2022.

Starting on July 1, guided tours of the interior of the castle will begin for the first time ever, according to the castle’s website.

The tours will run through Aug. 4, and are only open to 10 people at a time. Tickets for the Castle Interior Tour start at just over $120 per person, according to the website. Tickets for the Castle Interior Tour with Afternoon Tea, which is offered to adults only, will cost around $190 per person.

“You will learn about the origins of the Castle and how it has been loved by generations of the Royal family,” the description for the tour reads. “Travel through time from the purchase of the Balmoral by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, through to present day, where you can see how rooms within the Castle are used today by their Majesty’s The King and Queen and other members of the Royal Family.”

Starting in early May, the castle’s gardens, exhibitions and grounds will also be open to the public on a daily basis through mid-August, as they are each summer, according to the castle’s website.

Tickets for tours of the grounds, gardens and exhibitions at Balmoral can be purchased online, with prices ranging depending on group size, age and tour experience.

Trump-backed Senate candidate Kari Lake raises over $1M at Mar-a-Lago fundraiser: Sources

April 3, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.) — Kari Lake, the Senate candidate backed by former President Donald Trump in Arizona, has raised just over $1 million at a fundraiser for her campaign underway at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate Wednesday, two campaign officials told ABC News.

The single-night haul is significant for Lake and gives her a financial boost as she seeks to fill the seat of outgoing Sen. Kyrsten Sinema in November.

Lake, who is expected to be the GOP nominee, is likely to face Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego in a closely-watched matchup that could help determine which party controls the narrowly divided Senate.

Lake has been a longtime ally and staunch supporter of Trump.

Lake, a former local news anchor who has never held public office, has become known in part for her outspoken support of Trump’s false claims of voter fraud. Her Senate campaign comes after she narrowly lost her bid for governor to Democrat Katie Hobbs in 2022, after which she refused to accept the results of the race and has since continued her failed legal effort seeking to overturn that loss.

As she campaigns for office in 2024, however, Lake has noticeably softened her stance on mail-in voting — which was attacked by Trump after he lost the 2020 presidential election.

Sources familiar with Wednesday’s event said it marks a new fundraising record at Mar-a-Lago for a non-incumbent Senate candidate. Earlier this year, for example, Trump-backed candidate Bernie Moreno in Ohio raised $350,000 at his Mar-a-Lago fundraiser, according to Axios.

The fundraiser on Wednesday evening comes after Lake entered the year trailing financially behind Gallego, who entered the race nearly a year before Lake did.

Tickets to the reception cost $1,000 per person, according to a copy of the invitation obtained by ABC News. Some packages cost as much as $100,000 per couple, according to the invite, which included a two-night stay at Mar-a-Lago and a dinner with Lake following the event.

Among the donors in attendance at Wednesday’s event were Adam Kidan, a longtime Republican donor who has donated to numerous candidates, a source said. Kidan previously donated just over $13,000 to Lake’s fundraising committee in November, according to federal election records.

At the end of 2023, Lake reported raising $2.1 million in the 12 weeks since announcing her bid in October, trailing behind Gallego’s $3.3 million for the quarter.

Earlier this week, Gallego’s campaign announced it had raised $7.5 million in the first quarter of 2024. Lake’s campaign has not yet released its first-quarter fundraising numbers.

The Wednesday event also came on the heels of a fundraiser in Washington, D.C., by the National Republican Senatorial Committee that raised $330,000 for Lake, according to Politico, after she secured the endorsement from chair Steve Daines in February.

Trump not immune from prosecution in criminal hush money case, judge rules

April 3, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Former President Donald Trump is not immune from prosecution in his New York hush money case, in part because he failed to invoke the defense in a timely fashion, the judge in the case ruled Wednesday.

Trump was “well aware” he could try to claim presidential immunity after he was indicted one year ago on charges of falsifying business records related to a hush payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, Judge Juan Merchan ruled. “Nonetheless, defendant chose not to raise the defense of presidential immunity until well past the 45-day period provided by statute,” Merchan said.

Merchan avoided ruling on the merits of Trump’s immunity claim, instead choosing to focus on the timing, which he said tested “this court’s credulity.”

“This Court finds that Defendant had myriad opportunities to raise the claim of presidential immunity well before March 7, 2024,” Merchan wrote.

The judge did draw a distinction between Trump’s claim of presidential immunity in the New York case and in the federal election interference case, where Trump has argued he cannot be prosecuted for conduct that occurred while he was in office.

The U.S. Supreme Court takes up that argument at the end of the month.

In the hush money case, Merchan noted that Trump did not try to claim the alleged falsification of business records constituted an official act.

Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels just days before the 2016 presidential election.

Jury selection for the trial is scheduled to get underway April 15 in New York City. The former president has denied all wrongdoing.

Bernie Sanders, Biden share plan to cut ‘outrageous’ health care costs

April 3, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden was joined by Sen. Bernie Sanders at the White House Wednesday to highlight the administration’s efforts to lower health care costs for Americans.

The remarks were at an official event, but came as Biden makes cracking down on corporate greed and relieving financial burdens for American families a key pillar of his 2024 reelection campaign.

“You and I have been fighting this for 25 years,” Biden said to Sanders. “Finally, we beat Big Pharma, finally.”

The support from Sanders, Biden’s rival for the Democratic nomination in 2020, comes as Biden faces mounting anger from the party’s progressive wing over his handling of the Israel-Hamas war. Reporters attempted to shout questions at Biden about Gaza and the Israeli strike that killed World Central Kitchen aid workers in the strip, but he did not take any questions.

Sanders opened his remarks Wednesday by saying Americans are united, regardless of political affiliation, in being “sick and tired of paying, by far, the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs.”

“Here is some good news, despite all of the incredible wealth and political power of the pharmaceutical industry … despite all of that, the Biden administration and Democrats in Congress are beginning to make some progress,” the independent senator said.

Among the accomplishments highlighted by Biden and Sanders were the Inflation Reduction Act provisions capping insulin costs at $35 for Medicare patients and out-of-pocket spending on brand-name drugs for Medicare beneficiaries to $2,000 yearly.

They also touted the ability of Medicare, for the first time, to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies on the price of certain prescription drugs.

“Not one Republican in the entire Congress — it surprised me, I have to admit to you — not one single Republican voted for it,” Biden said of the Inflation Reduction Act. “Not one single one to give us authority to take on and beat Big Pharma.”

He also took several swipes at congressional Republicans and his “predecessor” for their views on Social Security, the Affordable Care Act, the national deficit, abortion access and more. Without saying Donald Trump’s name, he criticized him for his “brags” on striking down Roe v. Wade.

“I promise you with a Democratic Congress, Kamala and I will make Roe v. Wade the law of the land again,” he said. “I promise you.”

Another point of celebration between Biden and Sanders was their work to lower the costs of inhalers. Sanders, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pension, led the charge in launching an investigation into the prices of the widely used products. Since then, three of the four major companies (GSK, AstraZeneca and Boehringer Ingelheim) have limited out-of-pocket costs for their inhalers to $35.

“My impression is that these companies as well as many others in the pharmaceutical industry are beginning to catch onto the fact that the American people are tired of being ripped off and paying astronomical prices for the prescription drugs they need to stay alive or ease their pain,” Sanders said.

Biden noted while Americans were paying as much as $600 for inhalers, the same product and medication were available in the United Kingdom for $49.

“It’s outrageous, but we’re doing something about it finally,” he said.

Still, both Biden and Sanders said more work needs to be done. They advocated for expanding Medicare’s price negotiations to 50 drugs (the first 10 drugs subject to negotiations were unveiled last year) and for capping out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs to $2,000 for all Americans.

“With Bernie’s help we are showing how health care should be a right, not a privilege, in America,” Biden said.

ABC News’ Molly Nagle and Michelle Stoddart contributed to this report.

Jan. 6 rioter who led crowd in attacking police sentenced to over 7 years in prison

April 3, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — A Washington state man who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 was sentenced Wednesday to seven years and three months in prison.

Taylor James Johnatakis was convicted in November on seven charges, including obstruction of an official proceeding and assaulting police officers.

Johnatakis led rioters in attacking the police line outside the Capitol, according to federal prosecutors.

“Specifically, using his megaphone, Johnatakis directed rioters to move up to the police line and yelled at the rioters to ‘pack it in! pack it in!'” a press release states. “Johnatakis then instructed the crowd through the megaphone that they were going to push the bike racks ‘one foot’ at a time and counted, ‘one, two, three, GO!!'”

At least one officer was injured in the fray, prosecutors said.

During his trial, Johnatakis represented himself, frustrating Judge Royce Lamberth with his erratic behavior. He argued his case by claiming to be a “sovereign citizen,” The Associated Press reported, which the judge called “gobbledygook.”

Johnatakis also asked the judge questions during his sentencing, including “Does the record reflect that I repent in my sins?” — to which Lamberth replied he was not taking questions, the AP reported.

In a letter after Wednesday’s hearing, Lamberth said every decision on how to sentence Jan. 6 rioters “aims to discourage these defendants from future violence, dissuade others from taking inspiration from the Capitol riot, and express the community’s moral disapproval of this conduct.”

He hit back at the idea that Johnatakis was simply exercising his freedom of speech, saying his actions were “neither First Amendment-protected activity nor civil disobedience.”

“A society in which everyone does what is right by his own lights, where adherence to the law is optional, would be a society of vigilantism, lawlessness, and anarchy,” he wrote.

Lamberth said Johnatakis’ remarks throughout the course of the trial made clear he “does not accept responsibility for his actions and does not show true remorse.”

“In any angry mob, there are leaders and there are followers,” he wrote. “Mr. Johnatakis was a leader. He knew what he was doing that day.”

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