Giuliani uses unfounded ‘Antifa’ argument to defend Trump

Giuliani uses unfounded ‘Antifa’ argument to defend Trump

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Giuliani claims in a tweet on friday that has since been removed by Twitter that the Capitol siege was carried out “by groups like ANTIFA trained to riot.”

Giuliani indicted Utah left-wing activist John Earle Sullivan, who was indicted in federal court on Thursday, on three charges related to the riot in the Capitol, arguing that the presence and statements of Sullivan and other unknown rioters indicate that the storm was driven by forces opposed to Trump.

‘We have people who have invaded like Mr. Sullivan and his apparently a group of rioters and looters, and whatever they are, directed by Black Lives Matter, ‘Giuliani said in a Thursday episode of his podcast titled’ Another FRAME UP ‘.

He also claims that the riots are “something the president had nothing to do with.”

The “Antifa” argument is just one of a number of conspiracy theories that Giuliani has argued on behalf of Trump since the November election. Giuliani is expected to continue to play a role in accusing Trump, although the president told staff not to pay him did not respond to CNN’s requests for comment.
Giuliani’s tweet was first reported by the Emptywheel blog, a website that specializes in issues of national security and civil liberties.

In the now removed tweet, Giuliani included a screenshot of a text from Sullivan’s brother, James, in which the sender claims that he is working with the FBI “to expose and blame John and more than 200 members of Antifa. ”

Neither Giuliani nor James Sullivan testified to support the allegation that Antifa was involved in the January 6 riot. Federal law enforcement officials said they found no evidence to suggest Antifa played a key role in the uprising.

John Sullivan and his brother James are apparently across the political spectrum.

According to his Facebook page, James Sullivan is an ardent Trump supporter. He is also the co-founder of Civilized Awakenings, a civil rights organization that seeks to help black conservatives ‘find real solutions to the problems facing Black Americans’.
In a brief interview with CNN, a Civilized Awakenings spokesman confirmed that Sullivan spoke at a Proud Boys event in Portland, but stressed that he or Civilized Awakenings is part of the group. The spokesman also confirmed Sullivan was in contact with Rudy Giuliani but declined to discuss the details.

James Sullivan declined to comment.

Neither John Sullivan nor the lawyer representing him on the charges following the Capitol siege could be reached for comment Friday night. Attorney Peter Kern, who is representing Sullivan in a separate criminal case filed in Utah this summer, refuses to characterize any political commitment Sullivan may have.

U.S. prosecutors say 275 cases opened in Capitol riots

During the siege, John Sullivan recorded the chaos and commented on what was going on. According to a criminal complaint, he was charged with disorderly conduct, interfering with law enforcement and the fact that he knowingly entered or lived in a restricted building. He was arrested in Utah, where he lives.

According to the complaint, Sullivan told the FBI he was an activist and journalist who filmed protests and riots, “but admitted he had no press releases.” He told agents he was wearing a ballistic vest and gas mask and entered the building through a broken window, the statement said. As he stood outside the Capitol building before entering, he exclaimed, “Let’s burn it.”

After he was inside, according to the affidavit, he could be heard on audio arguing with the police and telling them that they should stop or that they might get hurt.

“You’re putting yourself in the wrong place,” he apparently told officials. “The people were talking.” According to the arrest warrant, Sullivan can be heard saying on the video, “Hey, I have a knife. I have a knife. Leave me alone.”

Federal authorities did not identify John Sullivan as a member of Antifa, and he denied supporting Antifa in an interview with a Utah newspaper last week. Sullivan said in the same interview that he did not encourage violence or vandalism.

Asked about some of the things he said during a 40-minute video of the incident, he said, “If you’re in such a large crowd, you should merge.”

The newspaper, The Deseret News, also reported in July that Sullivan was part of a group called ‘Insurgence USA’ and took part in a demonstration in June in which he and others protested against a scheduled demonstration for pro-law. According to the newspaper, he was arrested after the protest and booked in jail for investigating ‘riots, the threat of violence and criminal mischief’.

That case is pending, according to online court records. Kern said Sullivan’s decision has been postponed and he has not yet filed a plea.

In August, Sullivan was in Washington, DC, with a rally in Black Lives Matter Plaza, according to a YouTube video.

‘We [expletive] about to burn it [expletive] he told the crowd. We need to snatch Trump right out of that office there. ‘

He leads the crowd in a chanting of “It’s time for a revolution”.

In the wake of last week’s siege of the capital, Sullivan appeared on CNN’s AC360 and ABC’s Good Morning America, commenting on dramatic footage he shot inside the Capitol.

“I’m not on the Trump or Biden side there at all,” he told Anderson Cooper.

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