On the cusp of the next presidential election, some of those judges fear another burst of political violence could be coming. Other judges have said the political climate is ripe for another attack like the one injured more than 100 police officers at the Capitol. As Election Day nears, judges are frequently stressing the need to send a message beyond their courtrooms that political violence can't be tolerated. Judges have repeatedly used their platform on the bench to denounce those efforts to downplay the violence on Jan. 6 and cast the rioters as political prisoners. Justice Department prosecutors have argued in many cases that a prison sentence is necessary to deter convicted Capitol rioters from engaging in more politically motivated violence.

Source: ABC News October 19, 2024 05:12 UTC