Ex-police officer who saw himself as pro-Trump 'counter insurgency' sentenced to 87 months in prison in Jan. 6 case

[u/Jordan_WUSA9]

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/national/capitol-riots/ex-virginia-police-officer-sentenced-to-7-years-in-prison-in-capitol-riot-case-thomas-robertson-rocky-mount-trump-jacob-fracker/65-4325e02a-5e48-49a5-aad6-a39d3373a312

[u/Embarrassed-Cicada27]

I'm sorry but no, turning your buddy in to save your own ass does not deserve an easier sentence.

Terrorists don't deserve an easier time no matter who they turn on.

[u/GetTaylorSchwifty → u/Embarrassed-Cicada27]

It’s more important to incentivize these people to offer up information. Would you rather this guy serve 5 years instead of 3 years if it means a bigger fish gets away?

[u/Embarrassed-Cicada27 → u/GetTaylorSchwifty]

Personally? I'd rather they all be charged equally, to the full extent of the law based on the acts of terrorism that they've committed. There are other ways to get someone to roll on their friends that doesn't involve going easy on a violent terrorist

[u/GetTaylorSchwifty → u/Embarrassed-Cicada27]

Yeah but I purposely didn’t give that as one of the options because practicality matters. Resources and time are limited. Elections will take place. I don’t want to go through another round of “Democrats didn’t try hard enough to stop Republicans/hold Republicans accountable so they’re equally bad and now I will refuse to vote for Democrats and make it even more difficult for them to get anything passed.” Or “Democrats had all the power to hold those in charge accountable but they focused on only the poor white people while letting the rich white people walk free. tHeY’rE tHe SaMe!! It’S cOnTrOlLeD oPpOsItIoN!! I’m going vote for this Green Party candidate with direct ties to Putin instead. At least I’ll have my conscience.” [Yes I know the DOJ isn’t “the Democrats”, but generally people attribute all federal level actions to POTUS, maybe Congress sometimes.]

[u/Embarrassed-Cicada27 → u/GetTaylorSchwifty]

I understand where you're coming from, I feel the same way. There has to be a way however, to catch these people that doesn't involve going easy on them in exchange for confessions against their co-conspirators.

It's bad optics to let them continue to walk free as enemies of the state, but it's just as bad to look like we're being too soft on them for turning on their friends. Both options send a message; either that nothing will be done, or that you can recieve minimum punishment just for ratting on your friends. There has to be another way

[u/GetTaylorSchwifty → u/Embarrassed-Cicada27]

I mean, I’d love for you to be right. It’s just that “there has to be another way” reminds me too much of what we heard for four years under Trump. Actually more than four years, because the judges he appointed are still there and they will be for the rest of their and our lives.

When Amy Coney Barrett was about to be appointed:

“The Democrats need to do something!! They need to fight this with everything they’ve got!!” “How?” “They need to not just roll over!!” “What are the procedures you think they need to take?” “Democrats always just give up.”

Trump’s endless attempts to undo Obamacare because Obama made fun of him and he’s a fragile snowflake:

“Why aren’t the Democrats trying to stop him??” “They are, but they don’t control Congress.” “So that makes it ok???” “No of course not, but they need to be in power first. What are the things you think they can do right now as the minority party?” “They need to fight for the people!”

On the new regressive tax policies:

“Democrats are exactly the same as them! They don’t even put up a fight!” “What are they supposed to do? Congress passes these things and Republicans have a majority in both chambers.” “No it’s because corporate interests.”

Again, I’d be glad to be wrong, but I’m extremely wary of people saying “there has to be something else they can do” without concrete examples. If you’re extremely knowledgeable about how these things go and you can think of exactly how getting the big fish can be done without offering shorter sentences to the grunts, that’s great. But if it turns out that there isn’t another way, well, please remember that in the end, getting the ones at the top is still more important than not wavering on low-level pawns.