Ukrainian Drones Providing A Battlefield Edge

 

In a day of war games in 2025 between NATO forces and Ukrainian drone operators, the Ukrainians won a decisive "victory," proving that their focus on domestic drone production is why the Russian invaders are stymied.  It also showed that NATO forces were behind in its anti-drone technology.  From Euromaidan Press:

"The war game, known as Hedgehog 2025, was held in Estonia and involved more than 16,000 troops from 12 NATO countries. Ukrainian drone specialists, including personnel rotated from the front, participated in the drill and helped simulate battlefield conditions similar to those in Ukraine.

According to the WSJ, the results were stark. In one scenario, NATO formations attempting an offensive maneuver were quickly identified and neutralized in the simulation by small adversary teams operating reconnaissance and strike drones. 

Using Ukraine’s Delta battlefield-management system, a group of around 10 Ukrainians mock-destroyed 17 armored vehicles and conducted dozens of simulated strikes within hours. [snip]

Participants described the overall outcome as devastating for alliance forces. In exercise terms, two battalions were rendered combat-ineffective in a single day. One commander observing the drill reportedly reacted with the words: 'We are f—.'” (our emphasis)

This data point comes as the Kremlin-aligned Malignant Fascist is pressuring Ukraine to accept a "deal" that would reward Russia for its invasion, and ensure that once Russia is rearmed, it will again seek to conquer the entire nation.  The MF has always seen Russia in favorable -- almost worshipful -- ways, and his "negotiator," MF friend and real estate developer Steve "Witless" Witkoff, is viewing the negotiations as a "land swap" / business deal that would then open up Russia to U.S. businesses again.  It's straight up capitulation to war criminal Putin, and Ukraine's beefed up domestic arms industry -- especially its drone capabilities -- signal Ukraine's acknowledgment of the MF's refusal to support them.

 

Skeets Of The Day

 

The Malignant Fascist's threats to mid-term election. Dangerous buffoon. --

American democracy can absolutely withstand a non-legally binding EO about voter ID. The president does not control state election requirements. Organizers, activists and operatives are prepared for Republicans to try to mess with election results as they have been for decades.

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— Aaron Huertas (@aaronhuertas.bsky.social) February 14, 2026 at 10:14 AM

 

"You have to vote for us.”

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— Lauren Harper (@laurenleharper.bsky.social) February 14, 2026 at 11:04 AM

 

Despicable ICE Barbie promising only "right people" will vote in mid-terms. Lawless. --

Kristi Noem: "When it gets to Election Day, we've been proactive to make sure we have the right people voting, electing the right leaders to lead this country."

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— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) February 14, 2026 at 9:51 AM

ICE Barbie's Blankiegate and accountability (context) -- 

 

Swalwell: ICE agents shot Alex Pretti and Renee Good. And the only person in the world who has been held accountable by DHS is the pilot who somehow forgot to move Kristi Noem’s blankie.

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— Acyn (@acyn.bsky.social) February 13, 2026 at 9:27 PM

Give Dan Koh the last word on the odious ICE Barbie -- 

Koh: I wish that Kristi Noem had as much passion for homeland security as she has passion for Corey Lewandowski.

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— Acyn (@acyn.bsky.social) February 13, 2026 at 10:09 PM

 

Malignant Fascist buddy Bannon discussed taking down Pope Francis with MF buddy Epstein --

Steve Bannon discussed opposition strategies with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein against Pope Francis, with Bannon saying he hoped to “take down” the pontiff, according to newly released files from the US Department of Justice. https://cnn.it/4tH3r0O

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— CNN (@cnn.com) February 14, 2026 at 5:30 AM

 

Powerful message to Munich Security Conference. Apparently Li'l Marco didn't attend -- 

President Zelenskyy: Ukraine didn’t choose this war& it's wrong to assume that this is a permanent arrangement that others can stay safe behind Ukraine forever.Ukrainians are people,not terminators.

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— Anton Gerashchenko (@antongerashchenko.bsky.social) February 14, 2026 at 7:58 AM

China knows now it will win the clean energy race, thanks to the fossil fuel moron MF --

China's Xinhua news agency has just published this editorial cartoon in response to Trump's rejection of climate policies. It is pretty clear that China views this as a HUGE geopolitical fumble by the US leaving the field clear for China's to win the global race to clean-tech hegemony

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— Leo Hickman (@leohickman.carbonbrief.org) February 14, 2026 at 7:20 AM

 

The deranged MF's unprecedented pillaging of the U.S. --

no foreign foe has ever dreamed of being able to sack and pillaging this country the way Trump admin and its congressional and scotus enablers do every day.

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— Philip Gourevitch (@pgourevitch.bsky.social) February 13, 2026 at 10:43 PM

MAGAt crime watch: Oklahoma pedophile sentenced to 30 years. Trump pardon coming?  --

Justin Floyd Qualls, a 40 year old Trump supporter whose Facebook included anti trans posts and accusations about President Biden, has now been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for the aggravated sexual abuse of a child under 12.

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— Outspoken™️ (@out5p0ken.bsky.social) February 14, 2026 at 7:50 AM

Get your MAGAt Valentine's Day card! -- 

💝🗽

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— The Daily Show (@thedailyshow.com) February 13, 2026 at 1:59 PM

 

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— The Daily Show (@thedailyshow.com) February 13, 2026 at 1:59 PM

 

 

Dementia Don's Further Descent Into Madness, Cont.

 

You would never see or hear about these nuggets of our moron-in-chief's madness if you relied only on the "mainstream media," which is fully invested in normalizing the abnormal when it comes to the Malignant Fascist.  But, here he is yesterday once again lying, ranting, projecting, bullying and making threats to rig the 2026 mid-term elections, in his increasingly insane jumble style:

This is his "argument" for the "SAVE (Trump and Republicans) Act that just passed the House on a party-line vote.  The Senate, unless the Malignant Fascist's toadies nuke the filibuster, is not likely to pass it, triggering the MF's threat to do with an Executive Order what can only be accomplished by law. It's also his desperate attempt to cow his own Republican Supreme Court into preserving his punitive tariffs, which American consumers are paying for with higher prices.

He clearly has been stung by people noting his demented behavior and evil actions, since he uses the same language to project onto "demented and evil" Democrats.  The more people see of these deranged "truths," the more they realize who's the demented and evil one.

Tech Industry Trying to Buy 2026 Elections

 

Tech companies involved in artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency are making a big push financially to make sure candidates that support their industries are elected in the 2026 mid-terms.  Despite growing concerns about massive, electricity-intensive data centers and AI's impact on jobs and privacy, billionaire tech moguls are setting up political action committees (PACs) to try to convince voters that their preferred candidate should be elected.  From HuffPo:

"AI companies have modeled their lobbying efforts after crypto-backed groups, another influential segment of the tech industry that invested heavily in the 2022 and 2024 elections. Crypto super PACs spent tens of millions of dollars, for example, on ads to block Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) from being elected to the Senate last year. They did the same to oust former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and elect his replacement, crypto-friendly GOP businessman Bernie Moreno, who now holds his seat.

Leading The Future, the main pro-AI industry super PAC backed by OpenAI, plans to spend at least $100 million to support candidates who favor AI adoption with minimal regulatory hindrances. They’ve begun deploying their resources in congressional races, spending $5 million in support of Rep. Byron Donalds’ (R-Fla.) bid for governor in Florida and contributing $1 million to defeat Alex Bores, a Democratic assemblyman from New York who spearheaded new rules on the industry, quickly making himself a target." (our emphasis)

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is introducing legislation that would curb the construction of data centers, but is concerned beyond the impacts on electricity prices, as he discussed with the HuffPo:

“The big money interests, the billionaires who control our economy and our political system, are going to do everything to elect people to give them a green light to go forward. I happen to believe that Congress and the American people are totally unprepared for the transformational and radical impact it’s going to have on our society."

In a separate call with reporters, Sanders said:

“What I am looking at right now goes beyond electric rates,” he said on a call with reporters on Thursday. “It goes to who will control, essentially control, this transformative technology. Will it simply be Elon Musk? And Bezos and other multi-billionaires who will make huge amounts of money off of this. Or will AI and robotics work to improve life for human beings?”

We saw in the 2024 election the influence of South Afrikaner fascist Musk in electing the Malignant Fascist, and he and Bezos, Zuckerberg, and the Ellisons will spend lavishly to influence the upcoming one to serve them.

 

Hearts, Golden Arrows, Chocolates, And Vinegar

 

Here are 7 things you may not have known or cared about concerning St. Valentine's Day, told in a cheeky way (at  least for the History Channel):

Today's Cartoons

 

(click on images to enlarge)

(Mike Luckovich, Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

(Steve Sack, stevesack.substack.com)

(Matt Davies, Newsday)

(Jack Ohman, Tribune Content Agency)

(John Darkow, Columbia Missourian)

(Pedro Molina, Tribune Content Agency)

(Andy Marlette, Creators.com)

(Rick McKee, caglecartoons.com)

(Rob Rogers, Tinyview.com)

(Milt Priggee, caglecartoons.com)

(Michael de Adder, The Contrarian, Canada)

(Brendan Loper, @b_loper)

QOTD -- Truth And Consequences

 

“'The government’s lies can be devastating,' a leading scholar — University of Colorado law professor Helen Norton — wrote in a powerful 2015 article, arguing that official government dishonesty is fundamentally unconstitutional. Norton noted that false testimony and evidence in criminal cases — what we’ve seen frequently in the immigration terror campaign — is a violation of the Constitution’s due process clause, while invented allegations that aim to silence critics are offenses against constitutionally protected free speech.

"It’s a felony to lie in federal court cases, or when testifying under oath before Congress, or in other types of governmental proceedings. And the federal statute of limitations for perjury is five years — plenty of time for a liberated U.S. Department of Justice to pursue these many cases if democratic forces can win back the White House in 2028. 

"But we should also recognize that top officials who tell deliberate lies are abusing their power in ways that, as Norton rightly argues, are grossly unconstitutional. When Noem lies to the American people about Good and how she was killed by ICE, she should resign or be impeached. When Lutnick looks into a camera and offers complete fiction about his friendship with the world’s most notorious sex trafficker, he, too, should quit immediately, or face impeachment.  [snip]

"We won’t get anything resembling democracy until we clear that widespread debris, and that means sending a bunch of these liars to prison, because they are the real criminals. America desperately needs truth and consequences." --  Will Bunch, Philadelphia Inquirer, "The Lying Is Out Of Control. People Need To Go to Prison."  As we've said before, we need junkyard dog Democrats in the White House and in the Justice Department to make sure we de-Nazify our federal government and make sure the rule of law is re-established in such a way that the MAGAt fascist party can't undermine it again. 

WSJ's Bombshell Noem-Lewandowski Exposé

 

We were able to get behind the paywall for the Wall Street Journal's lengthy expose of the inner chaos of the Department of Homeland Security and the special relationship between married DHS Secretary "ICE Barbie" Noem and her married "senior advisor" Corey Lewandowski.  Some excerpts:

"Within DHS, Noem and Lewandowski frequently berate senior level staff, give polygraph tests to employees they don’t trust and have fired employees—in one incident, Lewandowski fired a U.S. Coast Guard pilot after Noem’s blanket was left behind on a plane, according to people familiar with the incident. 

Simmering criticism over the past year for Noem’s policies and publicity moves exploded in Minneapolis, jeopardizing her grip over DHS and putting her standing with Trump on thin ice. [snip]

Noem and Lewandowski’s close relationship had already made Trump and his top advisers uncomfortable. Lewandowski had initially wanted to formally serve as Noem’s chief of staff, but Trump rejected the idea due to reports of a romantic relationship between the two—which he has continued to bring up, officials say.

After photos in the Daily Mail showed Lewandowski going back and forth between his apartment and Noem’s across the street last year, the secretary moved into a government-owned waterfront house on a military base in Washington that is provided to the leader of the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard falls under Noem’s purview at DHS during peacetime. Lewandowski also spends time at the house. [snip]

Lewandowski and Noem, who are both married, have publicly denied the reports of the affair, but people said they do little to hide their relationship inside the department. The DHS spokeswoman said the department “doesn’t waste time with salacious, baseless gossip.”

The pair have lately been using a luxury 737 MAX jet, with a private cabin in back, for their travel around the country, according to people familiar with the matter. [snip]

Lewandowski took Noem to functions with Republican kingmakers, introducing her as a rising star in the party. He suggested her to others as Trump’s vice president in 2024. After failing at that, Lewandowski pushed for her to get the DHS post, a role viewed as central to Trump’s agenda and one he believed could be a launchpad for a potential 2028 presidential bid. 

Officials at DHS said they believe the pair see DHS as a steppingstone to an even bigger perch." (our emphasis)

There's much more gag-worthy details in the WSJ's well-sourced and written article, e.g.,  the blanket incident reference above, Lewandowski's demand to be issued an official badge and gun, and their micromanagement of the DHS and inconsistent internal policies (on FEMA, for example). It's notable that the article often mentions the two as "the pair" and links their names throughout.  As observers have noted, their relationship is "one of the worst kept secrets in Washington."  If they are already on "thin ice" (no pun) with the Malignant Fascist, this insightful look into their clueless management of DHS and their personal shenanigans may break it for the MF.

(photo: joined at the hip)

 

Skeets Of The Day

 

The Epstein- Trump files coverup / survivors speak / Trump regime names --

 

Epstein survivors say they felt 'degraded' and a 'lack of empathy' from AG Pam Bondi www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

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— Timothy McBride (@mcbridetd.bsky.social) February 13, 2026 at 7:54 AM

 

It’s the Epstein Administration. No wonder Bondi spent the entire hearing screeching and deflecting. H/T: @aaronparnas.bsky.social

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— Angry (@angrystaffer.bsky.social) February 12, 2026 at 9:35 AM

 

Shameful shit!!!! Shame each and everyone of them!!!! #Epstein #EpsteinFiles

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— WomenRiseUp2026 (@womenriseup2026.bsky.social) February 12, 2026 at 10:31 PM

 

Ilhan Omar: “…in Somalia we execute pedophiles” MAGA: SHE WANTS TO KILL TRUMP!!!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂fucking idiots 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

— JoJoFromJerz (@jojofromjerz.bsky.social) February 12, 2026 at 10:51 AM

 

The "SAVE (Trump and Republicans) Act" --

 

First, read this and learn about the SAVE Act. Then call your senators. We can’t afford to let them impose a poll tax on our right to vote. joycevance.substack.com/p/voting-a-r...

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— Joyce White Vance (@joycewhitevance.bsky.social) February 12, 2026 at 11:24 PM

 

Inform yourself and your friends and call your members of congress - here's more

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— Network NOVA (@networknova.bsky.social) February 12, 2025 at 8:59 PM

 

Jared "Mr. Ivanka Trump" Kushner, International Man of Mysterious Deals --

Of course 🤦‍♂️

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— Angry (@angrystaffer.bsky.social) February 12, 2026 at 5:47 PM

 

Munich Security Conference has no fucks to give about Trump --

The Munich Security Conference gets underway, and everyone is taking shots at JD Vance, the man who much prefers the continental Europe of 1939. Friedrich Merz leads the way with an attack on the culture of culture wars. www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/sich...

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— Scott Horton (@robertscotthorton.bsky.social) February 13, 2026 at 8:52 AM

 

🗓️ Wondering which topics will shape today's discussions at #MSC2026? We've got you covered with a quick overview. (1/2)

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— Munich Security Conference (@munsecconf.bsky.social) February 13, 2026 at 7:05 AM

 

(2/2)

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— Munich Security Conference (@munsecconf.bsky.social) February 13, 2026 at 7:05 AM

Explains so much --

 

Fellow citizens, the U.S. Secretary for Health and Human Services and the chief guardian of our physical well-being for the next three years.

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— David Simon (@audacityofdespair.bsky.social) February 12, 2026 at 4:07 PM

 

Trump ends endangerment finding on greenhouse gases (Happy Friday the 13th!) --

 

Donald Trump ends the endangerment finding youtu.be/3VZB3NqtmUM

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— J-L Cauvin (@jlcauvin.bsky.social) February 12, 2026 at 4:55 PM

 

 

Weekend Music

 

Mon Rovîa (born Janjay Lowe) takes his professional name from the city where he was born, Monrovia, Liberia.  Musically, we'd say he occupies a fairly rare niche, it being described as "Afro-Appalachian" or "Affrilachian" music (think also Rhiannon Giddens and the Carolina Chocolate Drops).  Here's "Heavy Foot" from his new album, "Bloodline."  Hope you enjoy.

Love me now 

Hold me down 

And the government 

Staying on heavy foot 

And they tried to keep us all down 

No they never gonna keep us all down

Trump Guts Major Environmental Rule

 

In a reckless act that will adversely affect the health of millions of Americans and others around the world, the corrupt and profoundly ignorant Malignant Fascist had his Environmental "Protection" Agency rescind  a 2009 rule that determined that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases threaten public safety and health.  The rule was one of the Obama Administration's signature environmental policies that supported sweeping regulations pertaining to climate change, which must have motivated the vindictive and envious MF.  From the Associated Press:

"The Obama-era finding is the legal underpinning of nearly all climate regulations under the Clean Air Act for motor vehicles, power plants and other pollution sources that are heating the planet.

The repeal eliminates all greenhouse gas emissions standards for cars and trucks and could unleash a broader undoing of climate regulations on stationary sources such as power plants and oil and gas facilities, experts say. Legal challenges are near certain.

President Donald Trump called the move 'the single largest deregulatory action in American history, by far,' while EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin called the endangerment finding 'the Holy Grail of federal regulatory overreach.'

Trump called the endangerment finding 'one of the greatest scams in history,' claiming falsely that it 'had no basis in fact' or law."  (our emphasis)

The projection from the political, fact-free decision by the MF and his regime is obvious.  The reaction to the MF's reckless and dangerous action from environmental and climate scientists was, of course, overwhelmingly negative:

“It boggles the mind that the administration is rescinding the endangerment finding; it’s akin to insisting that the world is flat or denying that gravity is a thing,” said Dr. Howard Frumkin, a physician and professor emeritus of public health at the University of Washington.

Thousands of scientific studies have looked at climate change and its effects on human health in the past five years and they predominantly show climate change is increasingly dangerous to people. [snip]

“'Study after study documents that climate change endangers health, for one simple reason: It’s true,' said Frumkin, a former director of the National Center for Environmental Health appointed by President George W. Bush.

'Health risks are increasing because human-cause climate change is already upon us. Take the 2021 heat dome for example, that killed (more than) 600 people in the Northwest,' said Dr. Jonathan Patz, a physician who directs the Center for Health, Energy and Environmental Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 'The new climate attribution studies show that event was made 150-fold more likely due to climate change.'” (our emphasis)

The MF's impulsive and dishonest Government by retribution, and his destruction of policies and programs  established by his envied and highly regarded predecessors shows his lack of decency and concern for average Americans.  Every day he's in office, the damage increases.

 

Love Is All Around In Trump World

 

Jimmy Kimmel has his mind on Valentine's Day as he covers the Malignant Fascist's plans, Commerce Secretary Nutlick Lutnick's trip to romantic Epstein island ("Club Ped"), Dr. Oz's Valentine's Day Party invite to Epstein, the Bombo Bondi's "Karen-thon" hearing ("It's such a delicate balance between stupid and evil"), the MF's plans to wreck the Earth, demands for ICE reform, and much more.  All the atrocities delivered with humor.

Today's Cartoons

 

(click on images to enlarge)

(Matt Wuerker, Politico)

(Nick Anderson, Raw Story)

(Ann Telnaes, anntelnaes.substack.com)

(R.J. Matson, CQ/Roll Call)

(Joe Heller, hellertoon.com)

(Dave Whamond, caglecartoons.com, Canada)

(Steve Greenberg, greenberg-art.com)

(Phil Hands, Wisconsin State Journal)

(Ella Baron, The Guardian, UK)

(Jack Ohman, Tribune Content Agency)

(Matt Davies, Newsday)

(Dave Granlund, politicalcartoons.com)

(Scott Stantis, Chicago Tribune)

(Paul Noth, @paulnoth)

Meme Of The Day: Investigate Bad Bunny, Not Trump!

 

 They're a joke, but it's not a joke.

 See also post below.

(h/t democraticunderground.com)

Pardoned J6 Insurrectionist Crime Blotter: Child Molester Convicted

 

Well, he certainly fits the MAGAt bill:

A Florida handyman who received a pardon from President Trump for storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, has been convicted of multiple state charges of child molestation and exposing himself to children, prosecutors told NPR. Andrew Paul Johnson, the pardoned rioter, attempted to bribe one victim with money he claimed he would receive as part of restitution for Jan. 6 defendants, police reported. The conviction is the latest case of a pardoned Capitol rioter committing new crimes after receiving a pardon.

On Tuesday, a jury in Hernando County, Fla., found Andrew Paul Johnson guilty of five charges, including molesting a child under 12 and another under 16, as well as lewd and lascivious exhibition. Johnson was acquitted of one charge of sending sexual material to a child.

William Forgie, the chief assistant state attorney for the fifth judicial circuit in Florida, told NPR in an email that Johnson "faces up to life in prison" when he is sentenced in March. An attorney for Johnson did not respond to a phone message seeking comment.

A police report from the Hernando County Sheriff's Office filed as part of Johnson's Florida case describes a pattern of abuse — including both physical sexual abuse and exposing his genitalia to children — that took place "over a many-month span." One of Johnson's victims was 11 years old at the time of the abuse.

Johnson also attempted to keep one victim quiet by claiming he would receive $10 million from the Trump administration as restitution for former Jan. 6 defendants and would share the money with the victim in his will, according to the police report. Convicted rioters and their supporters have advocated for financial reparations since Trump returned to office, though it's unclear if the administration will take that step.

In 2024, Andrew Paul Johnson pleaded guilty to nonviolent charges for entering the U.S. Capitol through a broken window during the Jan. 6 riot and then cursing at police officers trying to clear the area. Prosecutors said Johnson described himself on social media as an "American Terrorist" and "Proud J6er," and that he violated court orders by posing with a gun while his case was ongoing. 

Chief Judge James Boasberg sentenced Johnson to one year in prison, in part due to Johnson's lengthy criminal history, including drug possession, driving under the influence and resisting arrest.

Trump has described the more than 1,500 people charged for their roles in the Jan. 6 attack as "patriots," and argued that they were treated unfairly by the justice system. "These were peaceful people, these were great people," Trump said in 2021.

Just months after Johnson received his prison sentence, Trump pardoned him along with virtually every other Jan. 6 defendant...  (our emphasis)

Of the over 1,500 insurrectionists pardoned by the Malignant Fascist, at least 33 have been rearrested, charged or sentenced for other crimes.  That's 33 that we know of.   Johnson appears to be an unabashed supporter of the MF and an unrepentant, sociopathic multiple sex offender (kind of like his hero the MF).

(Photo:  Johnson's mug shot)