Supreme Court gives skeptical eye to key statute used to prosecute Jan. 6 rioters
Conservatives on the court expressed varying degrees of skepticism about the charge of obstructing an official proceeding.
The U.S. Supreme Court appeared divided on Tuesday, with conservatives expressing various degrees of skepticism about the statute used to prosecute more than 350 people involved with the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol.
At least partially on the line at Tuesday's argument was the Justice Department's effort to punish some of those it deems the more serious participants in the Capitol riot. Roughly one-quarter of those prosecuted so far for their roles in the capitol invasion have been charged with violating a federal statute enacted after the Enron scandal in 2002, a scandal that involved massive document shredding and fraud.
One part of obstruct or impede an official proceeding, including a congressional proceeding.
