The Jan. 6 defendant’s attorney stated that Justice Department (DOJ), attorneys wouldn’t tell him Wednesday whether the planned witnesses in his case were FBI informants. This was shortly after the government revealed that a different planned witness had been an informant, according to Julie Kelly’s hearing transcript.
Enrique Tarrio, former chairman of Proud Boys National, and Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, and Dominic Pezzola are currently facing federal charges in Washington, D.C. for conspiring against the transfer presidential power in January 2021. Court filings show that Tarrio’s defense witnesses meant to be called had been an FBI confidential human resource from April 2021 through January 2023, according to court filings. Sabino Jauregui was Tarrio’s lawyer and he stated in a Thursday hearing, that he later asked the DOJ if his next two witnesses were FBI sources, according to the Kelly transcript.
Jauregui replied, “You know what they said to me?” “Nothing. They don’t know.”
Daily Caller News Foundation was told by the D.C. U.S. Attorney’s Office, which is prosecuting the case, that “all of our responses were made through the court.”
Friday’s New York Times article identified Jen Loh as the female source. She was a former official at “Latinos For Trump.”
Norman Pattis, Biggs’ attorney, stated that Loh had between 20 and 30 communications with Biggs while she was an FBI confidential sources. Pattis stated to Timothy Kelly, the presiding judge that the defense was close to a stipulation regarding as many as eight or neun other FBI sources. He would also argue that there was a complex network containing confidential human sources available to the government.
Carmen Hernandez, Rehl’s lawyer said that “my greatest concern is the fact we still have confidential human resources who are unknown to us,” asking for protection from similar issues in the future. According to the NYT, Tarrio gave separate FBI information over ten years ago.
A defense subpoena for Kenneth Lizardo was quashed Tuesday by Judge Kelly. The outlet reported that Lizardo had a “reporting relationship with the FBI” as well as having stated his intent to plead Fifth if called to testimony. Lizardo was with Tarrio at a Jan. 5, 2021 meeting with Stewart Rhodes, founder of Oath Keepers militia group. Rhodes was eventually convicted in November 2022 for Jan. 6 related seditious conspiracy.
According to the NYT, court filings in November indicated that the FBI had eight informants in the Proud Boys during the period surrounding Jan. 6 Capitol Riot. Matthew Walter, a former leader of the Tennessee Proud Boys Chapter, told the outlet that he and 20 other members of the group had been in contact with FBI agents during that period.
Loh had provided the FBI with information back to fall 2019. FBI San Antonio Special Agent Kristina spindel swears in a Thursday statement. Loh stated in a Friday interview she initially provided “useful information” to the FBI about leftist protestors. She later informed the bureau about “any kind of domestic terror — on the left or right,” according to the NYT.
According to the outlet, the government claims that she has helped Jan. 6 defendants by “fund-raising efforts” and protesting against their confinement conditions.
Loh spoke with one or two defense lawyers, participated at prayer meetings with one defendant’s families, and discussed replacing one of their defense counsel. Hernandez demanded the release of all FBI and DOJ reports, recordings, and memoranda relating to “reporting on the defense team” in a Wednesday motion.
In its Thursday response to Hernandez’s motion, the DOJ denied any such reports. However, it admitted that Loh had told the FBI on Jan. 9 that Loh was being subpoenaed for testimony in the case. Spindel stated that her source relationship to the FBI ended in January 18. Nicholas Smith, Nordean’s attorney, stated that Loh began asking detailed questions about evidence and other matters in the case in April 2022.
Smith stated that Smith believed the informant was actively discussing information with their FBI handler at the same time. Smith was referring to reports the government had provided him. Spindel claimed that Loh was not charged by the FBI with gathering information on defendants in the case. She also stated that the FBI never provided any information regarding her contact with Loh or their lawyers.
Loh stated Friday that it was hard to hear people calling her a rat or a fed. The NYT reported that she claimed she had never spied upon the lawyers or defendants. “It’s sad that this country has become so divided.”
