What Howell essentially got away with—it’s unclear why defense lawyers for Chrestman, who has been in jail for two-and-a-half years currently awaiting an August 4 trial date, have not appealed her order—was to create no-bail rules that apply only to January 6 protesters.
It is inimical to the tenets of equal justice under the law but none of that matters in the Trump-hating cesspool known as the D.C. federal courthouse. (For example, BLM protesters who assaulted police for days in D.C. in 2020 were released and charges dropped. January 6 protesters accused of even minor confrontations with police were denied bail and left to languish in prison for months or years before being convicted at trial or tormented into a plea deal.)
Howell’s ruling now looms large as special prosecutor Jack Smith appears ready to indict Donald Trump this week for his alleged role in January 6. Smith likely will charge Trump with several felonies including charges that have resulted in court-ordered pretrial detention for January 6 defendants.