At a Wednesday hearing ahead of the trial of Proud Boys’ leadership on charges of seditious conspiracy a judge authorized federal prosecutors to show the jury a video clip of disgraced former President Trump’s infamous “Stand back and stand by” message to the fascist street gang from his disastrous first debate against now-President Joe Biden, CNN reports.
DC Circuit Judge Tim Kelly ruled the clip shows “an additional motive to advocate for Mr Trump (and) engage in the charged conspiracy” for the Proud Boys to try to help keep Trump in power. A lawyer for one of the Proud Boys tried to argued that Trump’s comments didn’t reflect any of the actions leading to the charge and that be unduly prejudicial with the jury. Kelly rejected the argument, citing leader Enrique Tarrio tweeting “Standing by, sir” right after the debate. Prosecutors plan to use the clip in their opening statement to the jury as the trial begins on Thursday.