'RHONJ' Star Siggy Flicker I Was Nowhere Near Capitol Riots ... Try Florida!!!

January 2021
NOT ME!

Former "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Siggy Flicker is calling BS on the internet sleuths who say she was at the Capitol riots ... and she's got an alibi.

Siggy tells TMZ ... she was never near the Capitol during last week's attempted coup, despite some social media users claiming she was there. She says she wasn't even in D.C.

SF claims she's been holed up with her family at their home in Boca Raton, FL for the last 2 months and she was at the Boca Hotel and Resort with her kids and husband while the mob was busy storming the Capitol.

Siggy's on the defense because actress Vivicca Whitsett sent a tweet to the FBI, alleging Siggy is the woman wearing a MAGA beanie in this grainy picture from inside the Capitol. Siggy tells us the tweet is a "blatant lie."

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Siggy also posted video of a Jan. 5 flight to D.C. showing a plane full of people singing "The Star-Spangled Banner," which seems to have gotten the ball rolling on the allegations ... but she tells us it's not her video, and she downloaded it from Twitter and reposted it on her IG because she thought it was "beautiful."

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A diehard Trump supporter, Siggy tells us she last went to a Trump rally Oct. 16 in Ocala, FL and she doesn't support or condone the violence ... she says anyone who caused damage inside the Capitol during the insurrection should go to jail, no matter their political beliefs.

Siggy says she wouldn't be caught dead at a mass gathering like the Capitol riots because she's gearing up for another surgical procedure on her ankle and isn't supposed to be around large crowds.

Bottom line for Siggy, if she was at the Capitol riot everyone would know about it ... she says she would have proudly publicized it on all her social media accounts.

President Trump Impeached Again ... This Time for Inciting Capitol Riot

President Trump just became the first Commander-in-Chief to be impeached twice -- and what happens next may decide whether he can ever run for office again.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted Wednesday on one article of impeachment that was introduced earlier this week -- incitement of insurrection -- and the motion passed with majority ... which included a couple handfuls of Republicans.

1/6/21
"SHOW STRENGTH AND BE STRONG"
Fox News

The House needed just 217 votes for impeachment, and they greatly exceeded that number. Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, John Katko, Fred Upton and Jaime Herrera Beutler were among the Republicans who voted to impeach.

The impeachment vote comes after Speaker Nancy Pelosi gave VP Mike Pence an ultimatum -- either remove Trump using the 25th Amendment, or we'll do it ourselves with another impeachment. Pence refused Pelosi's proposition, saying it was time to heal and move on.

As such, the House charged 45 with high crimes (again) -- and now, the Senate will have to take the matter up among themselves ... either voting to convict, or acquit. Remember, Trump was cleared of wrongdoing last time ... but it might be different now.

Fact is, several Republicans are said to be fed up with Trump at the helm of their party -- and the Capitol riot was the last straw. Some have proven to be loyal no matter what -- like Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley -- but others have denounced POTUS, publicly or privately.

Here's the deal ... if Trump is impeached and convicted by the Senate, not only would the President be removed, but he couldn't run for federal office again. Sen. Mitch McConnell says the Senate will not take up the trial until after Biden is sworn in as the 46th President.

WATCH OUT
C-SPAN

As for how 45 feels about all this, well ... you've heard it all before. Trump's refused to take responsibility -- denying his words and actions sparked the mob he assembled to storm the Capitol, and insisting his comments beforehand were wholly "appropriate."

1/12/21
MY HANDS ARE CLEAN
C-SPAN

And, of course, he's cornered the term "witch hunt," which he's been invoking again.

What remains to be seen is if this latest so-called "witch hunt" has a different ending from the first ... as in, a Senate conviction.

Nancy Pelosi Lectern Taken By Rioter Returns to Capitol

Nancy Pelosi's lectern is back at the U.S. Capitol ... a week after a Florida man gleefully carried it out during a failed coup.

The House Speaker's lectern was wheeled into the building Wednesday and, as we reported, it did not suffer any damage. Still, pretty sure the lectern was or will be sanitized like hell. No word yet if the gavel was also returned.

As you know by now ... Adam Johnson is the man picked up last week on a federal warrant in Florida for his role in the Capitol riots, which, of course, included him taking the lectern. Images of the 36-year-old were plastered online and on TV during and after the insurrection. Goes without saying, it wasn't hard to ID him.

Johnson, a married man and stay-at-home father of 5, is slated to appear later this month in D.C. but already Johnson's lawyer told reporters earlier this week the case is going to be an uphill battle 'cause, ya know, there are pictures of the guy taking the lectern!

Johnson's attorneys, Dan Eckhart and David Bigney, acknowledged as much during a news conference this week outside a Tampa courthouse. Eckhart said, "You have a photograph of our client in a building, unauthorized to be there, with what appears to be a podium or a lectern."

When a reporter told Eckhart how the photo will be problematic, he said, "Yeah, I don't know how to explain that. But, that would be a problem. I'm not a magician."

1/11/21
NOT A MAGICIAN

Johnson's currently free on $25k bond but he had to surrender his passport and must wear a tracking device.

President Trump Listen Up, Pro-Trumpers ... I Want Some Law and Order!!!

President Trump is singing a different, more peaceful, tune now that he's about to be impeached a second time -- he's now urging law and order from his followers.

Banned from Twitter, the Prez instead had to issue a statement Wednesday through the White House in which he urged non-violence among his supporters.

Trump says ... "In light of reports of more demonstrations, I urge that there must be NO violence, NO lawbreaking and NO vandalism of any kind. That is not what I stand for, and it is not what America stands for."

As we've reported ... insurrectionists are vowing to stage protests in all 50 state capitals, including a return to the U.S. Capitol, and the FBI has said many are plotting violence.

POTUS continues ... "I call on ALL Americans to help ease tensions and calm tempers. Thank You."

Rep. Jim Clyburn GOP Members Trying to Bring Guns on House Floor ... Could Be Inside Job Suspects

LAY DOWN YOUR ARMS
TMZ.com

Rep. Jim Clyburn says the Republican members of Congress who want to be armed on the House floor are striking fear into colleagues -- and he believes they might have ill intentions.

The Congressman from South Carolina dropped his bombshell Wednesday on "TMZ Live" ... revealing his suspicion of several GOP legislators who refused to go through metal detectors Tuesday night at the Capitol. He says some of them were armed, and that made other Reps nervous.

That's because, according to Clyburn, some of the armed lawmakers might be suspected of helping the pro-Trump insurrectionists ... part of a possible inside job.

Rep. Clyburn says other Congressmen and women are afraid these armed lawmakers might do "crazy things" while on the House floor.

On a less dividing note ... Clyburn told us why he recently introduced legislation to make "Lift Every Voice and Sing" the official national hymn in the U.S.

If you aren't familiar, the song's been dubbed the "Black national anthem," but at a time in the country when everything feels so divided ... Clyburn believes it should lose that moniker and provide a unifying message for people of all races.

Capitol Rioter 'Camp Auschwitz' Hoodie Guy Busted Released without Bond

UPDATE

11:16 AM PT -- Packer has been released on his own recognizance following his arrest by the FBI. Although he was not required to pay a bond, he was ordered to stay away from Washington. He's scheduled to attend a virtual hearing in a D.C. court later this month.

The guy who authorities say was the one wearing a "Camp Auschwitz" hoodie during the Capitol riots has been arrested ... TMZ has confirmed

Robert Keith Packer was busted Wednesday morning in Newport News, VA and he's been charged with knowingly entering restricted grounds and disorderly conduct. He'd already drawn outrage for his hoodie, flippantly referencing the Nazi concentration camp where more than 1 million Jews were killed during World War II.

As if that wasn't disturbing enough ... the back of the hoodie also had the word "Staff" emblazoned on it. The bottom of his hoodie had the words, "Work brings freedom" ... a rough translation of "Arbeit macht frei" ... words inscribed on the concentration camp gates.

This apparently is not the first time Packer's run into trouble with the law. According to CNN, Packer's criminal history includes 3 convictions for driving under the influence and a felony conviction for forging public records.

The authorities say Parker was among hundreds who stormed the Capitol in a failed coup last week.

Originally published -- 9:19 AM PT

Trump Supporter Pisses Off Neighbors With Yard Signs

President Trump's call for unity after the failed coup hasn't found its way to the suburbs just yet ... this Ohio homeowner missed the memo, and he's got a new way to irk neighbors.

Check out these yard signs sitting outside a home in a Cleveland suburb ... we're told the signage went up Thursday in response to the deadly siege on the Capitol.

The brainchild behind the signs is taking applications for new friends, with some very specific criteria ... and he could use spelling lessons after trying to call out what he sees as hypocrisy from folks who are disgusted by what went down in D.C.

We're told folks in the neighborhood are pissed over the yard signs ... these are just the latest examples of what's been displayed in this yard during Trump's presidency. You can see some of his prior greatest hits.

1/7/21
TIME'S UP

Trump's since condemned the attack on the Capitol, saying he's outraged by the "violence, lawlessness and mayhem" and calling for "healing and reconciliation" ... but some supporters don't seem to be getting on board yet.

Nick Tilsen Capitol Riots Epitome of White Supremacy ... No Such Privilege for Me

INJUSTICE ALL AROUND
TMZ.com

An Indigenous man who's being prosecuted for a Mount Rushmore protest believes he's been grossly over-charged ... but the white insurrectionists at the Capitol won't get the same treatment.

Nick Tilsen tells TMZ ... what we all witnessed in Washington D.C. was the "epitome of white supremacy and white privilege in society." He adds that he doesn't expect many of the culprits will be slapped with the same legal consequences he's faced since last summer.

If you don't know ... Nick's the President of NDN Collective, which protested President Trump's July 3 visit to Mt. Rushmore after calling for the national monument to be closed and the land returned to the Lakota people.

Nick was one of 20 Land Defenders arrested and facing criminal charges ... but his are steep. Nick's accused of taking a shield from a National Guard soldier and threatening to use it against the Guard.

He's been charged with second-degree robbery, grand theft in the alternative and 2 counts of simple assault against law enforcement. He could get 16 years in prison if convicted.

In contrast, one notable Capitol rioter -- who's been identified as Aaron Mostofsky, the son of a Brooklyn Supreme Court judge -- was photographed inside the building Wednesday holding a Capitol Police shield ... seemingly with no qualms about it.

Aaron was later interviewed and claimed he found the shield on the ground. As of now, there's no record of him even getting arrested ... much less charged.

Nick wants to point out ... he's not in favor of people of any race, orientation or religion being met with over-prosecution for expressing their right to protest. In fact, he supports the opposite.

However, Tilsen believes the big difference between what went down on Jan. 6 and his Rushmore incident is one was a riot and one was an organized movement for change. Plus, he thinks most rioters are getting off easy because of their skin color.

Donald Trump Another College Yanks Degree ... No More Pomp Because of Circumstances

Donald Trump is getting booted all over the place in the wake of his role in the Capitol insurrection ... the latest is that Wagner College has taken back his honorary degree.

The College announced Friday night it's rescinded the degree it bestowed on Trump back in 2004.

The Board of Trustees didn't say why the change of heart, but other than the folks on the International Space Station, everyone else knows exactly why.

Trump gave the graduation speech in 2004, with then-fiancee Melania by his side. The honor coincided with the first season of "The Apprentice," which was a big hit at the time.

It's the second degree that has been yanked from Trump's portfolio. Lehigh University in Pennsylvania revoked Trump's honorary degree a few days ago. He received it in 1988.

The Prez of the University called the riot a "violent assault on the foundations of our democracy," and they clearly felt Trump incited it.

And, as you know, Trump's been banned from his social megaphone -- aka Twitter.

That's what happens when you whip a crowd into a frenzy to attack democracy.

Capitol Insurrection Florida Man Carrying Pelosi's Lectern Arrested ... Mug Shot Released

The man who mugged for the camera while gleefully carrying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's lectern has been arrested.

Adam Johnson was picked up Friday night on a federal warrant in Florida, where he lives. The images of the 36-year-old were plastered online and on TV during and after the insurrection, so it wasn't particularly hard to find him.

Johnson reportedly has a wife and 5 kids and is a stay-at-home dad.

BTW ... the lectern and gavel that were initially reported stolen were found ... neither object was damaged. As you know, there was extensive damage inside the Capitol. Pelosi's laptop was stolen after her offices were stormed by the rioters.

There's a nationwide sweep to round up and arrest those who participated in the attempted coup. As we reported, among the investigations ... the FBI believes this could have been an inside job where people who work in the building provided a roadmap for the rioters. The FBI is looking at Capitol police and other building staff.

Capitol Insurrection Rioter Who Died Threatened, 'Load Your Guns'

One of the rioters who died during the Capitol insurrection was clearly ready for violence, because just weeks before his death he posted a photo of himself with 2 AR-15's with the caption ... "I wish these motherf****** would come to my hood!"

Kevin Greeson, from Alabama, died during the Capitol takeover. So far authorities are only saying his death was caused by a "medical emergency," but they did not provide details.

The 55-year-old was a big fan of Parler, a right-wing site that has just been yanked off the Google Play Store after receiving information the site was used to plan the attack. Apple is also threatening to pull the site from the App Store.

Kevin's family says he did not travel to Washington to engage in violence or rioting. His family says Kevin had high blood pressure and believes he suffered a heart attack.

The reality ... Greeson seemed far from non-violent, posting, "Let's take this f***ing Country BACK! Load your guns and take to the streets." And then there's this ... "Maybe Nancy Pelosi will get it and die!"

Iced Earth Founder Jon Schaffer Wanted by FBI in Capitol Insurrection ... Band Responds

UPDATE

1:25 PM PT -- Iced Earth bassist Luke Appleton has responded on behalf of his other bandmates over Jon Schaffer's alleged involvement in the Capitol insurrection ... and it sounds like they're not ready to throw him under the bus just yet.

UPDATE

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UPDATE

Luke writes, "We want to thank those of you who have sent words of support in recent days. Some of you have been concerned by our silence, which we understand. We needed some time to properly process the information and find out some facts before we made a statement."

UPDATE

He goes on to say that Iced Earth doesn't condone the violence or acts of any of the rioters at the Capitol, adding that their hearts go out to anyone adversely affected. The one thing he fails to do in his remarks ... call out Jon by name, or even acknowledge he might've been part of the mob.

UPDATE

What he says here (and doesn't say) is interesting ... sounds like they're still waiting on more information before fully admonishing their leader.

The founder and lead guitarist of heavy metal band Iced Earth is popular with the FBI these days, because he's now a wanted man.

Jon Schaffer was one of the rioters who stormed the Capitol Wednesday, and it's not like his presence was a big surprise. He's a die-hard Trumper who warned last month during a protest he and others like him were ready for violence if it came to that, and also warned the opposition ... "You're goin' down."

Schaffer is wanted for "unrest-related offenses" in connection with the failed coup attempt.

11/15/20
PREPARED FOR VIOLENCE
Roxx Radio/YouTube

Schaffer’s involvement in the Capitol riot came a few months after he attended a D.C. Trump rally in November to protest against the election results.

Hansi Kursch, who's also in the band, Demons & Wizards, with Schaffer, was appalled at what he saw, saying ... "We are deeply shocked and our thoughts are with the relatives of the deceased. We expressly distance ourselves from any kind of violence irrespective if applied against institutions or persons. The incidents will be thoroughly investigated and the responsible will be brought to justice. We ask for your understanding that in view of the hourly news situation we will not make any further comments at present."

Schaffer's one of the more high-profile rioters, what with being in 3 popular bands and authorities know where he lives ... so it seems the FBI should find him with ease.

Originally Published -- 7:47 AM PT

Capitol Insurrection FBI On the Hunt ... Do You Know These Men?

The FBI WANTS YOUR HELP in finding these 10 people whom they say are insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol.

The feds want this wanted poster, so to speak, plastered everywhere so everyone can be their eyes and ears to find these suspected rioters in the attempted coup that left 5 people dead.

There were so many people who breached the Capitol the FBI is rolling out its WANTED posters gradually ... catch 10, post 10 more.

The man suspected of placing bombs at the DNC and the RNC headquarters in D.C was also captured on camera by the FBI.

Numerous arrests have already been made, including the guy who mugged for the camera in Nancy Pelosi's office.

As we reported, authorities were at Regan National Airport Friday, rounding up people ready to board flights ... people they believe were involved in the riot.

Capitol Riots D.C. Cops Hunting for Suspects at Airport

The Capitol Police may have come up way short in preventing the riots, but it seems they're trying to make up for it ... by attempting to nab suspected rioters before they get out of town.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Capitol Police headed up an operation Friday at Reagan National Airport in D.C., staking the place out in search of would-be travelers believed to have been involved in Wednesday's insurrection.

These photos show cops detaining one man who we're told was surrounded by cops, taken into a room and questioned.

1/6/21
WALK THIS WAY
Shaun King / Twitter

We're told airport police and the Dept. of Homeland Security provided an assist. We don't know how many people were detained or arrested.

The FBI is on the hunt for everyone who participated in the Capitol riots, and several suspects have already been identified and arrested.

Some of the most notable so far include Richard Barnett -- the man cops say is the guy who entered Nancy Pelosi's office and put his foot on her desk -- and Lonnie Coffman ... an Alabama man cops say had 11 Molotov cocktails in his truck near the Capitol Building.

Capitol Insurrection Retired Lt. Colonel Part of Mob

A retired lieutenant was one of the insurrectionists who took over the Capitol Wednesday, and it wasn't hard ID'ing him because of the gear he chose to wear during the invasion.

Larry Rendall Brock is an Air Force vet from Texas who was on the Senate floor during the chaos. He was decked out in body armor, a military helmet and a tag with a Punisher skull. That tag has been embraced by QAnon.

He was grasping zip-ties as he left Nancy Pelosi's office. Brock told the New Yorker he wasn't breaching the Capitol at all ... he says he thought someone had put the welcome mat out for the group. What he didn't explain ... if the group was so welcome, why did they smash windows, overtake the cops and storm the building? As for the zip ties, he said he found them in the building and was holding them to return to the cops.

He also said he came to Washington because "The President asked for his supporters to be there to attend, and I felt like it was important."

As we reported ... at least 2 men inside the Capitol had zip ties, which are substitutes for handcuffs. As you know, Congress was in session at the time of the attempted coup and the members literally fled for their lives. The question -- were they on the verge of becoming hostages, or worse?

Law enforcement also found explosives that were ready to detonate.

TMZ broke the story ... the FBI believes this could have been an inside job, and they are investigating the Capitol police and other staffers in the building. The reason for the suspicion is partly due to the fact the rioters somehow traversed the maze inside the building and almost immediately found Nancy Pelosi's office.

Capitol Insurrection FBI Investigating Inside Job ... Capitol PD, Building Staff Under the Microscope

The FBI has reasons to believe the mob of Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol not only premeditated the assault, but might have been aided by police and staffers in the building ... TMZ has learned.

High ranking sources inside the Capitol Police Dept. tell TMZ the FBI is looking at several facts that stink of an inside job. For starters, the Bureau is puzzled by the ease with which the mob found its way to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office.

1/6/21
WALK THIS WAY
Shaun King / Twitter

It's not off any main hallway or next to other Congressional offices ... in fact, the path to get to the entrance is maze-like and not open to the public like other parts of the Capitol. The rioters who took it over -- vandalizing it and stealing a laptop -- got there within 10 minutes of entering the Capitol.

We're told the FBI feels someone must have provided a roadmap for them to find it that quickly. Remember, the Capitol has been closed to the public since March due to the pandemic so it's not like these guys could have been casing it to plot their path.

As for suspects -- we're told the FBI is looking at Capitol Police officers and many other Capitol staffers, such as engineers, plumbers and janitors.

We're told another image raising eyebrows at the Bureau are those videos of a few police officers opening gates and removing barricades to give the hoard easy access to the Capitol.

Our sources say some officers could be charged with cowardice -- legally defined as failure to take proper police action. Additionally, we're told the rioters -- and anyone who aided them -- could also be charged for threats and menacing against Congress ... because the House and Senate were in session when the mob breached the building.

We're told the feds are also extremely motivated to find the people responsible for attacking Capitol PD officer Brian Sicknick ... who later died from his injuries.

We're told the FBI and the National Security Agency are using cell phone tower data, and state-of-the-art digital imaging systems to help ID people who were in the Capitol during the insurrection -- that includes rioters, Capitol staffers.

The FBI particularly wants to know if any off-duty Capitol Police officers were in the building, and if so, why.

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