From the Politics Desk: Here’s what you missed, September 5 – uscannenbergmedia.com

Prosecutors sentenced former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio to 22 years in federal prison for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection. Tarrio was convicted in May for seditious conspiracy and was the last leader to be sentenced.

Prosecutors said Tarrio is “a savvy propagandist” who directed Proud Boy members to attack the Capitol and halt the transition of power to Joe Biden. Despite not being present at the Capitol on Jan. 6, a jury still found Tarrio guilty for several felonies.

“Nobody can deny the impact of climate crises—at least nobody intelligent can deny the impact of the climate crisis anymore. Just look around, around the nation and the world for that matter,” President Joe Biden said in Live Oak, Florida.

Biden traveled to Florida on Saturday to survey Hurricane Idalia damages. The president announced he is seeking an additional $4 billion in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund, bringing the total amount requested from Congress to $16 billion. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis refused to meet with the president during the trip, according to the governor’s office.

The L.A. City Council voted unanimously to approve a motion that investigates the busing of migrants into Los Angeles from Texas. The motion asks City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto to start proceedings on any legal action that could be taken against Texas Governor Greg Abbott, the state of Texas or any individual who may have been involved in the busing of migrants to Los Angeles on June 14. Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez said this motion investigates if Abbott violated kidnapping, human trafficking and other criminal laws as migrants were subjected to a 23-hour bus ride with a lack of food and water.

A group of 42 migrants arrived in Los Angeles on June 14. Since then, 435 migrants arrived in 12 buses, according to Karen Bass’ office. A spokesperson for Abbott said the L.A. City Council unanimously voted in June to become a “sanctuary city,” open to migrants coming in.

Military leaders in the Central African nation of Gabon seized power from President Ali Bongo on Wednesday. General Brice Oligui Nguema was named as the transitional leader after the coup.

The coup came in response to Bongo winning a third presidential term on Saturday. Bongo is accused of “irresponsible governance,” including political corruption and enriching his family with the country’s oil wealth, according to the Associated Press. The Bongo family had ruled in Gabon for nearly 60 years and the president has been close allies with both France and the United States.

The military coup has been condemned by the United Nations and the African Union. New government control of Gabon does not promise a democratic future, but it opens up the possibility of one that was not present under President Bongo, according to Democracy Now.

Military coups in Niger, Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Chad have created power shifts across African nations. Experts say this is a second decolonization of the continent from Western control.