One of the people charged in the January 6 siege on the U.S. Capitol Building is representing herself in federal court and going with what appears to be a sovereign citizen defense.
“I am here by special divine appearance, a living soul,” Pauline Bauer said in a court appearance via Zoom on June 11, according to a report from The Daily Beast. She did not want an attorney, she said. “I do not stand under the law. Under Genesis 1, God gave man dominion over the law.”
Bauer is one of the many people charged with storming the U.S. Capitol as Congress was counting electoral college votes for 2020 presidential election winner Joe Biden. Then-President Donald Trump continued lying that he actually won and the race was stolen from him. His supporters raided the Capitol, postponing but not stopping Congress from accepting the results.
Bauer was one of those people, authorities said. The FBI citied social media posts and pictures putting her inside the building. Video allegedly showed her saying she wanted to hang House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D).
“Bring them out,” Bauer allegedly said when recorded by body cam footage from the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. “We want them out here…You bring them out or we’re coming in. Bring them out now. They’re criminals. They need to hang. Bring her out. Bring Nancy Pelosi out here now. We want to hang that fucking bitch. Bring her out. We’re coming in if you don’t bring her out. What are you trying to protect a fucking Nazi. Is that what you’re protecting?”
“Ms. Bauer was removed from the video proceeding due to her inability to show qualm and decency to the Court,” stated court records on that June 11 hearing. “The defendant must appear in-person before the Court. Defendant objected to request to appear.”
She did show up in person for a June 21 but was locked up for refusing to accept the conditions of her release, records show. She was held without bond but ultimately released on personal recognizance.
Toward the end of June, she submitted an array of filings, including a motion to dismiss, which Judge Trevor McFadden denied. That filing is accordingly not among the online records but others are.
“I, Me, Pauline Bauer the Living Soul, A Creation of God, A Woman, As ONE People, Demands the removal of any and all Actor(s), Attorney(s), Lawyer(s), and all other known or unknown entities purported to be re-presenting, representative, or acting for the benefit of Pauline Bauer, the Living Soul before the Court, under the Court, as a friend of the Court, or any other capacity, known or unknown, to cease and desist immediately,” Bauer wrote in a filing from June 28.
Carmen D. Hernandez was appointed stand-by counsel on June 11, records show. She declined to discuss the case, citing court rules when Law&Crime reached out for comment. Hernandez only confirmed that Bauer was going pro se.
Prosecutors filed a discovery motion on Thursday.
“I request reciprocal discovery to the fullest extent provided by Rule 16 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, including results or reports of any physical or mental examinations, or scientific tests or experiments, and any expert witness summaries,” wrote a filing signed by Assistant United States Attorney Vivien Cockburn. “I also request that defendant disclose prior statements of any witnesses that defendant(s) intends to call to testify at any hearing or trial.”
Bauer was indicted June 4 on a count each of obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a capitol building; and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a capitol building.
You can read some of the filings below:
[Images via FBI]