NBC News -Supreme Court justices raised concerns Tuesday about the Justice Department's use of an obstruction statute to charge those involved in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.... The justices heard an appeal brought by defendant Joseph Fischer, a former police officer who is seeking to dismiss a charge accusing him of obstructing an official proceeding, specifically the certification by Congress of Joe Biden’s election victory, which was disrupted by a mob of Trump supporters. The law in question criminalizes efforts to obstruct, influence or impede any official proceeding. Conviction can result in a prison sentence of up to 20 years. The court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, has in the past been skeptical of prosecutors when they assert broad applications of criminal provisions. Some justices expressed similar sentiments during Tuesday's arguments, asking whether the statute could be used to prosecute peaceful protesters, including people who at times have disrupted Supreme Court proceedings.
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