Jan. 6 rioters' obstruction charges upheld by appeals court.

A divided appeals court ruling has put hundreds of Jan. 6 defendants facing obstruction charges in limbo. The judges raised serious questions about whether other Jan. 6 obstruction cases might face legitimate challenges. At the heart of the conflict is how to measure whether Jan. 6 rioters acted with “corrupt intent,” a central element in the crime of obstructing an official proceeding. The stakes of the lingering issue are enormous, as more than 300 Jan. 6 defendants have been charged with obstructing Congress’ proceedings.