[Gene Eric]

The bogus misdemeanor pleas are to prevent lawsuits.

[pnut22]

I sure hope at least a few of these cases go to trial. I know it’s D.C. and would probably be a totally unfair trial, but I would love some discovery.

Of course I really know very little about the law and their would probably be gag orders so we would never get to see inside anyway.

[Steve_Seattle]

"The bogus misdemeanor pleas are to prevent lawsuits."

I don't follow that. Lawsuits by whom? For what? My own take is that they plead guilty to these lesser charges because the trespassing/disorderly conduct law is so broad and ambiguous, and the DC venue so hostile, that they aren't sure they can win, so rather than have enormous legal costs for a lengthy defense, they plead guilty just to get it over with.