The Donald Trump supporter who sat with his feet on Nancy Pelosi’s desk during the Capitol riot has been arrested.
Richard Barnett, Mr Trump’s Arkansas supporter pictured in the Speaker’s office, has been arrested and charged with entering and staying on restrictive grounds, violent entry and theft of public property, said the Ministry of Justice.
Barnett, 60, of Gravette, Arkansas, had bragged about taking a personalized envelope from Ms Pelosi’s desk and leaving her a quarter and a “bad note.” Barnett claimed that he and “politely” knocked on the door of the Democrat’s office, but was carried inside by a group of rioters.
“I’m probably going to tell them that is what happened until DC prison,” he later told the New York Times.
Authorities also indicted a West Virginia lawmaker who recorded and then deleted a video of himself storming the Capitol in connection with the riots.
Republican Derrick Evans has been charged in a criminal complaint with entering a restricted area and entering the United States Capitol, according to Ken Kohl of the United States Attorney’s Office in DC. His lawyer claimed that the politician was present at the event “to engage in peaceful protests, activism and amateur journalism”.
An online petition calling on the delegate to resign has now garnered more than 55,000 signatures. Thousands of pro-Trump activists broke into the building, vandalized property and threatened lawmakers, who needed to be protected by armed security.
Rioters initially succeeded in preventing the certification of the electoral college votes, but when the building was taken over by law enforcement, the House and Senate returned to confirm Joe Biden’s victory.
US Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick was killed in the violence, a woman was gunned down inside the Capitol and three others died of “medical emergencies” during the shameful events.
Mr. Trump sadly initially refused to call the National Guard and then released a video in which he said to the rioters, “We love you.”
He then released a second video the next day in which he finally condemned the violence, but falsely claimed to have sent the Guard “immediately”.
Mr. Trump’s supporters even “defecated” inside the Capitol building before following him into lawmakers’ offices.
The incumbent president’s rioters spread “their extremist droppings around the building,” sources from Senator Chuck Schumer’s office said.
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