Feds walk back claim that Capitol rioters sought ‘to capture and assassinate’ officials.

Federal officials on Friday sought to walk back claims that some of the rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol last Wednesday intended to “capture and assassinate elected officials.”

The detail was included in a court filing Thursday, in which federal prosecutors in Arizona pushed to keep Jacob Anthony Chansley, known as “QAnon Shaman,” in detention, arguing he was a flight risk.

Prosecutors wrote in the filing that “strong evidence, including Chansley’s own words and actions at the Capitol, supports that the intent of the Capitol rioters was to capture and assassinate elected officials in the United States Government.”

The detail was reported by multiple outlets, including The Hill, and followed concerns raised by lawmakers and others over footage of the Capitol breach that showed rioters chanting “Hang Mike Pence.” 

However, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s office in Arizona told The Hill later Friday that the line about rioters wanting to capture and harm elected officials was struck from the memorandum at the request of the government during a court hearing. 

Acting U.S. Attorney for D.C. Michael Sherwin, the top prosecutor in Washington, D.C., said there was no “direct evidence” to back the claims, according to multiple reports. 

“Right now, we don’t have any direct evidence of kill/capture teams,” Sherwin said, according to Politico.

Sherwin added that there may have been a “disconnect” on evidence obtained in the cases as prosecutors across the country coordinate, according to the news outlet. 

“There were other prosecutors,” Sherwin said. “That may be a disconnect that may be adding information that’s not directly related to what we have.”

The Hill has reached out to Sherwin’s office for comment. 

The amended filing comes as authorities build cases against scores of individuals from across the country who stormed the Capitol building. 

FBI Director Christopher Wray said Thursday that more than 100 people have been arrested so far in connection to the riot and dozens more have been identified as potential suspects. The Washington Post reported last week that the FBI was investigating whether some rioters sought to harm lawmakers or staff.

Sherwin said Friday that his office has brought more than 98 criminal prosecutions, according to Reuters, and has opened investigations into over 275 people in connection with the riot. 

Chansley – who was seen wearing fur and horns in the Capitol- was charged last week with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, and with violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

The Thursday memo alleged that Chansley left a note for Vice President Pence at the Senate chamber dais that read “it’s only a matter of time, justice is coming.”

When asked what the note meant, authorities say Chansley went on a “lengthy diatribe” describing Pence and other U.S. leaders “as infiltrators involved in various types of wrongdoing.”

Prosecutors also stated that Chansley has said he wants to return to D.C. for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, and has the ability to do so. They said he could quickly raise money for travel “as one of the leaders and mascots of QAnon.”

Trump defends remarks before Capitol riots, calling them ‘totally appropriate’.

President Trump on Tuesday said his remarks to supporters just before they stormed the U.S. Capitol last week were “totally appropriate,” even as they have become the basis for an article of impeachment against him.

“They’ve analyzed my speech and my words and my final paragraph, my final sentence, and everybody, to the T, thought it was totally appropriate,” Trump told reporters as he departed Joint Base Andrews to visit the border with Mexico.

He also sought to redirect focus from the deadly rioting to comments from other politicians made last summer during protests against racial injustice, saying they were “a real problem,” though he did not elaborate.


The president has yet to acknowledge his own role in the violence last Wednesday at the Capitol, where pro-Trump rioters clashed with law enforcement and broke into the building. The ensuing mayhem led to multiple deaths, including that of a Capitol Police officer.

Thousands of the president’s supporters descended on Washington, D.C., to protest the certification of the electoral results affirming Joe Biden as the next president after Trump spent weeks refusing to concede and insisting the election had been “stolen.”

Trump held a rally at the Ellipse just outside the White House, where he whipped up supporters with unproven claims and urged them to march on the Capitol.

“We’re going to walk down to the Capitol and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women, and we’re probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them,” Trump told the crowd.

“Because you’ll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength and you have to be strong. We have come to demand that Congress do the right thing and only count the electors who have been lawfully slated.” he continued. “I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”

A short time later, rioters overwhelmed law enforcement and breached the Capitol complex. The vice president, lawmakers, staff and journalists were evacuated or ordered to shelter in place.

Video and firsthand accounts have since emerged of the mob assaulting police, breaking down doors and shattering windows and carrying zip ties. Dozens have been arrested in connection with the chaos, including one man who entered Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) office.

Democrats and Republicans have widely condemned Trump’s role in the riots. Two Republican senators have called for Trump to resign before his term ends on Jan. 20, and House Democrats are scheduled to vote Wednesday on impeaching him for a second time.

The article of impeachment, co-authored by Democratic Reps. David Cicilline (R.I.), Ted Lieu (Calif.) and Jamie Raskin (Md.), states that Trump engaged in high crimes and misdemeanors by “willfully inciting violence against the Government of the United States.”

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