Arizona horned rioter cited in case against Trump at impeachment trial

PHOENIX – The Arizona man who took part in the Capitol insurrection while wearing face paint and a horned headdress became part of the prosecution’s case against Donald Trump during his Senate impeachment trial Thursday.

Trump is charged with “incitement of insurrection” over the Jan. 6 deadly attack that took place while Congress was in the process of ratifying President Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory.

Rep. Diana DeGette, one of the House impeachment managers, cited Jacob Chansley, aka Jake Angeli, as one of multiple people arrested for storming the Capitol who said they did so because Trump wanted them to.

“This man, who ran through our halls, who ran into this chamber, who sat right there on the dais, and who wrote a note for Vice President Pence that he was coming for him, he and those with him declared that they would remove us from office if we went against Donald Trump,” DeGette said.

“Now he’s saying he would not have done any of that if Mr. Trump had told him not to.”

DeGette showed slides quoting the FBI’s report on Chansley’s arrest as well as Chansley’s lawyer to support her argument.

Last month, The New Yorker released video showing Chansley writing a note to Pence inside the Senate chamber that said, “It’s only a matter of time, justice is coming!”

Chansley is being held in a Virginia jail after pleading not guilty to federal felony charges of civil disorder and obstructing an official proceeding, plus four other misdemeanor charges.

In a statement released late Monday through his attorney, Chansley apologized for causing fear in others and expressed disappointment with Trump for letting “a lot of peaceful people down.”

Attorney Al Watkins, who unsuccessfully sought a pardon on Chansley’s behalf from Trump, said his client offered to testify on how he was incited by the former president, but the offer was turned down.

Chansley was also seen during the Senate trial Wednesday, when House impeachment managers showed video of the insurrection that left five people dead.

Easily recognizable in the video with his face paint, bare and tattooed torso, and furry hat with horns, Chansley was among the first people inside the Capitol after the mob broke in.

Arizona was part of the House Democrats’ case in another fashion on Wednesday, when November protests at the Maricopa County Elections Office were mentioned.

Rep. Joaquin Castro made the case that Trump provoked protests over vote counting, like the ones in Phoenix, the same way he incited the Capitol attack at the center of the impeachment case.

While not mentioned during the impeachment trial, Chansley took part in the Maricopa County election protests.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow @kstonezone