QAnon Shaman Jacob Chansley criticized the indictment against former President Donald Trump for the Capitol riot, telling Newsweek that it's further proof of the "weaponized" Department of Justice.
Trump was indicted on Tuesday in the Department of Justice's investigation of the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. It is the third indictment against the former president and the second federal indictment against him. DOJ Special Counsel Jack Smith has indicted Trump on 40 criminal counts, including 32 related to the Espionage Act, in connection with the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case. He now faces four more counts in connection with the Capitol riot.
Trump was indicted on conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.
Chansley, better known as the "QAnon Shaman," told Newsweek Trump had "no role what-so-ever" in the Capitol riot and he sees the Trump indictment as evidence that federal agencies are corrupt.
"I feel the notion of a Trump indictment related to the events of January 6th is further evidence that federal agencies have been corrupt and weaponized for decades by the D.C. Uniparty," Chansley said. "Nothing surprises me anymore. My sympathies go out to Trump for everything he has endured for the American people due to the corruption in D.C."
Chansley was sentenced to 41 months in prison, one of the longest sentences handed down to a U.S. Capitol rioter, and was released in May, 14 months early. He said it does not feel "fair at all" for Trump to be charged. He believes the crowd at the Capitol that day was "largely infiltrated by "provocateurs and federal agents that were never charged for their crimes."
Norm Pattis, the attorney representing Capitol rioter Edward Lang, told Newsweek that he anticipated Trump's indictment but that it makes it even more paramount for the Supreme Court to hear his client's case.
"Of course, that makes the First Amendment issues even more profound," Pattis said. "The president made a political judgment about a stolen election. Criminalizing that and calling it corrupt would turn a dark page in our history."
Lang appealed his case to the Supreme Court last month, arguing that the charge of "obstruction of an official proceeding" was applied too broadly. It was used against Chansley in his case and Trump in the new indictment. Pattis previously told Newsweek that if the justices agreed to hear the case, it could upend hundreds of Capitol riot cases.
Trump teased the Capitol Riot indictment on Truth Social ahead of its release. On Tuesday afternoon, he posted that Smith was planning on releasing a "fake indictment" that was meant to interfere with the 2024 election.
"Why didn't they do this 2.5 years ago? Why did they wait so long? Because they wanted to put it right in the middle of my campaign," Trump posted on Truth Social.
This is Trump's third indictment this year and comes as Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis prepares for a potential indictment in Georgia.
