US Attorney: No ‘Direct Evidence’ of Plot to Kidnap, Kill Lawmakers in Capitol Breach

The acting U. S. attorney for the District of Columbia on Friday said there is no “direct evidence” suggesting that rioters who breached the Capitol last week were planning to kidnap or kill lawmakers.

“We don’t have any direct evidence of kill-capture teams,” U. S. Attorney Michael Sherwin told reporters Friday.

Federal prosecutors in a different district—in Arizona—had issued a court filing alleging there was evidence rioters wanted “to capture and assassinate elected officials.”

Arizona prosecutors previously said that “Qanon shaman” Jacob Chansey, seen wearing horns and shirtless in the Senate chamber, allegedly left a note saying that “it’s only a matter of time, justice is coming.” They further stipulated “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.”

That claim was also echoed by Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), a critic of President Donald Trump.

Sherwin said the U. S. attorney’s office in D.C. is leading the effort to prosecute those who breached the Capitol, but he said there might have been a “disconnect” on the evidence in the cases.

“The cases are all being charged here in D. C., and with our law enforcement partners, and what makes this case in particular unprecedented and unusual and extremely complex is the fact that, after the event, obviously thousands of people went back to their home districts. And that has complicated things,” Sherwin said.

“We need to work with other districts to not only find these people but have initial appearances in districts across the United States,” Sherwin continued. “There were appearances in two districts, I believe you’re making reference to, I believe Texas and Arizona, and at some of those heari... (Read more)

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