Republican state lawmaker livestreamed himself in mob storming US Capitol
By: JON BRODKIN - Ars Technica
"Patriots inside, baby!" WV state legislator Derrick Evans yelled in Capitol
I wonder if any of his constituents are aware of this?
Will they be upset... or pleased?
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Derrick Evans shouts on his Facebook livestream as a mob enters the US Capitol.
Derrick Evans, who was sworn in to the West Virginia House of Delegates last month, "was livestreaming on Facebook as he and other protesters muscled their way through the doors of one entrance carrying Trump flags and signs," BuzzFeed News wrote, adding that Evans shouted, "Patriots inside, baby!"
The now-deleted video shows Evans "wearing a helmet and clamoring at the door to breach" the building, the Associated Press reported.
"'We're in! Keep it moving, baby!' he said in a packed doorway amid Trump followers holding flags and complaining of being pepper sprayed," the AP wrote. "Once inside, Evans could be seen on video milling around the Capitol Rotunda, where historical paintings depict the republic's founding, and yelled 'no vandalizing.'"
The video also showed "Evans lead[ing] the crowd in a chant of 'Trump!'" HuffPost wrote.
Though deleted from Evans' Facebook page, portions of his stream can still be viewed, as clips were reposted by others. After getting through the door with the rest of the crowd, Evans yelled, "We're in! We're in! Derrick Evans is in the Capitol!" Evans also chanted "freedom" several times and yelled "our house."
Evans dubiously claims to be member of the media
Evans claimed he was acting as an "independent member of the media" in a statement posted to Facebook. "I want to assure you all that I did not have any negative interactions with law enforcement nor did I participate in any destruction that may have occurred," Evans wrote. "I was simply there as an independent member of the media to film history."
Evans has not deleted a video taken outside the Capitol earlier in the day, in which he said, "pray for President Trump, pray for the country, pray that everything remains peaceful today, and pray that the patriots, the constitutional-loving Americans, the people who are tired of liberals running this country and stealing elections, that they get off the couch and show up today in force and send a message."
Evans' claim that he was acting as a reporter did not convince Democratic House Minority Leader Doug Skaff, who "called on [House of Delegates Speaker Roger] Hanshaw to suspend Evans' access to the statehouse and launch an investigation," the AP wrote. "'Delegate Derrick Evans not only participated in this violent, intentional disruption of government; he helped lead a group that he organized to travel to Washington, DC, to cause this chaos,' [Skaff] said in a statement."
Hanshaw, a Republican who leads a 77-23 Republican majority in the House of Delegates, said in a statement posted on the West Virginia legislature's website yesterday that Evans must "answer to his constituents and colleagues regarding his involvement in what has occurred today." Hanshaw said he had not "spoken to Delegate Evans about today's events" and does not yet "know the specifics of his involvement" beyond what was shown on social media.Enlarge/ Derrick Evans in the West Virginia House of Delegates. Derrick Evans
"While free speech and peaceful protests are a core value of American society, storming government buildings and participating in a violent intentional disruption of one of our nation's most fundamental political institutions is a crime that should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Hanshaw said. "What occurred today is unpatriotic, un-American and I condemn it in the strongest terms possible."
Evans was also criticized by West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, a Republican. "I don't know this gentleman at all, but I think that's absolutely a shame," Justice said, according to WCHS. "From the standpoint of a delegate-to-be storming the capital of the United States of America, how could you possibly condone that?" (Evans is no longer a "delegate-to-be," as he was sworn in to office in December.)
US Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, said the House of Delegates should "react to that and sanction [Evans] for doing it. That shouldn't be acceptable at any time in government." Evans' term runs until November 30, 2022. Members of the House of Delegates are paid $20,000 a year.
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Trump is not an exception...
He should be charged with
rioting - 5 years + fines
inciting a riot - 5 year + fines
criminal trespass - petty misdemeanor
Maybe he can also be linked to destruction of government property which is $250,000 in fines and 10 years in prison. Remember Trump himself tweeted this out in July -
He needs to be immediately censured and charged with insurrection.
I think there is a very good chance that he gets prosecuted.
AND LOSES HIS $20k, LOL