Apr 5, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Feds negotiating plea deal with man charged in Jan. 6 Capitol attack

Orion Rummler

A crowd of protestors waving American flags and Trump flags — Crowds gather outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Photo: Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images

Federal prosecutors are negotiating a plea deal with an Indiana man charged with attacking Capitol police on Jan. 6, a federal court filing disclosed on Monday shows.

Why it matters: The government’s ongoing plea negotiations with Jon Schaffer "are the first and most advanced plea negotiations involving any of the over 300 Capitol Riot defendants," Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ahmed Baset and Louis Manzo wrote in the brief, which was published publicly and then quickly removed from the docket BuzzFeed News reported.

Catch up quick: Schaffer was arrested on Jan. 17 and faces six charges including using physical violence in the Capitol building and spraying police officers with bear spray, the FBI Indianapolis branch said in a statement.

He was arrested while wearing a baseball cap titled “Oath Keepers Lifetime Member," apparently linking him to the far-right militia, per BuzzFeed. Members of the militia are charged with helping to coordinate the Jan. 6 Capitol attack and using military-style tactics.
The Indiana Oath Keepers chapter later denied that he was a member of their group.

Read the court filing, via Politico:

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Feds negotiating plea deal with man charged in Jan. 6 Capitol attack

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