'QAnon Shaman' Jake Angeli wants to testify against Donald Trump in impeachment trial: 'He feels betrayed'
Jacob Chansley aka Jake Angeli is famously known as the "QAnon Shaman" and by his appearance on January 6 during the failed 'insurrection' attempt at the Capitol by supporters of former president Donald Trump — Chansley was seen donning face paint, fur, horns, and baring his chest as he, along with other rioters, stormed into the US Capitol as the members of Congress convened to ratify the results of the 2020 presidential election. Now, Chansley is willing to testify in the Senate that Trump is guilty of "inciting" an insurrection.
Albert Watkins, Chansley's lawyer, said that his client will testify at Trump's historic second impeachment trial in the Senate, which is scheduled to begin in the second week of February. Watkins said that his client was "horrendously smitten" by Trump but now feels let down after the latter refused to include Chansley among the 100+ last-minute pardons in his final hours in the office. "He felt like he was betrayed by the president," said Watkins. Watkins also clarified that he had not spoken to any member of the Senate since announcing Chansley's offer, but said it would be important for the senators to hear the voice of someone who was allegedly incited by the former president.
Chansley has not yet entered a plea to charges of civil disorder, obstruction of an official proceeding, disorderly conduct in a restricted building, demonstrating in a Capitol building, and other counts. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday, January 29, in Washington. Prosecutors said Chansley went into the US Capitol carrying a United States flag attached to a wooden pole topped with a spear, ignored an officer's command to leave, went into the Senate chamber, and wrote a threatening note to then-Vice President Mike Pence.
Chansley told investigators that he came to the Capitol "at the request of the president that all 'patriots' come to DC on January 6," according to court documents. At least four other people who are facing federal charges related to the riot have suggested that they were taking orders from Trump. Similarly, Dustin Byron Thompson from Columbus, Ohio, said he was "inspired" to storm the Capitol by "Trump's lies about election fraud." Thompson's lawyer, Sam Shamansky said that his client "believed the calculated, repetitive lies about how our democracy had been compromised and was being taken from them and they had to prevent that."
A Texas real estate agent, Jenna Ryan, who also took part in the January 6 riots, told Dallas TV station CBS DFW, "I feel like I was basically following my president. I was following what we were called to do. He asked us to fly there. He asked us to be there." She said, "I think we all deserve a pardon. I’m facing a prison sentence. I think I do not deserve that and from what I understand, every person is going to be arrested that was there, so I think everyone deserves a pardon, so I would ask the President of the United States to give me a pardon.”