Jacob Chansley, the so-called 'QAnon Shaman' who was charged for participating in the Jan. 6 insurrection, said former President Donald Trump "doesn't deserve to be indicted whatsoever."
Trump was indicted for the third time Tuesday, this time on charges related to his attempt to undermine the results of the 2020 presidential election and for his role in the Capitol riot.
Chansley, a Trump supporter, took part in the Jan. 6 attack, and in an interview with Scripps News, he said he didn't believe Trump was responsible for the insurrection, "considering he tried to do everything that he could possibly do to ensure the safety of those inside the Capitol."
"I think that this indictment may have the powers to bite the powers that be in D.C. because now it gives an opportunity for Donald Trump and his attorneys to show everything that he attempted to do to secure the Capitol and ensure that something like this didn't happen, when the woman that was in charge of Capitol security, Nancy Pelosi, as well as the head of the Capitol police virtually did nothing to secure the Capitol," he said.
The indictment Tuesday lists a multitude of instances in which the president took part in the insurrection, though Trump and his supporters have continued to deny any involvement in the riot.
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When asked if he holds the former president entirely blameless, Chansley didn't directly respond, noting "a lot of questions that haven't been answered by the federal government" regarding the crowd.
Chansley stood out among the rioters on Jan. 6, shirtless and wearing a furred and horned head piece and facial paint. He was labeled the "flag-bearer" of the attack by prosecutors, who argued for a maximum prison sentence in his obstruction trial. He ultimately received 10 months less.
Talking to Scripps News, Chansley said it was never his intention to be given the 'QAnon Shaman' title or to be the face of the movement. He said his guilty plea and his time in prison was an act of taking responsibility for his role in the attack, though he said he had no regrets to hold him back.
