Topline
A Republican lawmaker running for mayor in a Connecticut city outside New Haven was arraigned in a federal court Tuesday in connection to his role in the January 6 Capitol insurrection, multiple outlets reported, after the mayoral candidate admitted last year that he entered the Capitol.
Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as people try to storm the US Capitol on … [+]
Key Facts
Gino DiGiovanni, an alderman in the city of Derby, was charged with four federal counts in an arraignment Tuesday in federal court in New Haven, Connecticut, though the specific counts have not been disclosed.
DiGiovanni, who had not yet been elected to his position as city alderman at the time of the January 6 Capitol riots, was identified by a group of online “Sedition Hunters,” who identified the lawmaker wearing a “DiGiovanni & Sons jacket.”
Last October, he admitted to NBC Connecticut that he entered the Capitol the day of the violent riots, after attending a “Stop the Steal” rally outside the building, telling the outlet the “doors were open” and he simply “walked in.”
Big Number
More than 1,100. That’s how many people have been charged in connection with the January 6 riots, NPR reported late last month.
What We Don’t Know
Whether former President Donald Trump will face additional charges stemming from his role in allegedly insisting violence at the Capitol during his last days in office. Last month, Department of Justice Special Counsel Jack Smith charged Trump with four crimes over his alleged efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to President Joe Biden, following a months-long Justice Department investigation. Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges, which included conspiracy to defraud the U.S., obstruction of an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights. The House January 6 committee had previously urged the DOJ last December to bring criminal charges against Trump, recommending charges of aiding an insurrection.
Further Reading
Derby alderman to be charged in Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol case (NBC Connecticut)
Trump Indicted In Jan. 6 Probe—Here’s What Happens Next (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2023/08/15/connecticut-mayoral-candidate-charged-over-jan-6-riot/