Jacob Chansley, the spear-wielding rioter whose horned fur hat, bare chest and face paint made him one of the more recognizable figures during the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, wants to return to the scene of the crime as a member of Congress.
Online paperwork shows that Chansley, 35, filed a declaration of candidacy last Thursday, indicating his intention to run as a Libertarian in next year’s election for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District seat.
U.S. Rep. Debbie Lesko, a 64-year-old Republican who has represented the district since 2018, announced last month that she will not seek re-election in November 2024.
Her term officially ends in January 2025. Whoever wins the Republican primary in the solidly Republican district will have a good chance of holding the seat for a long time, if that person wants.
QAnon shaman, Jacob Chansley, now wants to run for Congress in next year’s elections for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District seat
Chansley is seen wearing a Freedom shirt outside a Phoenix shelter in April following his early release from prison
In paperwork filed with the Arizona Secretary of State’s office, he identified himself as Jacob Angeli instead of his legal last name, Chansley, which was used to charge and convict him for his role in the attack .
Chansley pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of obstructing official proceedings in connection with the Capitol riot.
During his trial, Chansley was described by prosecutors as “the public face of the Capitol insurrection.”
Being shirtless and wearing a horned headdress set him apart from other rioters who stormed the Capitol.
He was sentenced to 41 months in prison in November 2021 and served approximately 27 months before being transferred to a halfway house in Phoenix in March 2023. Chancely grew up in the Phoenix area.
With his elaborate attire and facial paint, Chansley became known as the face of the January 6 riot
Chansley is seen using his megaphone at the Capitol on January 6, 2021
Jacob Chansley, the QAnon shaman, became an infamous symbol of the January 6 attack on Congress. Despite being a convicted felon, he can still run for office
Video in Chansley’s indictment showed him standing on Vice President Mike Pence’s chair in the Senate and pumping his fists in the air
The infamous Capitol rioter was pictured in April wearing a black hat and t-shirt that read “Stand for something or fall for anything.”
Chansley is one of more than 700 people convicted in connection with federal crimes related to the Capitol riot.
Authorities said Chansley was among the first rioters to enter the Capitol building and he acknowledged using a bullhorn to rouse the crowd.
Once inside the building, Chansley walked into the Senate chambers and climbed the podium.
He left a note for Vice President Mike Pence that said, “It’s only a matter of time. Justice is coming!”
Jacob Anthony Angeli Chansley, known as the QAnon shaman, is seen at the capital riots. Three days after the Jan. 9 riot, Chansley was arrested on federal charges of “knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.”
Chansley, 35, was sentenced to 41 months in prison after storming the US Capitol on January 6, but was released after 27 months
Although he previously referred to himself as the “QAnon Shaman,” Chansley has since disavowed the QAnon movement.
Upon his release, he suggested he wanted to withdraw his guilty plea.
In paperwork filed with the Arizona Secretary of State’s office, he identified himself as Jacob Angeli instead of his legal last name, Chansley, which was used to charge and convict him for his role in the attack .
The U.S. Constitution does not prohibit felons from holding federal office, but Arizona law prohibits felons from voting until they have served their sentences and had their civil rights restored.
