West Virginia legislator, Del. Derrick Evans who recorded himself storming the Capitol on Wednesday has been charged, Ken Kohl of the U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed.
Kohl says Del. Evans is charged with entering a restricted area. Video emerged on social media on Friday showing officers taking him into federal custody.
Evans live-streamed the pro-Trump mob storming the Capitol on Wednesday as lawmakers vote to certify Joe Biden’s victory.
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At one point in the video, Evans is heard yelling: “Bring the tear gas. We don’t care. We’re taking this country back whether you like it or not. Today’s a test run. We’re taking this country back.”
“Where’s the Proud Boys?”, be asked at another point in the video.
Once rioters made their way into the Capitol Evans said, “we’re in! we’re in! Derrick Evans is in the Capitol!”
Yet, he’s denying that he was there to join the protests. In a statement he claims he attended the protest as “an independent member of the media to film history.”
“As many of you know, for the last few years, I have traveled across the country to film many different events. Today, I had the opportunity to film another event in D.C. I want to assure you all that I did not have any negative interactions with law enforcement nor did I participate in any destruction that may have occurred,” he wrote.
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No one is buying his story.
Democratic party leaders in West Virginia are calling for him to resign and “be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” And nearly 32,000 people have signed a petition demanding he be removed from office, one month after he was sworn in.
Speaker of the West Virginia State House Roger Hanshaw (R) said “storming government buildings and participating in a violent intentional disruption of one of our nation’s most fundamental political institutions is a crime that should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
As calls grow for him to resign, his attorney John Bryan said Evans didn’t commit a crime and does not plan to resign.
