Title: Trump Appointee Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Assaulting Police Officers at Capitol on Jan. 6
Date: [Insert Date]
A former Trump appointee to the State Department, Federico Klein, has been sentenced to almost six years in prison after assaulting multiple police officers during the deadly Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. The sentence was handed down by Judge Trevor McFadden, who expressed his “disturbance” with Klein’s belief that attending the Trump rally and participating in the riot was part of his official duties.
Judge McFadden emphasized that “this is a government of laws, not of men,” before imposing the 70-month sentence. In addition to Klein’s conviction on eight felonies at a bench trial earlier this year, the judge stated that Klein’s involvement in the riot likely violated the Hatch Act, an anti-corruption law that restricts government employees’ engagement in partisan politics.
It was revealed in court that Klein had texted an acquaintance before the rally, saying, “I’m a Trump appointee. I’d better be there. It IS my job.” Klein, who possessed a top-secret security clearance, was seen wearing a red MAGA hat as he joined the crowd that later stormed the Capitol. Officers testified during the trial that Klein was at the forefront of the violent mob, breaking police lines and engaging in a brutal confrontation against officers guarding the tunnel entrance to the building.
Speaking at Klein’s sentencing, Capitol police officer Sgt. Aquilino Gonell expressed his disbelief, stating, “I never realized that the biggest threat to our country would come from people who swore to protect it – someone who took the same oath to protect and serve the United States as I did.”
During the trial, Klein repeatedly shoved police officers with a stolen riot shield, facilitated the pinning of D.C. police officer Daniel Hodges to a metal door frame while another rioter stole Hodges’s gas mask, and helped trap another officer who was being dragged into the mob. Klein also shouted encouragement to the crowd, urging for more participants and taunting the police officers.
Judge McFadden acknowledged the severity of Klein’s actions, stating, “I don’t remember ever seeing a case where someone assaulted so many police officers in so short a span of time.”
While defense attorney Stanley Woodward acknowledged Klein’s embarrassment and characterized his involvement in the riot as “not a betrayal of his service to the government,” prosecutors pointed out that Klein possessed a detailed understanding of the scheme that Trump and his supporters believed could overturn the election results.
Throughout the proceedings, Klein’s history and associations were also brought to light. He had previously worked on Trump’s 2016 campaign, served in the Marines for nine years, and held positions with a Virginia politician who has publicly made derogatory statements about the LGBTQ+ community. Moreover, Klein had ties to an anti-gay advocacy group, the Family Research Council.
Klein, who may still appeal his conviction, declined to address the court during his sentencing.
As the nation continues to seek justice for those responsible for the Capitol riot, Klein’s sentencing serves as a reminder of the severe consequences awaiting those who participated in the violent insurrection that threatened the peaceful transfer of power.
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