Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) told an audience at a 2023 event that he would like to have a beer with Jan. 6 rioter Jacob Chansley, also known as the QAnon Shaman.
“This guy who was sentenced to four years in prison for literally walking around in the Capitol,” Vance said of Chansley in the video, reported by The Washington Post and Mediaite. The clip was taken “at an unspecified event in 2023 ,” according to Mediaite. “We were taught it was a crazy guy with, like, the bullhorns, you know what I’m talking about? He looked like he’d be a fun guy to have a beer with, right? The Q shaman, that’s what they called this guy.”
“Look, this guy may have broken the law, I don’t know, but he sure as heck should not be spending four years in prison,” Vance added. “Nothing they showed on video would make me think that this guy should be going to prison for four years.”
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Chansley was sentenced to 41 months in prison followed by 36 months supervised release on Nov. 17, 2021, on counts of civil disorder, obstruction of an official proceeding, entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building, violent entry and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.
Chansley’s lawyer Albert Watkins has previously made his own comments surrounding a beer with former President Donald Trump.
Watkins told reporters in 2021 that Trump needs to be held accountable for all the “jackasses that [he] fucked up because of January 6,” adding he “would probably be far more effective over a beer with former President Trump,” when asked what “appropriate accountability” would look like for Trump, according to Mediaite.
“Even if he didn’t have a beer, because I understand he doesn’t drink beer, but I’d have a beer,” Watkins added.
