Rioter convicted Jan. 6 claims retired congressman invited him to Trump inauguration
A Californian who pleaded guilty to a felony for his participation in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol filed a letter Wednesday showing he was personally invited by a retired Republican congressman to attend the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.
Russell Taylor, who prosecutors described as a “leader” who organized a “group of fighters” to travel to Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, to stop Congress from certifying Trump’s defeat in the 2020 election, filed a letter from a retiree. Republican Representative Chris Stewart in a request to the judge overseeing his case to approve his travel to the nation’s capital.
Representative Chris Stewart takes his seat before the start of the Federal Armament Subcommittee hearing on “Arming the Federal Government” in Washington, DC, February 9, 2023.
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Stewart makes no direct mention in the letter of Taylor’s participation in the Capitol attack, instead describing him as “a man of integrity and faith who served those less fortunate.”
“Russ’s passion for what is right and good is reflected in his intentions to uplift others,” Stewart said.
However, prosecutors described him as leading “not just by word, but by deed,” before the Capitol attack, according to court documents in his case. Taylor “repeatedly called for violence and a show of force” to overturn the election and, on January 6 itself, led a mob that invaded a police cordon near the inaugural stage while carrying “a knife exposed above a bulletproof chest plate. and carrying bear repellent,” according to his sentencing memo.
Trump supporters flood the steps of the Capitol as Congress works to certify the Electoral College votes, January 6, 2021.
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Taylor received credit from the judge in his case, Royce Lamberth, for agreeing to strike a plea deal with prosecutors, followed by trial testimony that helped convict one of his co-conspirators. Lamberth rejected prosecutors’ request to sentence him to more than four years in prison and instead sentenced him to six months of home detention and probation.
“Counsel submits that Mr. Taylor poses no risk or concern regarding this travel request,” Taylor’s attorneys said in their letter to Lamberth on Wednesday. “He is traveling with his family, including minor children. He is the guest of a former member of Congress and has repeatedly demonstrated that he is trustworthy in his travel and in complying with court orders. We hereby request that he be permitted to travel to Washington DC from January 16 to 21, 2025.”
