More than 100 law enforcement officers were injured in theJanuary 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol Building, and several more died in the aftermath. But one police officer who was allegedly on the side of the rioters is now facing federal charges in connection with that event.
The officer, according to reporter Jon Seidel, is a member of the Chicago Police Department: Karol J. Chwiesiuk, who was arrested this week and is facing five misdemeanor charges. Chwiesiuk, Seidel reports in the Chicago Sun-Times, is "at least the tenth individual from Illinois" facing charges in connection with the January 6 insurrection.
"Hundreds of people have been charged nationwide in connection with the riot at the U.S. Capitol, and a staggering amount of evidence has been collected," Seidel notes. "Prosecutors have said it will likely amount to the largest investigation in U.S. history."
In addition to covering Chwiesiuk's case in the Sun-Times, Seidel writes about it in a Twitter thread — which offers additional details.
Seidel tweets that when the office appeared in the courtroom of Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes, "A prosecutor told the judge that, three days before the 1/6 breach, Chwiesiuk responded to a text referring to a lawsuit challenging the November election by saying, 'Didn't read, busy planning how to fuck up commies.' The prosecutor also said that Officer Chwiesiuk breached a U.S. senator's office."
Seidel tweets a text attributed to Chwiesiuk that reads, "Knocked out a commie last night. Don't tell":
In one exchange described before the attack, it appears the person Chwiesiuk spoke to tried to convince him that the objections to the election in court were frivolous, but he didn't want to hear it:
According to Seidel, the complaint against Chwiesiuk alleges that inside the U.S. Capitol Building, he "breached" the office of Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon. Seidel notes that Chwiesiuk's attorney said that his powers as a police officer have been taken away, and Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes will not allow him to legally carry a firearm anymore.
