United States: A state lawmaker arrested for assaulting Capitol Hill

CHARLESTON, West Virginia, US (Associated Press) – A lawmaker in West Virginia has been accused of entering a restricted area in the Federal Capitol after he broadcast a live video of him entering the building with a crowd of President Donald Trump’s supporters.

Washington federal prosecutor Ken Cole announced the charge against state delegate Derek Evans on Friday at a conference call he made new charges against gang members who violently entered Congress on Wednesday.

His attorney, John Bryan, said he had not seen the case against Evans and could not comment. He did not say if Evans was arrested, but WSAZ TV posted a video on Twitter showing FBI agents driving the lawmaker from his handcuffed home.

“He’s a good man. And thank you, Mr. Trump, for calling you riot in the White House,” a woman who identified herself as Evans’ grandmother told reporters at the station while her grandson was arrested.

An increasing number of Republicans and Democrats have said they want Evans to be fired from the legislature if he does not resign. Brian said Thursday evening that the delegate has not committed a crime and does not intend to resign.

Lawmakers from at least seven other states traveled to Washington to support Trump and protest the electoral vote count that confirmed Democrat Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election.

It was not known if any other elected officials joined the attack on the Capitol.

In Tennessee, a bill was introduced on Friday requiring state authorities to investigate any residents of the state who participated in the Wednesday riots.

The proposal submitted by the representative of the democratic state, London Lamarr, specifies that any “act of incitement or treason” committed on Capitol Hill by an elected official will constitute a reason for his immediate dismissal.

The proposal comes a day after Republican Representative Terry Lynn Weaver described events in Washington as “epic” after her participation in the protest. It was not clear if Weaver had entered the Capitol.