During an interview from behind bars, the QAnon Shaman is now claiming that police officers “waved” him and others into the building on the day of the Capitol attack on January 6.
Jacob Chansley spoke with “60 Minutes Plus” just one day before set to appear before a Washington, D.C., judge to present his argument over his pre-trial release.
Prosecutors argue that Chansley is a threat to the community saying that he carried a speared weapon into the Capitol, wrote then-Vice President Mike Pence a threatening letter, and spoke about ridding the government of traitors.
In the letter he allegedly called Pence a traitor and said, “It’s only a matter of time, justice is coming.”
But Chansley denies that what he took part in was an attack on this country. He also claims to have remained peaceful after several officers ushered him into the Capitol building.
“My actions were not an attack on this country. That is incorrect. That is inaccurate entirely,” Chansley said while recalling how he prayed, sang songs inside the building, and helped to prevent theft and vandalism.
“I sang a song and that’s a part of Shamanism. It’s about creating positive vibrations in a sacred chamber,” he said. “I also stopped people from stealing and vandalizing that sacred space, the Senate. I actually stopped someone from stealing muffins out of the break room. I also said a prayer in that sacred chamber because it was my intention to bring divinity, to bring God back into the Senate.”
“60 Minutes Plus” correspondent Laurie Segall pressed him saying it was illegal for him to be in that chamber.
Chansley responded, “That is one very serious regret that I have, was believing that when we were waved in by police officers that it was acceptable,” and described himself as a lover of his country and a believer in the Constitution.
He added that although he regrets entering the Capitol, he has no regrets about supporting former President Donald Trump even though he was disappointed to have no reviewed a presidential pardon during Trump’s final days in office.
Authorities believe Chansley was among the first to make their way into the Capitol building on that day then disobeyed orders to leave and denied an officer’s request to use his blowhorn to tell other rioters.
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