A U.S. District Judge denied a Jan. 6 rioter’s request to attend President-elect Trump’s inauguration later this month, citing concerns over the Capitol insurrection which incited hours of chaos and violence in the nation’s capital.
Russell Taylor, who is on probation after pleading guilty to obstructing an official proceeding, petitioned the court for permission to travel outside of the Central District of California to attend the ceremony for President-elect Trump after receiving an invitation from lawmakers.
Judge Royce Lamberth denied the request in a Friday court order, reflecting on the event that took place after the 2020 presidential election.
“Mr. Taylor brought a knife and plate carrier vest to the Capitol and carried a backpack containing a hatchet and stun baton,” Lamberth noted in the order.
“During the Riots, Mr. Taylor pushed past police barricades, encouraged fellow rioters to push against a police line where officers were being visibly assaulted, joined the push himself, and repeatedly threatened the police protecting the Upper West Terrace that it was their ‘[l]ast chance’ to ‘stand down’ and abandon their position,” the judge wrote.
Although Taylor did not injure on duty officers, Lamberth said the effort to incite a riot warranted grave concerns for his attendance at future political events of prominence.