Trump State Department appointee negotiating plea deal in Capitol riot case

by Olafimihan Oshin - 06/10/21 1:31 PM ET

A former State Department appointee for then-President Trump is negotiating a plea deal over charges from the Jan 6. attack at the Capitol, USA Today reported on Thursday.

Authorities say Federico Klein, the first known Trump appointee charged over Jan. 6, is accused of charging at a police line during the attack, where he was seen on video ignoring officers’ requests to back away. He allegedly shoved a shield into a doorway to prevent officers from securing the area.

Klein also repeatedly called for reinforcements to join in blocking the entrance.

“We need fresh people! We need fresh people!” he said, according to court documents.

In March a judge said that Klein represents an ongoing “danger” to the community, USA Today reported.

Prosecutors reportedly offered him a deal earlier this week, but his attorney says it hasn’t been accepted yet, characterizing it as not “reasonable”.

Two other participants in the Capitol riot so far have entered plea deals with the Department of Justice (DOJ).

The DOJ has charged 465 people in the insurrection, which left five people dead, including a Capitol Police officer. More than 130 defendants have been charged with crimes so far.