Capitol riot hearings: 8 Wisconsin natives charged
"A mountain of evidence" – that's how House investigators probing the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol describe their case.
The rare prime-time hearing starts at 7 p.m. It will include never-before-seen video of what transpired on January 6, 2021, when Congress was meeting to certify the winner of the 2020 election, Joe Biden.
FILE - Rioters storm the United States Capitol building on Jan. 6. (Evelyn Hockstein/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)
So far, prosecutors have charged more than 800 people, including eight from the Badger State.
Five Wisconsin men agreed to plea deals and judges have already sentenced some of them.
In May, police arrested Conlin Weyer of Plover.
Conlin Weyer
They say photos are of him in the Capitol, as well they say records show his phone was inside the Capitol during the riot.
In March, police arrested Riley Kasper of Pulaski.
Riley Kasper
An FBI complaint uses video to claim Kasper assaulted police with what appears to be pepper spray.
They accuse him of sending this message: "I pepper sprayed 3 cops so bad they got undressed and went home..." The message goes on: "I basically organized my own little militia and we [expletive] took over congress"
He says he’s not guilty.
Michael Fitzgerald
Michael Fitzgerald of Janesville also pleaded not guilty. The FBI says he was near the front of the line of rioters who pushed past police.
Five Wisconsinites agreed to plea deals. For example, a charge like "violent entry" goes away.
Instead, they get "parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building."
Joshua Munn is awaiting sentencing.
Abram Markofski, from the Wisconsin National Guard, got some fines and 2-year probation.
Brandon Nelson also gets fines and probation, along with community service.
Brandon Nelson
A judge sentenced Kevin Loftus to community years of probation, community service and restitution of $500.
Kevin Loftus
David Mish was locked up for 30 days and had to pay $500 in restitution.
David Mish
That money covers damages.
The Capitol architect estimates the riot created roughly $1.5 million dollars in damage.
The January 6th Commission interviewed some 1,000 witnesses, including the former chairman of the Wisconsin Republican Party, Andrew Hitt.
Hitt and other Wisconsin Republicans met the same day as the electoral college in December 2020, posing as presidential electors inside the Wisconsin Capitol. They then sent paperwork to the federal government attesting that Donald Trump won Wisconsin.
The state party says they sent the papers in case legal challenges would have been successful, they point to 1960---when electors for both Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy sent in their paperwork awaiting a recount.