WASHINGTON — An Indiana man has submitted a request to dismiss a lawsuit filed against him by the District of Columbia for his alleged participation in the Jan. 6, 2021 riots at the US Capitol building.
The request was filed through an attorney representing former Columbus resident Jon Schaffer, who originally pleaded guilty in April 2021 to several different charges for his alleged role in the attack on the Capitol. These charges included breaching the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, while armed with bear repellent and obstructing an official proceeding.
Before that, the FBI said Schaffer was arrested on January 17 at 3 p.m. in the Indianapolis area.
According to his plea agreement, Schaffer admitted to being a founding lifetime member of the Oath Keepers.
The motion was filed on March 10 in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. as part of a larger series of motions submitted by other defendants aimed at dismissing the lawsuit.
According to court filings, Schaffer’s attorney asserts that the points made in those dismissal motions closely relate to Schaffer’s situation. The majority of these motions were filed by members of far-right organizations such as Oath Keepers and Proud Boys.
The lawsuit in question, which was filed on Dec. 14, 2021, accuses Schaffer and several others of conspiring to violently overturn the 2020 presidential election.
The lawsuit alleges Schaffer was one of six insurrectionists who led the charge on the damaged doors of the Capitol.
Schaffer and the dozens of other co-defendants are also responsible for all damages and costs that were incurred during the U.S. Capitol attack, according to the lawsuit. These damages include overtime expenses and all emergency and medical costs that were expended in light of the attack.
No response has been provided yet by the U.S. District Judge presiding over the case on whether or not the request to dismiss the lawsuit will be granted.
