People at the US Capitol riot are being identified and losing their jobs
As images and social media posts of Wednesday’s insurrection at the US Capitol circulate online, some of those who were present are being identified, and some have lost or left their jobs because of it.
A man wearing his Maryland company’s ID is terminated
Navistar, a direct marketing company in Maryland, announced that an employee had been terminated after he was photographed wearing his company ID badge inside the breached Capitol building.
“While we support all employees’ right to peaceful, lawful exercise of free speech, any employee demonstrating dangerous conduct that endangers the health and safety of others will no longer have an employment opportunity with Navistar Direct Marketing,” the company said in a statement provided to CNN.
Real estate company ends its relationship with broker
A Chicago real estate company has cut ties with one of its licensed agents following social media posts showing her presence at the US Capitol on Wednesday.
Libby Andrews, 56, tells CNN that she was there to support the President, not violence, and that she learned of her firing through an email “blast.”
Andrews said she didn’t know about the day’s rioting and destruction until after returning to a nearby hotel where someone was showing images on social media. Andrews said she recalls seeing social media posts about “a skirmish with police” in DC, near where she was, and thought “that’s not happening, that’s fake news, that’s fake news,” she said.
The real estate company released a statement, which reads, “@properties has always acknowledged an individual’s right to their own beliefs — political and otherwise. The company also respects everyone’s right to peaceful protest. However, this agent’s personal choice to acknowledge, document and celebrate, in the public forum of social media, her participation in the widely condemned actions of — in her own words — “storming the capital” in Washington, DC, simply crossed the line in terms of @properties’ standards of conduct. As a result, the company made the decision to end its affiliation with her.”
The company provided two social media posts to CNN, which the company said show Andrews was part of the storming of the Capitol.
A Pennsylvania teacher is temporarily relieved of duty
An Allentown, Pennsylvania, teacher has been “temporarily relieved” of his teaching duties” until his school district can complete a formal investigation in his alleged involvement at the protests.
“We understand that many members of our community are upset by the image,” the Allentown School District said in a statement. “At the same time, the district has an obligation to respect the First Amendment rights of our staff and students.”
The district did not name the staffer.
A Texas lawyer no longer has his job
A Texas attorney named Paul Davis is no longer employed at his company, Goosehead Insurance, after social media posts appeared to show him talking about his participation in Wednesday’s events. In one video, Davis says, “we’re all trying to get into the Capitol to stop this.”
In further posts on Facebook’s Stories feature, Davis said he was “peacefully demonstrating” the whole time, and was not trying to actively break into the Capitol. “I said ‘trying to get into the Capitol,’ meaning to voice a protest. Not in any violent way,” he wrote.
On Thursday, a Twitter account belonging to the Westlake, Texas-based company tweeted: “Paul Davis, Associate General Counsel, is no longer employed by Goosehead.”
CNN reached out to Goosehead for further comment and was directed to a voicemail message that stated, “The Goosehead employee involved at the Capitol is no longer employed.”
It isn’t clear whether Davis left the company or was terminated. CNN reached out to Davis for comment but hasn’t gotten a response.
An ex-Pennsylvania state rep resigns from his teaching position
Rick Saccone, a former Pennsylvania state representative, shared images on his Facebook page of himself outside the Capitol. Saint Vincent College, where Saccone served as an adjunct professor, immediately began an investigation, according to Michael Hustava, the institution’s senior director of marketing and communications.
“As a result of that investigation, Dr. Saccone has submitted and we have accepted his letter of resignation, effective immediately. He will no longer be associated with Saint Vincent College in any capacity,” Hustava said in a statement provided to CNN.
“I decided to resign for the betterment of the school,” Saccone told the Tribune-Review, a news outlet in western Pennsylvania, about his departure. “I’ve been there 21 years. I didn’t want all this terrible media kerfuffle to tarnish the school. I decided it would be better if I just resigned.”
Saccone, who posted videos from among the crowd on the grounds outside the Capitol building, stated in a Facebook post that everyone around him was “involved in peaceful, First Amendment assembly.”
CNN has reached out to Saccone for further comment.
Lindsey Williams, a Pennsylvania state senator, shared a video that appeared to have been deleted from Saccone’s Facebook page. In it, Saccone says, “They broke down the gates, they’re macing them up there. We’re trying to run out all of the evil people in there and all of the RINOs that have betrayed our President. We’re going to run them out of their offices.”
Seattle police investigating two of its officers
The Seattle Police Department placed at least two officers on administrative leave Friday while officials investigate whether they took part in the riots.
“The Department fully supports all lawful expressions of First Amendment freedom of speech, but the violent mob and events that unfolded at the U.S. Capitol were unlawful and resulted in the death of another police officer,” Chief Adrian Diaz said in a statement. “The incident has been forwarded to the Office of Police Accountability for full review of any SPD employee activities at the U.S. Capitol.”
Diaz added he will immediately fire any officer found to have taken part in the mob, and further criminal investigations may proceed if illegal acts were committed.
Some of those who expressed support for the siege are also facing discipline
Americans in positions of power are also being disciplined for their support of the violence, even if they weren’t at the Capitol. The Texas Republican Party removed Walter West, its sergeant-at-arms, from his position after West made comments on Facebook supporting the Capitol siege.
“Whereas we vigorously support the First Amendment right to freely assemble, we condemn violence and pray for all gathering in our nation’s capital and those at the Capitol Building,” a statement on the Texas GOP’s website reads. “The Texas GOP has always been on the side of law and order and will remain so.”
In a statement, West said his Facebook posts were “misinterpreted” and he would never “advocate for violence on ‘The People’s House.'”
West’s name and photograph do not appear on the Texas GOP’s list of leadership.