More Mainstream Republicans Arrested

A federal judge on Thursday ordered a retired firefighter in Pennsylvania to be detained pending trial, after prosecutors filed charges alleging he hurled a fire extinguisher at police during last week’s mob attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Man with Confederate flag in Capitol arrested

Magistrate Judge Henry Perkin for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania said the alleged actions of Robert Sanford, 55, of Chester, Pennsylvania, posed a “danger to the community” as well as to “democracy and our legislators.”

According to court documents, Sanford was captured on video hurling what appears to be a fire extinguisher at police. In sworn statements, investigators said the object ricocheted multiple times and struck three officers, one of whom was not wearing a helmet.

Prosecutors said in court on Thursday that a search warrant executed at Sanford’s home uncovered paraphernalia referencing the far-right Proud Boys group. Sanford’s lawyer told the judge his client is not a member of any extremist group and has no criminal history.

The Justice Department has brought more than 80 criminal cases so far since supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, trying to prevent Congress from certifying Joe Biden as the winner of the U.S. presidential election.

The violence, which left five dead including a Capitol Police officer, led to the impeachment of Trump on Wednesday by the House of Representatives on a charge of inciting an insurrection.

Shortly before the attack, Trump had fired up a crowd of supporters, repeating his baseless claims that he won the election and urging them to go to the Capitol.