On the Campaign Trail of Capitol Riot Defendant Mark Middleton, Who's Running for Texas House
Mark Middleton is one of dozens of alleged Capitol rioters running for office around the country.At first glance, Sneaky Pete’s wouldn’t strike you as the kind of place where someone vying for your vote would pitch their political campaign. On the shore of Lewisville Lake, it’s a spot where people can grab a cold beer and a greasy burger after a long day on the water. But on the night of Jan. 7, disgruntled Republicans from around North Texas filled the banquet room.
There were less than two months left until the primary elections, scheduled for March 1, but the 52-year-old Cooke County resident only had a few minutes at the podium. He didn't have spare much time on his campaign. Dressed in a charcoal blazer and blue jeans but no tie, he got down to the topic everyone likely wanted to hear about.
He and his wife, Jalise, had traveled to Washington and joined the rally-turned-riot, when supporters of then President Donald Trump. The day had started with a fiery speech by Trump and ended with hundreds of Trump supporters violently attacking police, raiding and rampaging through the U.S. Capitol.
“When we turned around to defend ourselves from the hits, they were trying to grab us and everything else,” he explained, “and then they pepper-sprayed us while they’re clubbing us.” Other Capitol protesters pulled the Middletons away from the frontline, he said, and gave them Visine to help alleviate their burning eyes. “And that constituted assaulting police officers, according to the FBI,” he said.
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