Former State Department Aide Arrested in Connection to Capitol Riots

The FBI has arrested Federico Klein, a former State Department aide during the Trump administration, on charges related to the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol. Government records show that Klein, who worked on Donald Trump's 2016 campaign, was hired at the State Department in January 2017. In 2020, Klein was serving as a special assistant in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. 

Video Evidence Shows Former Aide Attacking Police

Cecilia L. Klein told reporters in a telephone interview that her 42-year-old son was at the Mall during the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol and that he did not go onto the Capitol Grounds. She also pointed out that her son wasn't a top official in the Trump administration and further commented that she doesn't discuss politics with her son as their political views are different.

However, court documents allege that Klein was seen on video assaulting police officers and U.S. Capitol Police officers. According to the FBI’s court papers, Klein can be seen resisting officers, attempting to take items from them, and assaulting them with a riot shield

The Justice Department has filed charges against more than 300 people that were involved in the Capitol riots, with some still being under investigations as the defendants have not yet been arrested. Prosecutors allege a wide range of motives and behavior, including extreme violence and ignorance that what they were doing was illegal

A study conducted by the George Washington University found that the majority of the people charged with participation in the riot were not connected to extremist groups or to one another.