On June 18, Charles Hand III, a Capitol riot defendant who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor offense in connection with the January 6 attack, advanced to a GOP runoff in Georgia’s 2nd Congressional District. Hand, who goes by Chuck Hand, is running for the Republican nomination in a solidly Democratic district held by Democrat Sanford Bishop. If Hand secures the nomination, he will face Wayne Johnson, who served in the Trump administration’s Education Department. Despite his involvement in the Capitol riot, Hand is determined to secure a position in Congress, despite being labeled as an underdog in the general election against Bishop.
As part of his plea agreement in October 2022, Hand admitted to writing about witnessing a crowd of people “rushing the Capitol Police” and the ineffectiveness of tear gas, rubber bullets, and mace in stopping them. He also confessed to breaking a piece of metal fencing and carrying it with him into the Capitol during the chaos of the riot. Video evidence shows Hand and his wife entering the Capitol through an emergency door while members of the Proud Boys surrounded them. Hand acknowledged moving towards a confrontation between law enforcement and rioters but was discouraged by his wife from intervening. Despite his actions, Hand expressed remorse and a desire not to return to Washington after serving his sentence, unless elected as a representative for Georgia in the future.
Following his arrest in March 2022, Hand was sentenced to 20 days of incarceration in January 2023. In a letter to the court, he acknowledged his regret for entering the Capitol and the impact of his actions, stating that the experience has profoundly affected his life. Hand reflects on the stigma associated with his case, expressing remorse and a desire to return to Georgia, away from the events of January 6. Despite facing criminal charges related to the Capitol attack, Hand plans to move forward with his political ambitions and potentially return to Washington as a member of Congress, exemplifying the ongoing attempts by some Jan. 6 rioters to re-enter the halls of power.
Hand is not the only Jan. 6 rioter who has sought to pursue a political career following the attack. Derrick Evans, a felony defendant who stormed the Capitol while serving in the West Virginia Legislature, lost his Republican primary race to incumbent Carol Miller. Over 1,400 people have been charged in connection with the Capitol attack, with more than 1,000 convictions. While some defendants have received probation, others have faced incarceration ranging from a few days in jail to 22 years in federal prison. The aftermath of the January 6 attack continues to have reverberations in the political landscape, as individuals like Hand and Evans navigate the legal consequences of their actions while still aspiring to hold positions of power. As the legal process unfolds, the impact of the Capitol riot on the lives of those involved remains a focal point in the ongoing discourse surrounding the events of that day.
