Jared L Wise, who allegedly called for police to be killed at US Capitol, had his case dropped in Trump’s clemency order
A former FBI agent who was previously charged for his role in the January 6 Capitol riot is now serving as an adviser to a Trump administration task force investigating alleged government overreach — a striking example of how former rioters have been integrated into the new justice department leadership.
Jared L. Wise, who allegedly shouted “Kill ’em!” at law enforcement officers during the attack on the Capitol, has been appointed as a counselor to Ed Martin, head of the Department of Justice’s “Weaponization Working Group,” according to reports from The New York Times and ABC News. The specifics of Wise’s duties remain unclear.
Wise’s appointment is emblematic of the Trump administration’s increasingly sympathetic stance toward January 6 participants. Since Trump returned to office in January, the justice department has undergone a sharp shift in focus — aligning with Trump’s calls for retribution against perceived political enemies and revisiting the prosecutions from the Capitol attack.
Wise’s criminal case was among those dropped after Trump took office and issued blanket clemency to individuals convicted or charged in connection with January 6, including those accused of violent offenses. Wise had faced two felony and four misdemeanor charges and had pleaded not guilty before the case was dismissed.
Before the riot, Wise had served as an FBI special agent and supervisory special agent from 2004 to 2017. He later worked for the conservative undercover group Project Veritas, where he was reportedly tasked with infiltrating teachers’ unions in several states.
According to court documents and body camera footage, Wise was seen both inside and outside the Capitol on January 6. In one video, he shouted at officers:
“You guys are disgusting. I’m former law enforcement. You are the Nazi. You are the Gestapo… Shame on you!”
Later, as violence escalated near him, Wise was recorded shouting:
“Yeah, f*** them! Yeah, kill ’em! Kill ’em! Kill ’em!”
Despite that footage, his prosecution was dropped following Trump’s mass pardon on his first day in office.
The DOJ’s “Weaponization Working Group” — created in February — is tasked with examining alleged instances of politically motivated actions by federal agencies over the past four years. According to a department memo, this includes investigations into Donald Trump, prosecutions of January 6 defendants, abortion-related protests, and supposed anti-Catholic bias.
Ed Martin, who was previously nominated to be U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., but failed to secure confirmation, is now leading the group. He has been a vocal advocate for January 6 defendants. The department’s leadership has also elevated Stanley Woodward — a defense attorney for several Trump allies and Capitol riot defendants — to the position of associate attorney general, the third-highest role at the DOJ.
