Feds charge man who allegedly stole documents from McConnell’s desk during riot

A California man faces federal charges for allegedly stealing documents from then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) desk during the violent Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. 

According to federal court documents, 52-year-old Tommy Allan, of Rocklin, Calif., faces charges of damage or theft on federal property and unlawfully entering a restricted building or grounds, as well as violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. 

The affidavit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, cites a Facebook video in which Allan can be seen standing outside the Capitol building holding multiple documents in his hand, including one which appeared to be a copy of the Senate schedule and a letter which Allan reportedly says was “a letter from Trump” and “signed by Trump.”

Allan then allegedly says in the video that he had taken the documents from McConnell’s desk. 

In the video, Allan also reportedly admits that he “stormed the building” while pointing to the Capitol, adding that upon entering the Senate chamber, “some people started grabbing shit and I was like no bro, don’t f—in’ — don’t destroy our Senate. You know, don’t do that. … I didn’t feel good about that.”

After being asked why he took the documents, Allan then said in the video it was “because he was a ‘taxpayer,’” according to court documents, with Allan allegedly adding “‘they took my flag,’ and ‘they took it from me right before I left.’”

The court document added that the flag in question was likely a United States flag property of the Capitol that had been recovered from Allan after he left the Senate chamber. 

The court documents also cite a recent video from The New Yorker that shows riot participants from inside the Senate chamber, in which Allan can allegedly be seen taking a document from a desk, “folding it in half lengthwise, and placing it in his back left pocket.” 

The criminal complaint noted that the FBI began investigating Allan after authorities received a tip that included several posts Allan shared on social media showing rioters breaking windows at the Capitol, as well as “a disturbing post that said the next step of the Insurrection was to get rid of [Chief] Justice [John] Roberts.”

The charges are some of the latest brought forth by federal authorities in connection with the Jan. 6 riot, in which five people died amid the chaos, including a Capitol Police officer. 

Federal authorities have already made more than a hundred arrests in connection with the Capitol riot, with additional charges expected in the coming weeks. 

Among those already charged was Arkansas man Richard Barnett, who is believed to have been the one in a viral image with his feet on the desk of a staff member for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). He was later seen in videos on social media holding up a piece of stolen mail from Pelosi’s office, saying he left a threatening message on the staffer’s desk. 

A Pelosi aide said in the days following the riot that a laptop had been stolen from the Speaker’s office, and other elected officials have come forward saying other electronic devices were missing following the mob’s attack.