Jorge Riley, the Sacramento man accused of participating in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riots, was in a heated hearing Wednesday where a federal judge ordered he remain in custody and be transported to Washington, D.C. courts, calling him "a man of impulse and poor judgment."Judge Carolyn Delaney held firm that there was plenty of evidence against Riley, saying that his incarceration will be a lengthy one if he is convicted. Timothy Zindell, Riley's attorney, vehemently argued against the judge, saying that the former Sacramento Republican leader was neither a flight risk nor a risk to public.Zindell also argued that Riley is a disabled veteran with no money and that he had to use his $600 stimulus check intended for coronavirus relief to buy a plane ticket to Washington." flew across the country with thousands of other Americans upset by the results of the election," Zindell said. "He believed he was called there by the president. The person who encouraged him is no longer in power, no longer has a voice, so events like this are no longer likely to occur."That was when Delaney doubled down and described Riley to be impulsive and lacking of good judgment. She ordered he be sent to the Washington, D.C. courts "forthwith."Riley was arrested Jan. 19, about a week after he was forced to resign from his positions as corresponding secretary of the California Republican Assembly and president of the Sacramento Republican Assembly.Video Below | Jorge Riley, former Sacramento Republican leader arrested after involvement in U.S. Capitol siegeHe is charged with two misdemeanor charges and one Class B felony, which falls under obstruction of Congress. All charges stem from posts on his Facebook page, according to the FBI.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jorge Riley, the Sacramento man accused of participating in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riots, was in a heated hearing Wednesday where a federal judge ordered he remain in custody and be transported to Washington, D.C. courts, calling him "a man of impulse and poor judgment."
Judge Carolyn Delaney held firm that there was plenty of evidence against Riley, saying that his incarceration will be a lengthy one if he is convicted. Timothy Zindell, Riley's attorney, vehemently argued against the judge, saying that the former Sacramento Republican leader was neither a flight risk nor a risk to public.
Zindell also argued that Riley is a disabled veteran with no money and that he had to use his $600 stimulus check intended for coronavirus relief to buy a plane ticket to Washington.
"[Riley] flew across the country with thousands of other Americans upset by the results of the election," Zindell said. "He believed he was called there by the president. The person who encouraged him is no longer in power, no longer has a voice, so events like this are no longer likely to occur."
That was when Delaney doubled down and described Riley to be impulsive and lacking of good judgment. She ordered he be sent to the Washington, D.C. courts "forthwith."
Riley was arrested Jan. 19, about a week after he was forced to resign from his positions as corresponding secretary of the California Republican Assembly and president of the Sacramento Republican Assembly.
Video Below | Jorge Riley, former Sacramento Republican leader arrested after involvement in U.S. Capitol siege
He is charged with two misdemeanor charges and one Class B felony, which falls under obstruction of Congress. All charges stem from posts on his Facebook page, according to the FBI.