Former Republican legislative candidate pleads guilty to role in the US Capitol riot

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A former Republican legislative candidate in Maine has pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement officers in the U.S. Capitol riot. Matthew Brackley of Waldoboro traveled to Washington for former President Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally and entered the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Prosecutors say he asked for the location of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office before shouting “Let’s go” and using his elbows to push past Capital Police officers. They say he shouted expletives at another checkpoint before chemical spray broke up the group. Brackley pleaded guilty Thursday in Washington, D.C. His lawyer said Brackley’s actions stand “in stark contrast to his otherwise lifelong law-abiding character.”