Capitol rioter Lisa Eisenhart — the mother of Eric Munchel, who was infamously captured on camera menacingly carrying around zip-tie handcuffs during the Capitol riot — has been dealt a new loss in her case. NBC4 reporter Scott MacFarlane reported last month how Eisenhart had asked for a loosening of the restrictions around her pre-trial release from custody, and now, Eisenhart has apparently lost that effort, with a federal judge leaving what appear to be those same restrictions in place. Specifically, Eisenhart had asked the court “to ease her curfew & electronic monitoring,” MacFarlane explains. At the time, she sought release parameters that would “better allow for exercise and other routine activities of daily life,” as written in a filing.
REJECTED: Judge denies request to loosen restrictions for Jan 6 defendant Lisa Eisenhart
"(Her) actions on January 6 not only demonstrate a blatant disregard for the rule of law, but her subsequent statements also indicate her willingness to engage in similar conduct again" pic.twitter.com/817W1BatA8
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) September 13, 2021
Perhaps Eisenhart should have thought about the potential impact on her future daily routines before participating in a violent breach of the U.S. Capitol building that had the potential to cripple the functioning of the United States government, should the riot participants have successfully reached any of a number of top leaders. According to a Justice Department webpage, Eisenhart is currently facing criminal charges including obstruction of an official proceeding — which can come with up to 20 years in prison — alongside violent entry or disorderly conduct, among other serious accusations. Munchel, who was also allowed to leave jail ahead of his trial, is also facing a slew of federal criminal charges including obstruction of an official proceeding.
!! US Capitol riot defendant Lisa Eisenhart asks court to ease her curfew & electronic monitoring
Eisenhart is accused of wearing tactical vest & carrying flex cuffs in Capitol on Jan 6
She says she wants restrictions relaxed to "better allow for exercise" & other routines pic.twitter.com/7lZwWJpVI1
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) August 11, 2021
Eisenhart isn’t the only high-profile Capitol riot defendant to recently suffer a loss in their case. Jacob Chansley, otherwise known as the “QAnon Shaman,” recently pleaded guilty to a single count of obstruction of an official proceeding, but a federal judge ordered him to remain in custody ahead of his sentencing, which is set for about two months in the future. That judge, Royce Lamberth, concluded that Chansley’s team failed to adequately show that the proposed circumstances for his release from prison would effectively thwart the possibility of him fleeing from authorities, among other problems. Chansley became known as the “QAnon Shaman” thanks to a combination of his previously expressed belief in the QAnon conspiracy theory movement and the distinctive attire that he wore during the riot. At the time, he was shirtless and wearing both face paint and a large, horned headdress.
