Here we go again with another insurrectionist getting only two years probation, even though the prosecutor asked for at least two months home incarceration for Edward McAlanis of East Cocalico Township, PA.
The 10 to 15 minutes Edward McAlanis spent illegally inside the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021, already cost him his job and his volunteer position on his township's recreation board.
On Tuesday, he learned he will spend the next two years on probation after a federal judge sentenced him for his guilty plea to one count of unlawfully parading in the Capitol.
It helps to make a plea deal and say how sorry you are about what you did.
“It was just an awful day in many respects,” McAlanis, 42, of East Cocalico Township, told federal magistrate Judge Dabney Friedrich during his sentencing Tuesday morning via video conference. “Going back, I wish I could take it back. But I can’t.”
McAlanis apologized to the court, his family and community and said he’s had a lot of time to think about life, family and the country since his arrest July 14.
I don’t know. The day doesn’t look to awful for McAlanis. He got to give a thumbs up, and there he is posing next to a statue of Abraham Lincoln. And McAlanis only went to D.C. to express his “constitutional rights.” Seems his constitutional rights include depriving all of us Biden voters our right to vote.
And if you think that McAlanis had an epiphany that entering the Capitol Building was illegal, his epiphany came about because he faced real world consequences for his crimes:
After his arrest, the married father of three was fired from his job as a financial adviser, but later found work delivering pizza. McAlanis also stepped down from the township recreation board to avoid being a distraction.
From financial advisor to pizza delivery man. I respect people who work delivery. But I have nothing but contempt for this asshole. I am not sure, but this might be his Linked in page.
He is not the first financial adviser that is a poltical kook. I met a financial adviser in the state of Maine back in the 90’s who believed the world was coming to an end in the year 2000 or shortly there after. He was a fundamentalist “Christian” who believed Clinton was either the anti-Christ or helping him come to power. And he acknowledged that it was difficult to tell his clients on how to make long term investments when the world was coming to a end.
But I digress.
Anyway, in case you think that all McAlanis did was take selfies on Jan 6th, the prosecutor had this to say to the judge before sentencing:
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anita Eve asked for two months of home detention, arguing that McAlanis was on the Capitol grounds for several hours before and after entering.
“It’s not just standing outside. The defendant was outside the barriers for a period of time. As it got closer to 2 o’clock, he got closer to the building” as other people were fighting with Capitol police and forcing their way inside, Eve said. “It’s like he stands around and lets somebody else do the ugly business” and then goes inside.
Friedrich wasn’t swayed. She noted several other defendants who only went inside the Capitol were sentenced to probation, and not additional house arrest.
Friedrich said McAlanis had accepted responsibility, seemed remorseful and cooperated.
“His role was minimal in my view,” she said.
Uh huh. Just a few minutes inside. Other insurrectionists who “only went inside” got probation, so why not McAlanis?
But his role was “minimal” according to the judge.
By the way, McAlanis wants to put all this behind him and “get back to work” and see if he can go back to that township recreation board.
And here is the “boo hoo hoo” that some defense lawyers are saying about insurrectionist clients:
The case and his sentence highlight the significant personal cost to those who committed crimes on January 6. In court hearings over the past year, other rioters have told judges about losing access to their bank accounts, losing touch with family members and, in some cases, moving to new states because of the accusations they faced related to the insurrection.
Cry me a river. They were trying to end democracy in the U.S. I think this is the least they deserve for their fascism.