2 Illinois men charged with joining Jan. 6 Capitol riot, shouting "Whose house?! Our House!"
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two men from the Chicago suburbs were charged on Election Day with taking part in the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and chanting "Whose house?! Our house?" while clashing with police officers.
Michael Mollo Jr., of Oak Lawn, and Emil Kozeluh, of Palos Heights, were charged in federal court in D.C. on the same day former President Donald Trump was elected to a second term in office.
Both men face charges of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building; and civil disorder.
However, it's unclear how their cases will play out, as Trump has said he may pardon many of the more than 1,000 people who have been charged in the Capitol riot.
Trump has praised those who breached the Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021, as "patriots" and referred to them as "hostages" of a Justice Department "weaponized" against him. He has said that those who were arrested as a result of their actions during the Capitol riot should be freed, and he vowed to pardon a "large portion" of the more than 1,000 people who have been convicted of or pleaded guilty to crimes stemming from the Jan. 6 attack.
Federal authorities said acquaintances of the two men reported them to the FBI for their roles in the Capitol riot.
According to the charges, Mollo and Kozeluh were captured on surveillance video in the mob of people who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, and clashed with police officers trying to keep them out.
The two men allegedly joined a crowd of "angry rioters" who surrounded police officers outside the Capitol.
Mollo, wearing a bandana with a white "1776" design, gloves with reinforced knuckles, and a yellow Gadsen "Don't Tread on Me" flag as a scarf, is accused of shouting "They're stealing our country!" as he bumped an officer, and grabbed another officer's baton. The officer with the baton pointed at his body-worn camera, and said, "You're on camera," Mollo allegedly backed away and said "No, I ain't do nothing."
Meantime, Kozeluh, wearing an American flag sweatshirt, a bright yellow balaclava, and a red hat with the words "Trump 2020. NO MORE BULL****" was seen on camera giving police the middle finger as flashbangs were going off behind him.
According to the charges, Mollo and Kozeluh then went into the Capitol through the Senate wing door, chanting "Whose house?! Our house!" as they made their way to the Rotunda. The men left the building after nearly 30 minutes inside, and upon exiting, Mollo gave another rioter a high-five and shouted "This is our house!"
Information on Mollo's and Kozeluh's first court appearances was not immediately available.
