Capitol police have arrested a Massachusetts man who allegedly traveled to Washington, D.C. armed with Molotov cocktails and a knife to kill newly-confirmed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Ryan Michael “Reily” English, who turned himself in to U.S. Capitol Police at 3:12 p.m. ET Monday, said he traveled to Washington, D.C., initially planning to kill Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., a police affidavit revealed.
But English shifted his target to Bessent after stopping at a library in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and reading that the Senate was voting Monday on his nomination as President Donald Trump’s Treasury chief, the document said.
CNBC reported English contemplated throwing the Molotov cocktails at Bessent’s feet, according to the affidavit, which was filed in Washington, D.C., federal court. And if he were able to get close enough, English said, he would have stabbed Bessent with a knife.
Bessent’s nomination was confirmed about three hours after English’s arrest. President Trump’s Cabinet nominee received bipartisan backing and was confirmed Tuesday with a 77-22 vote.
English has been charged with unlawful receipt, possession or transfer of a firearm, as well as carrying a firearm, explosive or incendiary device on Capitol grounds.
The affidavit said English approached an officer at the south door of the Capitol and said, “I’d like to turn myself in.” English told the officer that he was carrying weapons, including two Molotov cocktails.
Two officers detained and searched English, finding two devices constructed of 50-milliliter vodka bottles with gray cloth affixed to their tops. They also found a folding knife and a lighter, according to the court documents.
He said he was at the Capitol to “kill Scott Bessent,” the affidavit said.
Police said they searched the vehicle and found a 750-milliliter bottle of 100-proof vodka and a gray sweatshirt with cloth cut off the sleeves.
Before transporting English into custody, police said they found a receipt in his pocket with a note written on the back of a receipt:
“Judith dear god I am so sorry. You must understand I can feel myself dying slowly b/c of my heart. This is terrible but I cant do nothing while nazis kill my sisters,” the note read, according to the affidavit.
“I love you. This is awful. Im so sorry. I love u. Please stay alive and heal. you can. you are strong enough. [F—] them for pushing us so far. you dont deserve this. Im so sorry for lying and plotting and lying. Please survive [7 hearts],” it read.
In addition to his initial intention of killing Hegseth or Johnson, English told police he considered burning down the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.
English said that he surveilled the Capitol grounds and figured he would have to kill at least three police officers in order to get to Bessent. English “expressed acceptance and content with the possibility of suicide by cop,” the affidavit said.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
Would lay odds that he regularly “medicates” with illegal/semi legal drugs!
This is what happens when a political party calls their opponents “Nazis, worse than Hitler,
Fascists,” etc. Let us pray that all sides start to be a bit more civil.
Of course, if he hadn’t turned himself in, the Capitol police wouldn’t have caught him. They’re probalby pizzed that he turned himself in; now they can’t “bungle” and investigation and let him get away with the assassination of a Trump team member.
Is this what the intollerant Democratic party is all about. If you lose you go out and try to kill the opposition? The behavior of the Democratic Party members and followers is dispicable and they should all feel deep shame for what they have convinced the weak minded of. In my nearly 80 years I have lived in this nation I have never seen such radical and hateful actions to nearly half the members of Congress, but of their followers. Are we a nation, or an assembly of fractionalized terrroists all with warped idiologies and actions? If you read history you will see the length of most free nations lasts for somewhere between 250 to 300 years and we are there.When you get State Governors refusing to uphold the laws of the Nation, House Members, Senators all politically fighting and accomplishing nothing but enriching themselves, we have a true problem. When we have a population that thinks there is more than two genders we have a problem. When we willingly allow our nation to be illegally invaded we have a problem, when we allow Deep State to run or government and nation into the ground with a puppet in place, we have a problem, when we have a DOJ that is politically weaponized we have a problem. When we have any member of Congress who flagrently violating the Insider Trading laws to enrichen themselves we have a problem. As Ben Franklin said, “Either we hang together or we will surely hang seperately”.
I pray daily asking God to put a hedge of protection around our president and other officials.
Daily I ask God to put a hedge of protection around our officials.
Nazi’s killing women ….. rhetoric right out of the main stream media.
Obviously a Biden fan. Real smart dude.
What is wrong with these EVIL people? We didn’t like what was going on in the White House but we never tried killing people. We believe in God & are trying to do things God’s way.
Another nut job Dem!
Thank God, the wanna-be killer decided to get help before he did the deed!