Capitol Rioters Complain Flying Is 'Huge Problem' for Them

New details have emerged concerning the difficulties some Capitol rioters believe they have faced in trying to travel by air since coming under law enforcement scrutiny.

According to a statement from the Department of Justice (DOJ), roughly 1,070 arrests were made of alleged Capitol rioters in the 30 months since the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. The event saw supporters of former President Donald Trump swarm the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., in an effort to disrupt the certification of Trump's 2020 election loss to Joe Biden, while some participants have also been accused of having more violent aims.

Of these defendants, according to the same statement, 335 have been sentenced to serve time in prison, while 119 have been sentenced to serve periods of house arrest. The steepest sentence so far was leveled against Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the Proud Boys, who was hit with a 22-year prison sentence for seditious conspiracy for his work in mobilizing his followers on the day.

In a post to X, the platform previously known as Twitter, on Tuesday, Scott MacFarlane, a CBS News journalist who has extensively covered Capitol riot trials, noted that many defendants have complained of difficulties with air travel. In the post, he also included a letter from defendant James Rahm III, in which he asked for leniency in his sentence and cited trouble he has had with airport security, claiming that he has been put on a "terrorist watchlist" of some kind.

"I also believe I am on a terrorist watchlist, because flying has become a huge problem," Rahm wrote. "Airlines refuse to allow me to check in or board. After waiting about 1-2 hours standing at a desk, I am finally issued a boarding pass. Then TSA [Transportation Security Administration] takes me for a personal screening which is intense, uncomfortable, intrusive, and lengthy. TSA sets up an additional security check at the gate. They empty all my belongings, while the other passengers wait to board. This has happened the last 4 times I have flown. This treatment is extremely inconvenient and embarrassing for me and for my girlfriend, who suffers the same treatment, just for flying with me."

He continued: "The stigma has affected personal relationships. Some neighbors no longer speak with me. Some friends have exited my life. To this day I receive anonymous calls and hate mail at my home..."

Rahm's comments in the letter reflect a trend of concern among Capitol riot defendants. In September, 35-year-old alleged rioter Patrick Stedman requested leniency from the court, citing a similar concern about "a lasting stigma" and "potentially being on a no-fly list as have many persons charged based on conduct." He was ultimately sentenced to four years in prison and three years of supervised release.

In the weeks after the Capitol riot, TSA Administrator David Pekoske confirmed that his agency was looking at individuals believed to have participated in it to form a possible no-fly list. The idea was also championed by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Responding to an inquiry about Rahm's claims, the TSA directed Newsweek to the Department of Homeland Security Traveler Redress Inquiry Program, which allows travelers to submit complaints about troubles experienced while traveling at airports, including "watch list issues" and "screening problems at ports of entry."

Update 1/24/24, 1:41 p.m. ET: This article has been updated to include a response from the TSA.