Olympic swimmer Klete Keller, who wore Team USA jacket to Jan. 6 riot, pleads guilty

[UpInArms]

Source: Washington Post

Three-time Olympic swimmer Klete Keller, who notoriously wore his Team USA jacket to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, pleaded guilty Wednesday to one charge stemming from his role in the riot. The felony charge of obstruction of an official proceeding carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, though sentencing guidelines call for 21-27 months.

Keller, 39, entered the plea in a hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Leon. As part of a plea agreement, Keller will cooperate with the government in additional prosecutions stemming from the attack on the Capitol in exchange for the government dropping the six additional charges against him.

…snip …

In a presentation to the judge, Edwards detailed the government’s evidence, all of which Keller has admitted, saying that Keller spent nearly an hour inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, at one point yelling “F--- Nancy Pelosi!” and “F--- Chuck Schumer!” in reference to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and then-Senate minority leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.). At another point, Edwards said, Keller yanked his elbow away from a police officer who was trying to remove him and other rioters from the building.

… snip …

A half-hour before Wednesday’s hearing, Keller sat outside Courtroom 18 on the sixth floor of the E. Barrett Prettyman Courthouse — unmasked, until MacMahon whispered to him and he put on a blue surgical mask. Keller wore a white shirt, blue blazer, patterned tie, gray pants and brown shoes.
Once the hearing began, Judge Leon told the participants that vaccinated individuals could remove their masks when approaching the bench, but the unvaccinated should leave theirs on. The attorneys for both the government and the defense removed their masks to speak to the judge, but Keller left his on.

Read more: https://wapo.st/3ifgPG8

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Everyone should be able to access this article through the “gift” link provided

[Bengus81]

1. Or on CNN

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/29/politics/swimmer-keller-capitol-riot/index.html

[NurseJackie]

2. What will become of his right to vote?

Did the little shit lose his right to vote (at least for a little while)?

ETA: Look at me, calling a 39-year-old a "little shit". LOL! That means I'm OLD!!!

[Kittycow]

4. I read "other consequences include"

losing right to vote and bear firearms.

[sheshe2]

5. Strip him of his medals.

He represented the US in the Olympics and became a traitor to his country.

[DinahMoeHum]

6. The USOPC has no authority to do that. . .

The only entity with authority to rescind a medal from an athlete is the IOC. . .and they're not inclined to do that for anything other than cheating (performance-enhancing drugs)

[DinahMoeHum]

3. Back in February, Sports Illustrated did a story on this. . .

Laps From Grace: How Did Klete Keller Veer From His Lane?

https://www.si.com/olympics/2021/02/04/klete-keller-olympic-podium-to-capitol-siege-daily-cover

The whole article is worth reading from start to finish to try to understand the guy, without excuses.

Keller came from a dysfunctional, right-wing family. At one point, years after his Olympic career, he was broke, divorced and living in his car. He appeared to be back on the upswing of things in recent years until Trump's minions came along and filled his head with all sorts of bullshit,

https://www.si.com/olympics/2021/02/04/klete-keller-olympic-podium-to-capitol-siege-daily-cover

I suspect that 10 years from know, this saga will be the subject of an ESPN "30 for 30" documentary.

[underpants]

8. Thanks. Reading it later. 👀

I posted a story on this too and read his Wikipedia page. It was a pretty drastic downturn for this guy. No excuses though.

[ZonkerHarris]

7. Since these are white guys the prosecutors seem to be pleading them down as low as they can go

[Deminpenn]

9. Agreement to cooperate is what got his sentence reduced

per the excerpt.