A Tennessee mother pictured with her son inside the U.S. Capitol has become merely the latest family member to be charged over her role in the violent siege.
Lisa Marie Eisenhart, 57, was arrested in Nashville Saturday on charges of conspiracy, unlawfully entering a restricted building, and violent entry or disorderly conduct for allegedly breaking into the Capitol on Jan. 6, according to a criminal complaint.
Her 30-year-old son Eric Munchel, a bartender photographed wearing paramilitary gear and carrying zip ties inside the Capitol, was arrested on similar charges on Jan. 10.
(U.S. Attorney of Middle Tennessee/AP)
The duo reportedly drove together from Nashville specifically to attend the protest.
Announcing Eisenhart’s arrest on Twitter Saturday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee posted a photo of the mother and son outside the Capitol, showing Eisenhart wearing a red “Keep America Great 2020” hat and a black tactical vest. Munchel is pictured alongside her dressed all in black.
“The left has everything: the media, organizations, the government. We have to organize if we’re going to fight back and be heard,” Eisenhart told The Times of London at the time of the protests.
The nurse added: “This country was founded on revolution. If they’re going to take every legitimate means from us, and we can’t even express ourselves on the internet, we won’t even be able to speak freely, what is America for?
“I’d rather die as a 57-year-old woman than live under oppression. I’d rather die and would rather fight.”
Eisenhart’s tune had changed in an interview last week, during which she claimed she and her son had intended no violence when storming the Capitol, despite both being seen carrying the plastic ties.
“We saw the zip cuffs on top of an already opened cabinet in the hallway inside the Capitol building,” Eisenhart told The Tennessean. “We picked them up to prevent them falling into hands of bad actors.”
The pair were also captured on video among a small group who breached the Senate chamber.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said Thursday that more than 100 individuals had already been arrested for involvement in the Capitol riot, during which five people died, including a U.S. Capitol police officer.