Pentagon hires convicted Jan. 6 rioter for counterterrorism post

The Trump administration has hired a convicted Jan. 6, 2021, rioter to work in the Pentagon’s office that oversees sensitive special operations and irregular warfare matters.

Elias Irizarry, who was 19 when he participated in the attack at the U.S. Capitol, was appointed to a position within the Defense Department’s Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict office, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday.

The Pentagon confirmed Irizarry’s appointment, telling The Hill in a statement that he is a “qualified, patriotic young professional and we are proud to have him as a political appointee at the Department of War.”

“Unlike Mr. Irizarry, the Washington Post does not care about national security given its track record of low-tier reporters publishing and soliciting classified information that could hurt our nation on a daily basis,” the acting press secretary Joel Valdez said in a statement.

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5906798-pentagon-appointment-jan-6-special-operations/