The lawyer for a Capitol riot participant is claiming his client was moved to join the siege by watching too much Fox News.
Anthony Antonio’s attorney Joseph Hurley told a Washington, D.C. magistrate judge that his client had “Foxitus” and “Foxmania” after spending all his time watching Fox News. Hurley explained that Antonio was laid off due to the coronavirus pandemic last year and spent the majority of his time with four other individuals watching Fox News, contributing to his client’s alleged condition.
“For the next approximate six months, Fox television played constantly,” Hurley said. “[Antonio] became hooked with what I call ‘Foxitus’ or ‘Foxmania’ and became interested in the political aspect and started believing what was being fed to him.”
Hurley went on to claim Antonio believed he was serving his country and following the orders of former President Donald Trump by rioting at the Capitol.
There were several videos of Antonio at the Capitol’s Lower West Terrace Entrance, which the FBI claims “saw a tremendous amount of violent criminal activity.” In footage captured by a police bodycamera, Antonio is seen shouting at officers, “You want war? We got war. 1776 all over again.”
Antonio turned himself into Delaware authorities last month. He was charged with knowingly entering or remaining on restricted grounds without lawful authority, violent entry and disorderly conduct, impeding law enforcement during civil disorder, disrupting Congress, and damaging government property. Despite these charges and their defense, Antonio and his lawyer aren’t eager to move forward with the trial because they think the court should deal with the “bad” protesters first.
