A second Wyoming man has been convicted for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Columbia announced that Bedford resident Douglas Harrington was convicted Wednesday after a three-day bench trial for assaulting law enforcement with a flagpole during the 2021 event.
The riot ensued after former President Donald Trump gave the final speech of his presidency and shortly before Congress was scheduled to convene to certify the electoral count of the 2020 presidential election.
Harrington, 69, was found guilty by U.S. District Chief Judge James E. Boasberg of two felony offenses of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers.
In addition to the felonies, Harrington was also found guilty of five misdemeanor charges, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.
Harrington is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 5, the day of the presidential election.
On the felonies alone, Harrington could receive up to six years in federal prison and $110,000 in fines.
In a May court filing, Harrington’s attorneys argued that the charges brought against their client were too vague, broad and subjective, and that the certification of votes was not an official proceeding of Congress.
What Did He Do?
The FBI Washington Field Office identified Harrington through open-source videos taken Jan. 6.
William Whitfield, a special agent assigned to the FBI through its Rock Springs Resident Agency, assisted with the investigation and outlined the allegations in the criminal complaint against Harrington and his warrant for arrest.
The person eventually identified in multiple photos and videos as Harrington was wearing a cowboy hat, goggles, gas mask and a backpack, and also brandished a flagpole with a metal ball on the end, which was used to strike law enforcement officers on the Capitol grounds Jan. 6.
An image from U.S. Capitol Police body cam video that allegedly shows Wyoming resident Douglas Harrington brandishing a flagpole at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (From FBI Special Agent William Whitfield's Affidavit) 
Images from the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot the FBI says show Wyoming resident Douglas Harrington there. (From FBI Special Agent William Whitfield's Affidavit) 
A compilation of photos the FBI says show Wyoming resident Douglas Harrington at the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. (From FBI Special Agent William Whitfield's Affidavit) 
A photo taken from U.S. Capitol Police body cam video shows a man, identified by the FBI as Douglas Harrington of Wyoming, threatening an officer with a flagpole. (From FBI Special Agent William Whitfield's Affidavit)
How It Went Down
According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, Harrington approached a line of police officers on the Upper West Terrace of the Capitol and challenged them with provocative gestures. He then used the bottom portion of his flagpole to swiftly strike in the direction of an officer on the line. In response, an officer deployed chemical spray at Harrington.
While this was going on, another protester approached a police line near Harrington, and police officers concentrated their efforts on them to push the other person away.
While the officers were distracted, Harrington raised his flagpole to strike at them.
A police officer quickly intervened, moved toward Harrington, and extended a police baton. Harrington swung the flagpole at the officer, striking the officer near the left hand and wrist and on the helmet. He continued to swing the flagpole at the police line two more times before retreating into the crowd.
After the flagpole attack, Harrington and other rioters lifted a large, flat, opaque piece of material in front of the police line and walked with it held up in front of the officers, thereby blocking the officers’ view and ability to defend against the crowd. When officers pushed the crowd back, Harrington grabbed for an officer’s baton and tried to shove the officer by pushing on his riot shield.
As additional officers moved in, Harrington continued to resist, forcibly pressing his back into them. Police eventually removed Harrington from the Capitol grounds less than 15 minutes before a Washington, D.C., curfew order went into effect.
Nabbed
The FBI finally arrested Harrington in August 2023.
A confidential source reported Harrington as being the person in various videos taken at the event, according to Whitfield’s affidavit.
In social media comments, Harrington described his actions Jan. 6 as a “peaceful protest.”
The FBI’s investigation also found that Harrington wrote various messages rife with conspiracy theories and rejection of the results of the 2020 presidential election. In one message he mentioned committing acts of violence to show “who’s street it belongs too ITS WE THE PEOPLE THE TAXPAYERS.”
Former Cody resident Andrew Galloway was charged in January 2022 for his participation that day at the U.S. Capitol, about a year after the event. In October 2022, Galloway was sentenced to 30 days in jail and ordered to pay $1,500 in restitution for climbing through a broken window at the U.S. Capitol and remaining in the building for about 11 minutes.
Trump has indicated on numerous occasions that he will pardon those convicted for their participation in the Capitol assault if he’s elected president again in November.
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
