Florida MAGA insurrection Jesse Rumson, aka “Sedition Panda” for the furry panda costume head he wore while storming the Capitol on January 6, 2021, was convicted Friday on all counts in bench trial that wrapped less than three months after the FBI arrested Rumson in February, NBC News reports.
Rumson, whose eight charges include assaulting a police officer, was represented by MAGA extremist former Florida state House member Anthony Sabatini, now on his second GOP primary bid for a US House seat after losing out to now-Congressman Cory Mills in 2022, and it’s not looking great for him in this one either. Judge Carl Nichols called Sabatini’s arguments “absurd” as did Prince George County, Maryland Police Department Corporal Scott Ainsworth, who testified against Rumson at trial over the assault. “I’m a Republican, these are my fellow Republicans,” Ainsworth said at the witness stand about what he was thinking during the attack when Rumson shoved him.