A Chicago man who allegedly turned himself in to the FBI after it interviewed his pals now faces criminal charges for allegedly bashing the doors of the United States Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as rioters attempted to enter the building.
James “Mac” McNamara, 61, is now charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, civil disorder, destroying government property, and committing an act of physical violence on Capitol grounds.
He is at least the 34th Illinois person to be accused in connection with the Capitol disturbance. Approximately 900 people have been arrested across the country.
Despite the fact that the accusations were filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., court records show that U.S. Magistrate Judge Sunil Harjani in Chicago ordered McNamara’s release on $10,000 unsecured bond on Wednesday.
During the Jan. 6 disturbance, McNamara allegedly donned a black baseball cap over a do-rag – probably in the colors of the American flag – glasses, a blue-white gaiter, a black zip-up jacket over an olive shirt, and trousers. They claim that about 3:10 p.m., while rioters were attempting to enter the Capitol’s north doors, McNamara was seen lunging forward, swinging his arms, snatching up a metal bike rack, and ramming it against the door multiple times.
He allegedly tried to enter the building afterwards, but authorities stopped him with pepper spray and rubber bullets.
McNamara was later known online as #RailMixer.
The FBI claim they linked rioter photographs to McNamara’s Illinois driver’s license photo. They stated in June that they had also interviewed his “known associates.”
Then, on June 27, an FBI special agent received a phone call from McNamara’s attorney, who stated that McNamara wanted to discuss the riot, according to court papers. The agent met with McNamara and the attorney on July 1 at the attorney’s Chicago law offices. And, according to the records, the agent confirmed at the encounter that McNamara was the person identified as #RailMixer.
According to court documents, McNamara is represented by attorneys Thomas Breen, Christopher Dallas, and Robert Stanley. They did not react promptly to a message for comment.
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