Federal authorities on Friday charged a prominent right-wing activist from South Jersey and a Monmouth County correctional officer in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol mob riot in Washington. Stephanie Hazelton, of Medford, who also identifies herself as Ayla Wolf, was seen on video directing members of a crowd of people barreling into police officers and pushing through the building’s West Terrace entrance in an effort to breach the Capitol. She repeatedly said to others that “we need more men” and “we gotta keep going. ” The video, uploaded to YouTube by a self-described conservative channel, Action 8 News, doesn’t show if Hazelton participated in violence that occurred at the same entrance. Another video from the scene shows a group of rioters beat police officers with batons and shields. She hasn’t responded to calls, messages, and a letter left at her home seeking comment. (…) Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender said during an initial court appearance via Zoom on Friday that Hazelton was seen on video “trying to incite or recruit people to participate in the attack.” She faces several counts, including a felony charge of obstructing or impeding law enforcement during civil disorder. Hazelton’s attorney Daryl Kipnis — a New Jersey lawyer who unsuccessfully ran for Congress as a pro-Trump Republican in 2018 — said during the hearing that there are no allegations Hazelton had a weapon or intended to “cause any bodily harm.” In arguing for her release, he said Hazelton home-schools her two small children, and also cited the COVID-19 pandemic and “the risk she would have if she was incarcerated.”
via inquirer: Feds charge an N.J. anti-vax activist and a correctional officer in Capitol riot