A former Tennessee sheriff's deputy who took part on the January 6th MAGA riots got reamed out by a judge on Wednesday for his decision to attack police officers while wearing a "Sheriff" patch.
As reported by Huffington Post's Ryan Reilly, former deputy Ronald Colton McAbee appeared before U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan this week to make his case for why he should be released ahead of his trial.
McAbee's lawyers tried to argue that video footage showed their client actually trying to help a Capitol police officer -- and they claimed that he only shoved a separate police officer after the officer shoved him first.
However, Sullivan didn't appear to buy this excuse and called it "outrageous" that McAbee would wear a "Sheriff" patch to a riot where police officers were severely beaten.
"He's raised his right hand, probably put his left hand on the Bible, more than once and swore to administer justice," Sullivan said. "If he didn't do that on Jan. 6, how can the court take any comfort in knowing that he will abide by the court's directives to do certain things going forward?"
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benet Kearney echoed Sullivan's remarks in making his case for why McAbee should be kept behind bars ahead of his trial.
"Frankly, this is a defendant who has taken oaths before. He swore oaths in multiple sheriffs' offices that he would uphold the law," he said. "This is someone who uses his badge and authority when it works for him, and disregards it when it does not."
