Jared Wise: The Jan 6 Rioter Who Got Hired By The Department Of Justice?
How does a man captured on video urging police officers to be killed during the January 6th Capitol breach become a senior adviser within the very department tasked with upholding the law he attacked? This isn't a hypothetical question—it's the controversial reality of Jared Wise, a figure whose journey from the Upper West Terrace of the U.S. Capitol to an office within the Department of Justice (DOJ) has sparked national outrage and deep questions about accountability, pardons, and political appointments.
The story of Jared Wise is a stark, convoluted chapter in the ongoing saga of the January 6th, 2021, attack. It intertwines violent confrontation, felony charges, a presidential pardon, and a subsequent hiring that many see as a profound betrayal of the law enforcement officers he targeted. This article pieces together the timeline, the evidence, the political maneuvering, and the stark implications of a pardoned Jan 6 rioter holding a position of influence inside the nation's top law enforcement agency. We will examine the facts, the footage, the legal proceedings, and the seismic reaction when his employment was revealed.
Who is Jared Wise? Background and Biography
Before the chaos of January 6th, Jared Leon Wise was a 49-year-old resident of Bend, Oregon, with a notable professional background. His career included service as a Supervisory Special Agent with the FBI, a position that carries significant responsibility and requires a deep understanding of federal law and procedures. This background makes his alleged actions on January 6th particularly jarring, suggesting a former federal law enforcement officer turned participant in an attack on the democratic process.
- Bob Kersee Wiki Age Wife
- Jen Hatmaker Net Worth
- The Shocking Truth Behind The Phil Hartman Death A Beloved Comedians Tragic End
- Katie Couric Daughters Meet Katie
His personal details, as publicly recorded, include multiple addresses in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Kernersville, North Carolina, though his primary residence at the time of the events was in Bend, Oregon. The juxtaposition of his former role—a guardian of federal law—with his later actions forms the core of the public's disbelief and anger.
Personal and Professional Data
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Jared Leon Wise |
| Age (as of 2021) | 49 |
| Primary Residence | Bend, Oregon |
| Other Recorded Addresses | Winston-Salem & Kernersville, North Carolina |
| Former Profession | Supervisory Special Agent, FBI |
| Role on Jan 6 | Participant in Capitol breach on Upper West Terrace |
| Criminal Charges | 2 Felonies, 4 Misdemeanors |
| Post-Pardon Role | Senior Adviser, U.S. Department of Justice |
This table outlines the basic, verifiable facts about Jared Wise. The transition from an FBI supervisory role to a defendant in the Capitol attack, and then to a DOJ adviser, is a sequence that defies conventional expectations of career progression and legal consequence.
The Jan 6 Capitol Breach: Jared Wise's Actions on the Upper West Terrace
The foundational evidence against Jared Wise comes from the chaotic, violent scene on the Upper West Terrace of the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021. As rioters surged against a thin police line, pepper spray filled the air, and officers were battered and outnumbered, Wise stepped forward. Police bodycam footage introduced at his trial provided a visceral, first-person account of his conduct.
In the footage, Wise is seen and heard berating the overwhelmed officers. He did not merely shout insults; he specifically directed violence against them. He was recorded yelling "kill 'em" as rioters around him attacked law enforcement. This wasn't a vague chant from the back of a crowd; it was a direct, personal incitement from a man moving toward the police line. Witnesses and the video evidence placed him at the front of the mob, where he allegedly called officers "Nazis" and other slurs while encouraging further assault.
This moment crystallizes the severity of the allegation: a former FBI agent, a figure who once held a badge, was now on the opposite side of a riot, explicitly calling for the killing of the officers protecting the Capitol. The bodycam footage became a centerpiece of the prosecution's case, a damning visual that contradicted any claim of passive presence or mere trespassing.
Legal Aftermath: Indictment, Trial, and Felony Charges
Following the attack, a federal grand jury indicted Jared Wise. The original criminal complaint and subsequent indictment detailed a series of charges that reflected the gravity of his alleged actions:
Two Felony Charges:
- Civil Disorder: Knowingly or willfully engaging in acts of civil disorder that obstructed a lawful function of the government.
- Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers: Forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with law enforcement officers while they were engaged in their official duties.
Four Misdemeanor Charges:
- Knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority.
- Disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds.
- Engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds.
- Parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.
These charges painted a picture of deliberate, violent participation. The felony assault charge, in particular, stemmed directly from the allegations that he was part of the mob that physically confronted and overwhelmed the police line on the terrace. His case proceeded toward trial, with prosecutors building their argument around the video evidence and his own reported statements.
The Pardon: Trump's Sweeping Clemency Action
Jared Wise's trial was pending when, on January 20, 2021—the first day of his successor's term—President Donald Trump issued a sweeping series of pardons for numerous individuals charged in connection with January 6th. Wise was among those pardoned. This act effectively terminated the criminal case against him, nullifying the indictment and the potential for a trial verdict.
Trump framed these pardons as an act of clemency for "patriots" and victims of a politicized justice system. For the families of the injured officers and for many legal experts, the pardons were seen as a blanket absolution for violence against the very institutions the president had sworn to protect. Wise's inclusion meant he faced no legal repercussions for the actions captured on bodycam, the felonies, or the misdemeanors. The judicial process was halted by executive fiat.
The Shock Hiring: A Pardoned Rioter at the DOJ
The second, even more stunning chapter in Jared Wise's story unfolded months later. In a development that stunned former colleagues and watchdog groups, it was revealed that after Trump's pardon, Jared Wise got hired at the Justice Department. According to administration officials cited in reports, he was considered a 'valued member' at the nation's top law enforcement agency.
His specific title was reported as Senior Adviser within the DOJ. The implications were staggering: a man who had been indicted for feloniously assaulting police officers during an insurrection, a man whose alleged actions were documented on video, was now working for the department those officers served. He was, in the words of one key sentence, "responsible for the department’s official effort to exact revenge against those who had"—a deeply ironic and inflammatory claim given his own history. The hiring suggested either a stunning lapse in vetting or a deliberate political statement by the Trump-era DOJ leadership.
Political Firestorm: Pam Bondi's Combative Testimony
The hiring of Jared Wise became a focal point during the testimony of Pam Bondi, Trump's Attorney General, before the House Judiciary Committee on February 11th. Bondi's testimony was described as "mostly combative," as she routinely deflected questions about DOJ policies and the January 6th pardons.
However, the moment of starkest contradiction came when Representative Joe Neguse played the bodycam footage of Jared Wise—now identified as a "senior justice department adviser"—yelling "kill 'em" at officers. The video, shown in the committee room, was a visceral reminder of the man now working inside the building Bondi led.
At one point, Bondi acknowledged that the DOJ had indeed hired Jared Wise, a pardoned January 6th rioter who was seen on video. Her acknowledgment was brief and offered without explanation or defense, highlighting the untenable position. The spectacle of the Attorney General confirming the employment of a man indicted for attacking police, while that same footage played, was a powerful piece of political theater that underscored the controversy's depth.
The Selection and Its Symbolic Weight
The selection of Jared Wise for a DOJ advisory role carries symbolic weight far beyond a single hiring decision. It represents, to critics, the weaponization of the Justice Department and a culture of impunity. The fact that a man who had "urged violence against police officers on Jan 6" was now part of the department's "official effort" (as alleged) created a profound cognitive dissonance.
For active and retired law enforcement officers, many of whom were injured on January 6th, the hire was a personal and professional affront. It signaled that violent resistance to the lawful outcome of an election, and attacks on the officers who defended the Capitol, could be not only forgiven but rewarded with a prestigious government job. It raised fundamental questions about the standards for employment in the DOJ and whether political loyalty to the Trump administration had overridden concerns about character, judgment, and respect for the rule of law.
Broader Implications: Trust, Accountability, and the Pardon Power
The Jared Wise case is not an isolated incident but a symptom of larger issues. President Trump issued pardons or commutations to over 1,500 individuals charged in connection with January 6th. Many of those pardoned had criminal records or violent conduct documented in court filings. The hiring of some of these individuals into government roles has been a recurring theme, reported in various agencies.
This pattern erodes public trust in two pillars of government: the impartiality of the justice system and the integrity of public service. If the DOJ, an institution built on the principle of equal justice under law, employs someone who was charged with feloniously assaulting its own officers, what message does that send? It suggests that the consequences for attacking the government are selectively applied, and that allegiance can purchase redemption.
Furthermore, it complicates the constitutional pardon power. While the president's pardon authority is nearly absolute for federal offenses, its use to pardon violent offenders and then place them in roles of government authority challenges the spirit, if not the letter, of the system of checks and balances. It creates a scenario where the executive branch both nullifies the judicial branch's potential judgment and then integrates the pardoned individual into its own operations.
Addressing Common Questions
Q: Can a pardoned person legally work for the Department of Justice?
A: Legally, yes. A presidential pardon restores certain civil rights and removes the legal penalties and disabilities stemming from the conviction. It does not, however, erase the factual record of the conduct. There is no specific law prohibiting a pardoned individual from federal employment. The question is one of policy, judgment, and suitability, not strict legality. The DOJ has wide discretion in its hiring practices, especially for political appointments.
Q: What does Jared Wise's role as a former FBI agent add to this story?
A: It intensifies the sense of betrayal. As a former Supervisory Special Agent with the FBI, Wise would have trained other agents, understood the gravity of the oath to support and defend the Constitution, and been intimately familiar with the laws he was later accused of violating. His alleged actions aren't those of a naive bystander but of someone who should have known better, making the subsequent hiring by the DOJ seem like a deliberate thumbing of the nose at the institution he once served.
Q: Is there any recourse now that he's been hired?
A: Short of a new administration removing him, options are limited. Congress could hold hearings and exert public pressure. The DOJ's Office of Professional Responsibility could review the hire if concerns about fitness are raised. However, as a political appointee or a senior adviser, his position is largely at the pleasure of the administration that hired him. The most powerful recourse may be electoral, voting for leaders who pledge to restore traditional standards for public service and respect for law enforcement.
Q: How does this affect the morale of DOJ and FBI agents?
A: Reports and statements from former officials indicate it has been demoralizing. Agents who risk their lives to protect the Capitol and uphold court orders see a colleague (in a broad sense) who attacked that very process now working in the building alongside them. It sends a message that the work they do—investigating and prosecuting crimes—can be undone by a political act, and that the institution's leadership may not have their backs.
Conclusion: A Legacy of Contradiction
The journey of Jared Wise—from FBI supervisory special agent, to alleged participant in a violent riot who yelled "kill 'em" at police, to pardoned defendant, and finally to senior adviser at the Department of Justice—is more than a bizarre personal narrative. It is a parable of our fractured political moment. It encapsulates the controversy surrounding the January 6th pardons, the politicization of the justice system, and the deep wounds that remain from the Capitol attack.
The bodycam footage remains an immutable fact. The felony charges were serious. The presidential pardon was absolute. The DOJ hiring was a choice. Each step in this sequence was legally possible, yet together they form a story that many Americans find morally incomprehensible. It forces us to ask what accountability means if the most severe consequences can be erased, and what the standards for public service are if they can be so flagrantly ignored.
The case of Jared Wise serves as a persistent, living reminder of January 6th's legacy—not just as a day of violence, but as an ongoing test of whether the institutions attacked that day can maintain their integrity, their commitment to the officers who defended them, and the public's trust. His presence within the DOJ is a stark symbol of a contradiction that has yet to be resolved.
- Jen Hatmaker Net Worth
- Celia Walden Books Wedding Height
- Kristen Bell Movies And Tv Shows A Comprehensive Guide To Her Iconic Career
- Hoda Kotb Measurements
jared.gif
Jared Wise - Business Insurance
Jared Wise | PremierC21.com
