QAnon Shaman Jacob Chansley Wants Rittenhouse Attorney for Jan 6 Appeal

The January 6 rioter known as the "QAnon Shaman" has hired one of Kyle Rittenhouse's former lawyers in an apparent bid to appeal his 41-month prison sentence.

Jacob Anthony Chansley, aka Jake Angeli, has taken on attorney John Pierce to fight against his sentence handed to him on November 17 after he previously pleaded guilty to obstruction of an official proceeding in connection to the attack at the Capitol.

There has recently been some confusion as to who precisely is representing the QAnon Shaman following his sentencing having previously been represented by Albert Watkins.

On November 22, Pierce filed a notice of appearance in District Judge Royce Lamberth's court, stating he was going to appeal the sentence the judge gave to Chansley.

"Chansley will be pursuing all remedies available to him under the Constitution and federal statutory law with respect to the outcome of the criminal prosecution of him by the United States Department of Justice," Pierce wrote in a press release announcing his apparent representation, Law&Crime reported.

"This includes a possible direct appeal of his conviction and sentence to the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, as well as claims of 'Ineffective Assistance of Counsel' in the appropriate venue."

Watkins originally denied the claims, and said in a statement that the QAnon Shaman told him that he did not "personally authorize Mr Pierce to represent him."

Lamberth ordered a status conference on Monday, November 29, to be attended by Pierce and Watkins in order to clarify who was on Chansley's counsel.

During the hearing, Chansley said that he has now fired Watkins and brought in Pierce and another lawyer, William Shipley, and is now looking into his options, including filing a possible appeal.

"Mr Chansley is an extremely smart man, very intelligent, if not savant-like, and I sincerely wish him all the best in his life," Watkins told NBC News after the hearing.

Pierce, who is representing a number of January 6 defendants, was fired by Rittenhouse's family in February two months after Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger argued that he should be blocked from representing him.

Binger, who was part of the prosecution in Rittenhouse's murder trial, alleged money raised by Pierce and fellow attorney Lin Wood may "instead be used to repay attorney Pierce's numerous creditors" rather than pay for Rittenhouse's legal costs.

After he was cleared of all the charges against him, Rittenhouse accused Pierce and Wood of keeping him in custody following his arrest last August for longer than necessary in order to raise more money.

Rittenhouse also blamed Pierce for arranging for him to meet up with members of the Proud Boys at a bar in Wisconsin in January so they could provide security without his knowledge.

"While I certainly suggested that Kyle and his family needed security in the aftermath of the shooting, and I spoke with several people who had reached out directly to the family offering security, David Hancock, who is the family spokesman, handled the organization and selection of security personnel," Pierce said in a statement to Newsweek.

Pierce has been contacted for further comment.