QAnon Shaman Rejects Conspiracy Theory That Helped Make Him Famous

Jacob Chansley, also known as QAnon Shaman, is rejecting the conspiracy that helped make him famous four years ago.

Chansley, who became one of the most prominent figures in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, is shedding his infamous nickname as he mounts a bid to represent Arizona's 8th Congressional District.

"If I'm going to rebrand myself, it would be maybe 'America's shaman' because the QAnon label has been stigmatized with the number of sub-labels or subcategories, conspiracy theories, white supremacists, terrorists," Chansley told Tucson's KGUN-TV on Sunday. "I don't want to be associated with anything that the media has already maligned."

Often spotted face-painted and bare-chested with a horned fur hat and spear, Chansley is one of the more recognized QAnon figures in the nation. Since 2019, he has been espousing various conspiracy theories, including QAnon, and was described by media outlet Arizona Central as "a fixture at Arizona right-wing political rallies."

He rose to national prominence during the Capitol riot. The Justice Department said Chansley was among the first 30 people to breach the building. Inside, he took pictures of himself on the dais of the Senate floor and sat in the seat of Vice President Mike Pence, whom he called "traitor" when a police officer asked him to leave.

Chansley was arrested a few days later and indicted on six charges, ultimately striking a plea deal with federal prosecutors for a single count of obstruction of an official proceeding—Congress' certification of the electoral votes in the 2020 election. Chansley received one of the longest sentences handed to a Capitol rioter, 41 months in prison, but was released after 27 months. Whether he and other rioters were properly prosecuted under federal obstruction law will be argued before the Supreme Court in Fischer v. United States.

During his sentencing hearing, Chansley told the court, "Men of honor admit when they're wrong. Not just publicly but to themselves. I was wrong for entering the Capitol. I have no excuse. No excuse whatsoever. The behavior is indefensible."

Last month, he filed paperwork to run as a Libertarian for the seat being vacated by Representative Debbie Lesko. Lesko, a Republican who has represented the district since 2018, announced in October that she would not be seeking reelection in 2024.

Her departure has already spurred a crowded high-profile race. Other Republican candidates running for the seat are former Senate candidate Blake Masters, former attorney general nominee Abe Hamadeh, Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma, former Representative Trent Franks and state Senator Anthony Kern.

"When it comes to representing the people of District 8, look: The funds are there, whether they be federal or state, to correct these problems," Chansley said. "The thing is, is that they're being mismanaged. They're being used to reinforce the system as it is, which is profiting less than 1 percent of the population at the expense of the other 99.9 percent. So I seek to correct all of that."

He went on: "I'm not going to have the deep state puppet strings on my hands and back.... I'm not going to play their game. I'm going to change their game."

In response to Chansley's statement of interest, the Arizona Libertarian Party (AZLP) released a statement about his bid, acknowledging it is aware of his candidacy filing but could not confirm whether he is eligible to seek the party's nomination.

Noting that the party typically refrains from commenting on candidate campaigns during primary elections, the AZLP said it was necessary to respond because of an influx of media requests and messages.

"There are state statutes regarding eligibility requirements, and candidates who
wish to appear on the general election ballot with a party label must first win the party nomination at the primary election," the party said last month. "In Arizona, anyone who meets the eligibility requirements to do so may run for public office, but that is determined by laws governing Arizona elections and not the AZLP."