'Sedition Panda' convicted of assaulting officer on Jan. 6 after judge calls defense argument 'absurd'

WASHINGTON — A Jan. 6 rioter dubbed "Sedition Panda" for the costume head he wore when he stormed the Capitol has been convicted on each of the eight charges he faced, including assaulting a police officer.

Jesse James Rumson was convicted Friday of assaulting Prince George’s County Cpl. Scott Ainsworth, a lifelong Republican who testified about the Jan. 6 riot during Rumson's trial last week.

Ainsworth testified that it was difficult to come to grips with being attacked by members of his own party. “I’m a Republican, these are my fellow Republicans,” he said, adding that some of the Republicans in his life now want nothing to do with him because of his service on Jan. 6, 2021.

“Are you crazy?” Ainsworth recalled thinking of those in the GOP who support what happened on Jan. 6. “This was stupid, it was not necessary.”

Rumson opted for a bench trial before U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, a Donald Trump appointee who has been one of the most lenient judges for Jan. 6 defendants. Nichols is responsible for rejecting the obstruction of an official proceeding charge that has been used against hundreds of Jan. 6 rioters, an issue which is now pending before the Supreme Court.

Nichols said Friday that the evidence showed Rumson "repeatedly rushing towards the police" before Rumson assaulted Ainsworth, saying the evidence of the assault was "crystal clear" and calling some of the arguments from Rumson and his lawyer "absurd." Rumson claimed during his testimony that he didn't realize the Capitol building was restricted until he was inside, even though evidence showed he jumped over a railing and joined the mob surging inside seconds after a window on the door was smashed out by cane-wielding Jan. 6 rioter William Bierbrodt,