Candidate in 4th District Con. Race Says Capitol Police Instigated Violence in January 6 Demonstrations in Washington

The race for the 4th District Congressional seat held by Dan Newhouse features one competitor with an especially large sum of money, according to the Federal Election Commission.

Jerrod Sessler of Prosser has self-financed more than three-quarters of the $408,000 he's reported in campaign donations.

Sessler is a Republican who says he was in Washington D.C. during the January 6th demonstrations, and believes the Capitol Police were the aggressors in the violence.

"They were litterally throwing concussion bombs into crowds of people that included elderly and children and people in wheel-chairs," said Sessler. "It was the most chaotic, ridiculous circumstance that I've ever seen in my life."

Sessler thinks the events of January 6th were a set-up to try to prevent President Trump from ever running for office again.

He says he would join the Freedom Caucus if he succeeded in defeating Newhouse in the Republican primary and won the 4th District seat.

"I've met all the members, actually got to meet Andy Biggs (R-AZ)," Sessler said. "Jim Jordan (R-OH) is one of my absolute heroes. I've met with Matt Gaetz (R-FL), and we've done a video together. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) and I have met several times."

Sessler says, if elected, he would defend against removing dams in southeast Washington.

He think inflation is a major problem in the economy, and singles out the southern border as causing serious security and safety issues for the country.

Sessler's contribution to his own campaign list him as the CEO of HomeTask, a company which performs maintenance, repairs and improvements for home owners, property managers and commercial clients, according to its website.

He's raised just over $408,000 in campaign money, with the majority in self-donations. Newhouse is reporting $698,000 in campaign donations for 2021 as of the 3rd quarter.  Republican Lauren Culp has amassed nearly $105,000 in his campaign for the 4th District seat, while a fourth Republican, Bradley Klippert has raised almost $15,000. Newhouse has nearly three-times the amount cash-on-hand compared to Sessler, $696,000 vs. $207,000.

A fifth Republican in the race, Benancio Garcia III, has reported no money raised, as have two Democrats, Doug White and Corey Gibson.

Sessler, who has never been elected to public office says he was motivated to get into politics in 2012, after being "in shock" that the country reelected President Barack Obama to a second term.

He announced his candidacy in March of 2021.

Sessler says he disagrees with Newhouse on the current Congressman's vote to impeach President Donald Trump, his vote on the commission to investigate the events of January 6 at the U.S. Capitol, and with Newhouse's vote on HR 550, which authorizes $400 million in grants to state, local, tribal, and territorial public health departments to update their computer databases of immunization records to meet federal standards.

Sessler says he has met personally with former President Donald Trump, and is opposed to compulsory COVID-19 vaccinations, saying he's read the recent book released by noted anti-vaccination pundit Robert F. Kennedy Jr., "The Real Anthony Fauci."