Lawmaker charged with entering Capitol resigns

A West Virginia state lawmaker resigned Saturday as he faces charges of entering a restricted area of the U.S. Capitol after he livestreamed himself with rioters.

In a letter, Republican Del. Derrick Evans notified Gov. Jim Justice he was stepping down, effective immediately.

Evans, 35, appeared before a federal judge in Huntington, West Virginia, on Friday after being arrested. If convicted, he faces up to a year and a half in federal prison for two misdemeanor charges: entering a restricted area and disorderly conduct.

Evans issued a statement Saturday that he takes full responsibility for his actions, adding he deemed it best for him to resign to “focus on my personal situation and those I love.”

“I take full responsibility for my actions, and deeply regret any hurt, pain or embarrassment I may have caused my family, friends, constituents and fellow West Virginians,” said Evans.

“I hope this action I take today can remove any cloud of distraction from the state Legislature, so my colleagues can get to work in earnest building a brighter future for our state. And more importantly, I hope it helps to begin the healing process, so we can all move forward and come together as ‘one nation, under God,’ ” he added. In a since- deleted video that was widely shared online, Evans is seen clamoring inside a jampacked Capitol building doorway, trying with others to push his way inside. He hollers along with other loyalists of President Donald Trump and fistbumps a law enforcement officer who let them in.