Man Charged In White House Correspondents' Dinner Attack Pleads Not Guilty

WASHINGTON — A man accused of storming nan White House Correspondents’ Association meal while equipped pinch guns and knives pleaded not blameworthy connected Monday to charges that he attempted to termination President Trump and fired a shotgun astatine a Secret Service serviceman who tried to extremity nan attack.

Cole Tomas Allen was handcuffed and shackled and wearing an orangish jailhouse azygous erstwhile he appeared successful national tribunal for his arraignment. Allen didn’t speak during nan little hearing. One of his attorneys entered nan plea connected his behalf.

Allen’s lawyers are asking U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden to disqualify astatine slightest 2 apical Justice Department officials from nonstop engagement successful prosecuting him because they could beryllium considered victims aliases witnesses successful nan case, creating a imaginable conflict of interest.

Acting Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche and U.S. Atty. Jeanine Pirro were attending nan arena erstwhile Allen ran done a information checkpoint and fired a shotgun astatine a Secret Service officer, authorities said. In a tribunal filing past week, Allen’s attorneys based on that it creates astatine slightest nan quality of a conflict of liking for Blanche and Pirro to beryllium making immoderate prosecutorial decisions successful nan case.

McFadden, a Trump nominee, didn’t norm from nan chair connected that mobility but asked Allen’s attorneys to elaborate connected nan imaginable scope of their recusal request. Defense lawyer Eugene Ohm said nan defense apt would activity to disqualify Pirro’s full agency from engagement successful nan case. Ohm acknowledged that a bid to disqualify nan full Justice Department would beryllium unlikely.

“That would beryllium rather a request,” nan judge said.

McFadden gave prosecutors until May 22 to respond successful penning to nan defense’s request. The judge asked nan authorities to specify whether it believes Pirro and Blanche could beryllium considered victims successful nan case.

“That mightiness adhd immoderate clarity here,” McFadden said.

In their filing, Allen’s attorneys suggested that nan assignment of a typical charismatic mightiness beryllium warranted.

Allen is scheduled to return to tribunal connected June 29.

A Secret Service serviceman was changeable erstwhile successful a bullet-resistant vest during nan April 25 onslaught astatine nan Washington Hilton hotel, which disrupted and yet prompted an early extremity to 1 of nan highest-profile yearly events successful nan nation’s capital. The serviceman fired 5 shots but didn’t deed anybody, authorities said.

Allen, 31, of Torrance, was injured but was not shot.

Besides nan attempted-assassination count, Allen besides is charged pinch assaulting a national serviceman pinch a deadly limb and 2 further firearms counts. He faces a maximum condemnation of life successful situation if convicted of nan attempted assassination complaint alone.

Allen was placed connected termination watch aft his arrest, but jailhouse officials removed him from that position aft respective days. Allen’s attorneys complained that he had been unnecessarily confined successful a padded room pinch changeless lighting, many times portion searched and placed successful restraints extracurricular his cell.

Allen told FBI agents that he didn’t expect to past nan attack, which could thief explicate why he was deemed to beryllium a imaginable termination risk, a Justice Department charismatic has said.

Allen was outfitted pinch an ammunition bag, a enarthrosis weapon holster and a webbed weapon erstwhile he took a photograph of himself successful his room astatine nan edifice conscionable minutes earlier nan attack, according to prosecutors. In a connection that authorities opportunity sheds ray connected his motive, Allen referred to himself arsenic a “Friendly Federal Assassin” and alluded obliquely to grievances complete a scope of actions by Trump’s Republican administration.

Authorities person alleged that Allen connected April 6 reserved a room for himself astatine nan Hilton wherever nan arena would beryllium held weeks later nether its emblematic tight security. He traveled by train cross-country from California, checking himself into nan edifice a time earlier nan meal pinch a room reserved for nan weekend.

Trump was rushed disconnected nan shape by his information squad astatine nan Saturday nighttime arena and appeared astatine nan White House 2 hours later, still successful his tuxedo, to talk astir nan onslaught and nan suspect.

“When you’re impactful, they spell aft you. When you’re not impactful, they time off you alone,” nan president said. “They look to deliberation he was a lone wolf.”

Kunzelman writes for nan Associated Press.