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Donald Trump has recently tapped a former Trump administration official, who was allegedly caught on camera at the Capitol on January 6, to help his transition team with hiring.
Pete Marocco, who served in the Department of Defense, State and Commerce under Trump, was seen at Trump’s headquarters in Florida this past week conducting interviews and assisting with the hiring process, Politico reported on Monday.
His arrival also comes nearly a month after a group of online sleuths, called Sedition Hunters, claimed they identified Marocco and his wife at the Capitol on January 6. The group has used social media, video footage and facial recognition software to identify more than 1,000 people present that day.
Marocco called the claim a “petty smear tactic” when asked about it by D Magazine. Marocco nor his wife have been charged with any crimes in relation to January 6.
Marocco was accused of fostering a toxic work environment and mistreating staff, several then-government officials said. Two unnamed officials told Politico that Marocco consistently undermined career staffers.
Marocco and his wife were accused of being present at the Capitol on January 6 – he called any allegations a ‘smear tactic’
Marocco and his wife were accused of being present at the Capitol on January 6 – he called any allegations a ‘smear tactic’ (Getty Images for Concordia Summi)
Frustrations with Marocco led employees within the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to draft a 13-page memo about their grievances. Marocco eventually took a leave of absence, though it is unclear for how long.
The Independent has asked the Trump team for comment
Karoline Leavitt, the incoming White House Press Secretary told Politico in a statement that Marocco’s “valuable knowledge on national security policy has been a tremendous benefit to the Trump–Vance transition effort.”
“Democrats and their allies in the media who think they are going to obstruct our ability to deliver on this mandate by going back to the same January 6 playbook of smears and faux outrage that was soundly rejected by the American people will be disappointed,” Leavitt said in the statement.
President-elect Trump has repeatedly downplayed violence that took place on January 6, calling it a day of “peace and love”. Though some, including federal prosecutors, have accused Trump of instigating the riots by spreading lies about the integrity of the 2020 election, the president-elect has rejected that.
Trump has thus far promised to pardon rioters charged with crimes for their actions that day.