Daniel Christmann

Case Summary

Two people contacted the FBI after seeing videos from inside the U.S. Capitol on the Instagram account "dannyforsenate," which is owned by Daniel Christmann, court documents indicate. Christmann is also identified in security camera footage from that day, according to law enforcement. On Jan. 7, 2021, Christmann was asked in an Instagram direct message obtained by the FBI if he had stormed the Capitol. He reportedly replied, "Yeah I'm not going to lie. I wasn't one of the first people in. When realized it was happening I was scaling walls and s***." When asked if he went inside, he reportedly replied, "How could I not?" On Christmann's Instagram account, the bio for his profile also presumably identifies him as a "3%er soldier," court documents indicate. According to news reports, Christmann, a plumber, ran for the New York state Senate in 2020 to represent the 18th District, which includes parts of Brooklyn's Williamsburg, Bushwick and Greenpoint neighborhoods. Christmann ran with the New Moderate Party and lost to the Democratic candidate, garnering 2% of the vote. Christmann also made a bid for U.S. president as a libertarian but lost at the party convention in May 2020.

Case History

Christmann pleaded Guilty to one charge: Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building. The other charges are dismissed. Sentenced on 2/15/2024 to 25 Days incarceration; Special Assessment of $10; $500 restitution. Christmann received a full pardon on January 20, 2025

Sources

• Primary Documentation
  NPR Jan. 6 Defendant DatabaseNPR
• Primary Documentation
  Underlying court recordCourt record linked by NPR

Case summary, charges, procedural updates and image are drawn from the NPR Jan. 6 archive snapshot dated 2026-09-25 unless otherwise indicated.