A 24-year-old Massachusetts man thought he could waltz into the U.S. Capitol with a knife and Molotov cocktails to take out a Treasury Secretary nominee. Ryan Michael English’s half-baked assassination scheme unraveled faster than a woke college protest. Actions, it seems, do have consequences.
According to Fox News, English, arrested in January, faced charges Thursday for attempting to assassinate Scott Bessent, then-Treasury Secretary nominee, and for carrying dangerous weapons on Capitol grounds. This wasn’t a spontaneous tantrum but a calculated trip from Massachusetts to Washington with murder on his mind.
On January 27, English strolled up to a U.S. Capitol Police officer, bold as brass, and declared, “I’d like to turn myself in.” How noble of him to confess before the chaos. Too bad his grand gesture didn’t erase the folding knife and two vodka-bottle Molotov cocktails stuffed in his jacket.
English’s hit list wasn’t limited to Bessent; he also had his sights on House Speaker Mike Johnson and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Calling Hegseth a “Nazi” and plotting to torch the Heritage Foundation, English’s rage was as scattershot as a social justice warrior’s X post. His inspirations? None other than Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the United Healthcare CEO murder.
“I’d like to turn myself in,” English told the officer, as if that would soften the blow of his deadly intentions. Self-surrender doesn’t quite erase the fact that he traveled cross-state to kill. Nice try, though. English’s arsenal was as crude as his plan: two improvised incendiary devices made from vodka bottles with grey cloths jammed in the tops, plus a green lighter in his pocket. Capitol Police didn’t need a detective novel to figure out what he was up to. The evidence was practically screaming.
English didn’t mince words about his primary target, stating he was there “to kill Scott Bessent,” according to court documents. That kind of clarity is rare in a world drowning in vague pronouncements from the left. Too bad his conviction didn’t match his competence.
The search of English’s jacket revealed the tools of his trade: a folding knife and those makeshift Molotov cocktails. One can only imagine the chaos he envisioned while crafting these in his Massachusetts hideout. Spoiler: It didn’t go as planned.
Prosecutors laid bare English’s broader ambitions, noting his original plot to kill Johnson and Hegseth alongside Bessent. The Heritage Foundation was just collateral damage in his anti-conservative fever dream. Hate, it seems, makes for sloppy strategists.
English’s muse, Luigi Mangione, must be flattered to know his crimes inspired such a bumbling copycat. Taking cues from a murder suspect isn’t exactly the path to glory, but English seemed to think otherwise. Imitation may be flattery, but it’s also a one-way ticket to jail.
By the time English faced his initial court appearance Thursday afternoon, his dreams of infamy were already crumbling. The charges—attempted assassination and weapons violations—carry the kind of weight that doesn’t vanish with a courtroom apology. Justice moves fast when you bring bombs to the Capitol.
English’s journey from Massachusetts to Washington was fueled by a vendetta against conservative figures who, in his mind, deserved death. Calling Hegseth a “Nazi” and targeting Johnson shows a mind steeped in the kind of rhetoric that thrives in echo chambers. Hate doesn’t justify homemade explosives.
Capitol Police deserve a nod for stopping English before his plan could ignite—literally. Finding a knife, Molotov cocktails, and a lighter during a routine search isn’t just a good day’s work; it’s a reminder of the threats lurking behind bold words. Vigilance pays off.
English’s confession to the officer about wanting to kill Bessent was as brazen as it was foolish. Handing yourself over while admitting to a murder plot doesn’t exactly scream 'mastermind.' More like a wannabe revolutionary who forgot the script.
The fallout from English’s arrest serves as a stark reminder: You can’t just storm the Capitol with weapons and expect a pat on the back. His charges reflect a system that still values law and order over anarchist fantasies. In the end, English’s fiery ambitions fizzled out like a dud firecracker.
