USA Swimming “does not endorse in any way the actions taken by those in the Capitol.”
Olympic gold medalist Klete Keller was accused of his alleged involvement in the attack on the Capitol last week.
The swimmer was charged with interfering with law enforcement on official duties, unlawful entry into the Capitol, and disorderly conduct on the Capitol.
It was first speculated that Keller was involved in the riot when people began to identify a man who looked like him in a video made by Townhall reporter Julio Rosas. The video features a tall man seemingly wearing a US Olympic team jacket, and former teammates and coaches identified him as Keller, SwimSwam and The New York Times.
In the video, cited in the complaint against Keller, Capitol Police grapple with rioters in the Rotunda, and police shields push Keller back with the crowd.
The complaint, referring to the Townhall video, notes that “Colorado state records and publicly available information list [Keller’s] height at 6 feet, 6 inches tall, and [the person in the video] appears to be one of the tallest people in the video depicting people in the roundabout. “
Keller had been employed by real estate firm Hoff & Leigh in Colorado, but, the company said in a statement, he resigned Tuesday.
“Effective immediately, Klete Keller is no longer with Hoff & Leigh. Keller, an independent contractor, has resigned from the company today,” the company said. “Hoff & Leigh supports the right to free speech and legal protest, but we cannot endorse actions that violate the rule of law. We are proud of our deep-rooted core values of family, loyalty, community and stewardship. We remain committed to these values.”
In response to reports of Keller’s participation in the siege, USA Swimming said in a statement: “We respect the right of individuals and groups to protest peacefully, but do not in any way condone the actions taken by those in the Capitol are undertaken. “
Before the charges were filed against Keller, Sarah Hirshland, CEO of the Olympic and Paralympic Committee, sent a letter to the athletes of Team USA condemning the “rioters” in the Capitol.
“At home, and around the world, Team USA athletes are held to a very high standard as they represent our country in the field of play and outdoors,” Hirshland wrote. “What happened in Washington, DC, was a case where that standard was clearly not met. The people involved attacked the fabric of democracy that we all proudly represent and in turn also abandoned our community. to continue to celebrate diversity of backgrounds and beliefs, stand together against hatred and division, and use our influence to create positive change in our community. ”
Keller, 38, won medals in the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympics. He was on the US relay team along with Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte and Peter Vanderkaay.