Truck parked at Capitol on day of riot belongs to husband of GOP congresswoman who quoted Hitler

Mary Miller started her term as an Illinois representative on 3 January 2021

A truck parked outside of the US Capitol bearing a sticker of a far-right militia group on the day of the 6 January riot belongs to the husband of a freshman Republican representative best known for quoting Adolf Hitler.

The truck, which The Daily Beast reported is owned by Chris Miller, the husband of Illinois representative Mary Miller, featured a sticker for the far-right militia movement, The Three Percenters.

The militia group, which takes its name from the false claim that only 3 per cent of US colonists fought at any one time during the American Revolution, advocates for gun ownership and a resistance to the federal government.

Robert Gieswein, who prosecutors claim is affiliated to the group, was indicted on several felony charges following the riot, alongside more than 200 others. Five people died and several more were injured on that day as a mob of pro-Trump supporters breached the Capitol.

The pickup truck bearing the militia group’s logo raised eyebrows on the day of the insurrection, as it was parked close to the Capitol in an area that is inaccessible to normal traffic.

The truck was first linked to Ms Miller, who began her term on 3 January 2021, on Thursday evening by the @capitolhunters Twitter account, which is reviewing photos and videos from the riot to identify people involved in the insurrection.

The account noted that the truck was parked in an area reserved for members of Congress and other senior figures, and asked its followers to help identify its owner.

Internet sleuths quickly discovered that the truck bore the same number plate as a vehicle owned by the congresswoman’s husband and is the same make and model as one seen in images for Ms Miller’s campaign last year.

The Millers have also posed for pictures in front of the truck, according to The Daily Beast. The Three Percenter sticker was not visible in any images of the car prior to the riot on 6 January.

Following the initial reports, Mr Miller confirmed to The Daily Beast on Thursday that the truck belonged to him, but pleaded ignorance about the militia group.

“Army friend gave me decal. Thought it was a cool decal. Took it off because of negative pub,” he claimed in an email on Thursday evening.

Mr Miller added that he has “never” been a member of the militia, and said that he “didn’t know anything about 3% till fake news started this fake story and read about them”.

The Independent has contacted Ms Miller’s office for comment but did not receive a reply before publication.

Ms Miller is best known for quoting Hitler at a “Moms for America” rally in front of the Capitol just one day before the riot, saying: “Hitler was right on one thing: whoever has the youth has the future.”

The Illinois representative later apologised for the remarks, but claimed that “some are trying to intentionally twist my words to mean something antithetical to my beliefs”.