The committee spoke with Stephen Ayres of Champion who pleaded guilty in June to disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building. His co-defendant, Matthew Perna of Sharon, died by suicide prior to his sentencing after pleading guilty to felony obstruction of Congress. 

Ayres agreed to cooperate with the federal investigation into the day's events, which have so far led to more than 700 indictments, including four others from the Mahoning Valley. 

Ayres in a social media post about a week before the attack that it was "time for us to start standing up to tyranny!" and he warned that "If the [deep state] robs president Trump!!! Civil War will ensue!" according to the FBI.

In today's hearing, Chairman Bennie Thompson pointed out that Ayres was not a member of an extremist group, and asked for him to explain who he was prior to Jan. 6. 

Ayres testified that he is a family man and a working man, having worked for a cabinet company for nearly 20 years before that fateful date.

Committee member Jamie Raskin asked Ayres how his life has changed since Jan 6. 

"I lost my job... since this all happened... pretty much sold my house..." Ayres said. "It changed my life, and not for the good."

When asked why he decided to come to Washington D.C. on Jan. 6, Ayres said he was "pretty hardcore into the social media - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram - I followed President Trump on all of the websites." 

Ayres added, "[Trump] basically put out 'Come to stop the steal rally' and I felt like I needed to be down here."

Vice-Chair Liz Cheney asked if Ayres believed the election had been stolen from Trump, and he said "at that time, yeah" based on what he was reading online. Cheney asked how he felt when Trump told followers that the election had been stolen, Ayres said he was very upset. "That's basically what got me to come down here."

Ayres said he no longer believes the election was stolen, and that he had not intended on going to the Capitol until Trump told the crowd to "head on down, basically following what he said."

Ayres told committee member Stephanie Murphy that he believe Trump was going to go to the Capitol with his supporters. Ayres said that after Trump tweeted and sent out a video telling his supporters to go home the crowds began to disperse.

 Ayres told Raskin that Trump continuing to lie about election fraud now makes him mad. "I felt like I had horse blinders on..." Ayres said. "Take the blinders off, make sure you step back and see what is going on... before it's too late."

In his plea agreement, Ayres admitted to a social media post in which he admitted to being a part of the mob, as well as a social media post that read " "mainstream media, social media, Democrat party, FISA courts, Chief Justice John Roberts, Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, etc....all have committed TREASON against a sitting U.S. president! !! All are now put on notice by 'We The People!"