Wisconsin Man Pleads No Contest to Arson of Congressman’s Office

A 20-year-old man from Wisconsin, Caiden Stachowicz, has pleaded no contest to a felony arson charge after he attempted to set fire to the office of Republican U.S. Representative Glenn Grothman. Stachowicz entered his plea on January 19, 2024, in the Fond du Lac County Circuit Court. His actions were reportedly motivated by his discontent with the federal ban on TikTok.

The charges stem from an incident earlier this year when a fire was reported outside Grothman’s office in Fond du Lac. Stachowicz was seen near the scene and admitted to police that he initiated the fire due to his dislike for the congressman, as stated in the criminal complaint. He initially intended to break into the office to ignite the fire inside but was unable to do so after being thwarted by a window. Instead, he poured gasoline on an electrical box and around the front of the building before lighting a match.

In the complaint, Stachowicz expressed his belief that the U.S. government’s actions against TikTok violated his constitutional rights. Although he indicated he did not wish to harm anyone, he specifically mentioned Grothman’s vote in favor of a bill that mandated the sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations by its China-based parent company, ByteDance.

Stachowicz’s plea agreement included the dropping of additional burglary and property damage charges by District Attorney Eric Toney. He now faces a potential prison sentence of up to 40 years, with sentencing scheduled for March 5, 2024.

Following the incident, attempts to reach Grothman’s office for comment were unsuccessful, with messages left at both his Washington, D.C., office and with a spokeswoman. The congressman has been involved in legislative actions regarding TikTok, voting in favor of a bill in April 2024 that aimed to enforce a sale of the platform’s U.S. operations, amid ongoing negotiations by former President Donald Trump to maintain its availability in the country.

This case highlights the intersection of political frustration and individual actions, raising concerns about the implications of such extreme reactions to governmental policies. As the sentencing date approaches, the community will likely reflect on both the motivations behind Stachowicz’s actions and the broader issues surrounding social media regulation.