Who Is Ivan Raiklin? The Jan. 6 Hardliner Who Confronted Michael Fanone — and Why He Keeps Turning Up in Congress

Out front again, a man long tangled in political storms has reappeared after footage spread rapidly from Thursday's hearing, where tensions flared around Jack Smith's appearance. Known more for operating behind the scenes, he now stands visible, linked by pattern and timing to several recent flashpoints in US politics.

Ivan Raiklin, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and former Green Beret, sparked chaos during a recess at the House Judiciary Committee hearing when he approached Michael Fanone, a former Metropolitan Police officer who was brutally beaten during the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot. The exchange quickly escalated into a near-physical altercation that required intervention from Capitol Police.

In video footage Raiklin posted to X, he initiated contact by extending his hand and saying, 'Hey, Michael.' Fanone responded immediately: 'Hey, what's up, buddy? Go f*** yourself.'

When Raiklin protested that he was 'always professional' in their interactions, Fanone grew more agitated. 'Don't pretend like we're not mortal enemies,' he said. 'You're a traitor to this f***ing country.'

'Total Control Over My Mind and Body'

As fellow officers tried to restrain him, Fanone made alarming accusations. 'This guy has threatened my family, threatened my children, threatened to rape my children,' he shouted. Raiklin has not been charged with making such threats.

Raiklin, filming the encounter himself, maintained what he described as composure throughout. 'Look at me, total control over my mind and body,' he repeated. 'I'm totally dominating you right now.'

Fanone, who suffered a heart attack, concussion, and traumatic brain injury after being dragged down the Capitol steps, beaten with pipes, and repeatedly stunned with a taser during the breach, was eventually escorted from the hearing room by Capitol Police alongside former officer Harry Dunn.

The Architect Behind the 'Pence Card'

For those unfamiliar with Raiklin, his background reveals a figure who has operated at the centre of election denial efforts since 2020. A former employee of the Defence Intelligence Agency and a longtime associate of retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, Raiklin authored what became known as the 'Pence Card' — a two-page memo outlining a dubious legal theory for then-Vice President Mike Pence to reject electoral votes from contested states.

Donald Trump retweeted Raiklin's 'Operation Pence Card' document on 23 December 2020, according to the January 6 Committee's findings. The memo served as a precursor to the Eastman memos, which formed part of the legal basis for efforts to overturn Joe Biden's victory.

Raiklin has since styled himself as Trump's 'Secretary of Retribution' and maintains what he calls a 'Deep State Target List' containing more than 350 names. According to reporting by Raw Story, the list includes Democratic and Republican elected officials, FBI personnel, journalists from outlets including The New York Times and CNN, and witnesses from Trump's impeachment trials.

A Pattern of Congressional Provocations

Thursday's confrontation was hardly Raiklin's first disruptive appearance at a high-profile hearing. Just days earlier, at the first public hearing of the House Judiciary Select Subcommittee investigating 6 January, Raiklin held up a sign with the name of a Capitol Police officer who had been falsely accused by conservative media of planting pipe bombs.

Representative Jamie Raskin, the Maryland Democrat serving as ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, addressed the chaos directly. 'Mr Chairman, please control the deranged observer, Mr Raiklin, so he doesn't create any other problems with this today,' Raskin urged Committee Chairman Jim Jordan.

Raiklin's response from his seat was telling: 'Imagine what he did on January 6 with that demeanour. Look at my demeanour.'

Why This Confrontation Matters

The incident lays bare tensions that extend well beyond the hearing room. Fanone represents the approximately 140 police officers injured during the Capitol breach, whose sacrifices have often been minimised by those who dismiss the riot as a 'peaceful protest'. Meanwhile, Raiklin embodies a faction that has openly called for 'consequences' against those deemed enemies of the movement.

Daniel Rodriguez, the man who attacked Fanone with a stun gun on 6 January, was sentenced to 12.5 years in prison in June 2023. Upon returning to his office in January 2025, Trump pardoned roughly 1,500 defendants charged in connection with the attack, including Rodriguez.

When Americans see their systems struggling, this moment makes one thing clear: power isn't always held by officials inside government walls; sometimes it sits elsewhere. A person without a formal title might influence the country's direction more than expected.

As Raskin thanked Fanone upon his exit, the moment served as a stark reminder that the battles over 6 January are far from over. For some, the wounds have never healed.