@derrickevans4wv
Republican candidate for U.S. House of Representatives, West Virginia's 1st Congressional District
Derrick Evans, born April 2, 1985, is a former American politician and convicted felon who served briefly as a Republican member of the West Virginia House of Delegates for the 19th district from December 2020 to January 2021. He gained notoriety for participating in the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack, where he live-streamed his involvement. Arrested shortly after, he resigned from office and pleaded guilty in 2022 to a felony charge of civil disorder, receiving a 90-day prison sentence. On January 20, 2025, he was pardoned by President Donald Trump along with many other January 6 participants. Evans ran unsuccessfully for West Virginia's 1st congressional district in the 2024 Republican primary, losing to incumbent Carol Miller. In June 2025, he announced another campaign for the same seat against the Trump-endorsed Miller. As of October 2025, he remains active on social media, posting frequently on political topics, and has a history of activism including confronting individuals at abortion clinics. He is a native of Prichard, West Virginia, with a bachelor's degree from West Liberty University.
Derrick Evans lacks high credibility as an author or commentator due to his documented role in the January 6 insurrection, felony conviction (later pardoned), and pattern of disseminating unverified political claims without evidence. His content on X is heavily biased toward far-right viewpoints, often prioritizing provocation over factual accuracy, as seen in posts questioning official narratives like 9/11 or gender policies. While he has some local influence in West Virginia conservative circles, his expertise is limited to personal political activism rather than professional journalism or policy analysis. Sources like Wikipedia, NBC News, and CREW analyses confirm his disqualification debates under the 14th Amendment prior to the pardon, reinforcing concerns about his suitability for public trust. Overall, he is best viewed as a partisan activist rather than a reliable source.
Assessment by Grok AI
Evans has a poor track record for accuracy and credibility, marked by his active promotion of unsubstantiated election fraud claims leading up to January 6, 2021, and participation in the Capitol riot. Fact-checks and media reports, including from CNN, NBC, and The Washington Post, have highlighted his involvement in spreading misinformation about the 2020 election. Recent X posts include skeptical content about 9/11 events and unverified claims on social issues, with no documented corrections or retractions from him. His guilty plea to civil disorder further undermines his reliability on legal and political matters. While pardoned, his history of confrontational activism, such as harassing women at abortion clinics, adds to perceptions of bias over factual reporting.
Recent posts and claims we've fact-checked from this author