����vlog

A Mississippi man who police say admitted last week to damaging the Satanic Temple's display at the Iowa Capitol wants to plead not guilty. Michael Cassidy, of Lauderdale, Mississippi, was charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief on Dec. 15, a day after the damage was reported, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety. He was released after his arrest.Court documents show Cassidy, 35, admitted to taking items down from the display and damaging a custom statue — statements that were verified by video evidence that was recovered from Cassidy, according to a criminal complaint. His home in Lauderdale is about 830 miles south of Des Moines.Cassidy entered a written plea of not guilty this week, which was denied by a Polk County judge. The Polk County Attorney's Office says that's because prosecutors haven't filed an official criminal complaint.sThe display sat on the east side of the Capitol beside a column and an ornate staircase, about 100 feet from a Christmas tree displayed in the rotunda. It was permitted by rules that govern religious installations inside the Capitol but has drawn criticism from many conservatives, including presidential candidate Ron DeSantis. Founded in 2013, the Salem, Massachusetts-based Satanic Temple doesn’t believe in Satan but describes itself as a “non-theistic religious organization” that advocates for secularism. It is separate from the Church of Satan, which was founded in the 1960s.» Download the free ����vlog app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google PlayGet the latest headlines from ����vlogWho is Michael Cassidy?Cassidy is a former U.S. Navy fighter pilot and Republican who was defeated by Democrat Keith Jackson in Mississippi State House District 45 in November.His campaign website remains active. The biography on it says he served as a Navy fighter pilot and a pilot instructor. He describes himself as a “Christian conservative who loves our nation and is committed to preserving the blessings of liberty bestowed upon us by the Founding generation.”In 2022, Cassidy ran against incumbent U.S. Rep. Michael Guest and lost in a primary runoff after fewer than 300 votes separated them in the primary. Guest won the runoff with nearly 70% of the vote.The display caught Cassidy’s attention earlier this week. On Tuesday, he reposted a message on X, formerly known as Twitter, that included two photos — one of a Thomas Jefferson statue being removed from an unspecified location and one of the Satanic Temple display.“We have reached the point where our Capitols are removing Jefferson while monuments to Satan are erected,” the message read.A fund was set up to raise money for Cassidy’s legal defense following his arrest. After $20,000 was raised, Cassidy wrote on X that the fundraising was halted. But in another post, he wrote that he had “been notified of more potential legal charges, unfortunately, so I’ve opened the legal fund donation back up.”