Dee Snider Blasts ‘Piece of S—’ Jon Schaffer
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Dee Snider has shared his outrage regarding Iced Earth guitarist Jon Schaffer, who recently pleaded guilty for his role in the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
"This piece of shit is an embarrassment to the metal community!,” Snider tweeted while sharing a CNN article about Schaffer’s guilty plea. “First he shames us with his terrorist actions on in DC, and then he becomes a rat to his own people for a lighter sentence! MAN THE FUCK UP! Own your shit! If you do the crime, do the time!"
Schaffer is a "founding lifetime member" of the Oath Keepers, a far-right anti-government militia. As part of his agreement with authorities, the Iced Earth rocker will cooperate with the government’s efforts to convict other extremists connected to the Capitol riot. Schaffer’s deal has infuriated Snider.
“I'm glad for our country's sake that he's ratting, but it speaks volumes about the man he is,” the Twisted Sister frontman explained in his series of tweets. “I was raised differently. You commit a crime, you shut up and take your punishment. You NEVER throw others under the bus. And you can bet your ass they aren't water boarding this POS.”
Schaffer had been facing six charges, but will have four of them dropped as part of the deal. He pleaded guilty to obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress, and trespassing on restricted grounds of the Capitol while armed with a deadly or dangerous weapon. Together, those crimes could result in up to 30 years in prison, however CNN reports that Schaffer will likely get somewhere between 3.5 to 4.5 years. He is the first person involved in the riot to agree to such a deal.
Snider seems to view this punishment as far too lenient, and is perhaps even more enraged that Schaffer was so willing to turn on others for his own benefit.
"Let me be clear on this: No one should ever rat out or throw their friends, families or cohorts under the bus. That's pussy bullshit," Snider explained in one of his tweets. "It's a problem with today's society. Everyone is so 'tough' until they get caught. Then they are quick to blame everyone else."