U.S. Capitol

Ed. note: Tales from the Trail is a column that will take you behind the scenes of politics to see some of the funny, and sometimes outright bizarre things that happen on the campaign trail, based on Howard Wilkinson's recollections of 43 years of covering politics. 

I am a recovering smoker. A recovering heavy smoker.

I smoked day and night; and nearly everything I did during the course of a day triggered the urge to light up – getting up in the morning, having my first cup of coffee, driving to work, taking a break from writing.

Everything.

The U.S. Justice Department says a federal grand jury has indicted Christopher Cornell on an additional charge for "attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization."

A federal grand jury has now indicted the Green Township man accused of planning an attack on the U.S. Capitol. Chris Cornell faces charges of attempting to kill officers and employees of the United States, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and solicitation to commit violence.

Cornell has a hearing Thursday at 1:30 p.m. in federal court.

Court documents say he planned to build, plant and detonate pipe bombs at and near the Capitol and then use firearms to shoot and kill employees and officers there.

Chris Cornell, a Green Township terrorist suspect, will continue to be held without bail in the Butler County Jail. Friday Magistrate Stephanie Bowman agreed with Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Mangan that he is a threat to the public and a flight risk.

Before the hearing, the suspect's father, John Cornell, told reporters there was "no way" his son could have come up with such a plan on his own.