"You Ain't Stopping a Million."

 

I KEPT CHECKING EVERY DAY for evidence that the riot in Washington D.C. was the work of people like me, people left of center, the “radical left,” as Trump calls everyone on our side. You know: The “America-hating” types who stormed the voting booths on Election Day and sent Reject-President Trump down to defeat.

 

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“If you have a weapon, you need to get your weapon. This is the second revolution right here folks! […] this is not a peaceful protest.” 

Ryan Taylor Nichols

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During my search one day, I came across the story of Michael Joseph Foy, a Michigan man arrested and accused of assaulting a police officer during the January 6 riot. Choice of weapon: a hockey stick, with which he allegedly hit a fallen officer several times. Foy is a veteran of the Marine Corps, but a “patriot” horribly confused. According to the Detroit News, in one video, Foy can be seen striking a “Metropolitan Police Officer assisting in the protection of the U.S. Capitol who had been knocked down and dragged in[to] the crowd of rioters.”

 

Like so many others, Foy had bought into the “Stop the Steal” myth, while attending a rally in Lansing on November 14.

Foy in flag, Lansing rally.

 

The arrest list kept growing, day by day. Obviously, only a great fool, such as the Reject-President himself could miss the truth.

 

These rioters were right-wing types, wrapping themselves in the flag. Often, they had been acting in concerted fashion to steal an election they erroneously believed had been stolen from them. Mathew Capsel got the mug shot next. He had been filmed charging a line of National Guard troops and slamming into a wall of shields. A neighbor turned him in after seeing several social media posts. Capsel was described as “known to be violent,” in his arrest report.

 

Emanuel Jackson earned his mug shot, fair and right-wing square. He was charged with repeatedly striking a police officer with his fist, and later upgrading and using an aluminum baseball bat.

 

Asked why he was there, that day, wielding that metal bat, he told a reporter he was, “Fighting for America. We’ve been taken over by globalists, by the Chinese. Fighting for America. I’m not here for Trump. I’m here for America.”

 

Vitali Gossjankowski, a student at Galludet University, was accused of using a stun gun repeatedly on police defending the Capitol. One officer, who reported being tased several times, Mike Fanzone, said he suffered a mild heart attack as a result and had to be hospitalized.

 

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel describes Gabriel Augustin Garcia: another one of the alleged rioters this way:

 

Gabriel Augustin Garcia, 40, of Miami, is charged with aiding in civil disorder, illegal entry into the Capitol and disorderly conduct. Garcia, a former captain in the United States Army, uploaded Facebook Live videos showing him at the very center of a violent standoff between rioters and police inside the Capitol Building. In the videos, he hurled insults at police and seemed to revel in the chaos.

 

In one video from inside the Capitol, Garcia allegedly turns the camera onto himself and says, “We just went ahead and stormed the Capitol. It’s about to get ugly.”

 

When police inside the building form a line and try to hold the rioters back, a man tries to run through their line and is seized. Garcia is heard to shout, “You f----- traitors!” He drops a large American flag he is holding and tries to help free the other rioter from police grasp. “You ain’t stopping a million,” he yells. “You ain’t gonna hold a million back today.”

 

Later he yells, “USA! Storm this s---!”

 

The Sun-Sentinel adds:

 

In another video Garcia roams the Capitol and says, “Nancy, come out and play,” referring to Pelosi. Later he turns the camera on himself and says, “Free Enrique,” which the FBI said is a reference to Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, the Miami-based leader of the Proud Boys, who was arrested in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 4.

 

(To his credit, Garcia did serve in Iraq and was apparently awarded a Bronze Star. That service you can respect.)

 

Last August, Garcia ran as a Republican for a seat in the Florida House of Representatives, but was defeated in the primary.

 

*

 

YOU HAD RYAN TAYLOR NICHOLS and Alex Harkrider, two men from Texas. Nichols, for one, brought a red bullhorn to the riot and is said to have attacked police officers with pepper spray and a crowbar. Harkrider had a dangerous weapon, as well, a baton, which he carried in a pocket of his bullet-proof vest. According to the F.B.I., a screenshot from a social media post by Harkrider makes it clear the pair had come to Washington D.C. because they “were planning a civil war.”

 

According to the affidavit charging the two men, Nichols can be seen yelling through his bullhorn, “‘If you have a weapon, you need to get your weapon.’ As shown in another video, NICHOLS can be seen and heard yelling, ‘This is the second revolution right here folks! […] this is not a peaceful protest.’”

 

Evidence against Harkrider includes a photograph he apparently shared on Snapchat, with the caption, “We’re in. 2 people killed already. We need all the patriots of this country to rally the fuck up and fight for our freedom or it’s gone forever. Give us liberty, or give us death. We won’t stand for it.”

 

Later that day, Nichols posted on Facebook, “Ryan Nichols is … feeling pissed off with Alex Harkrider at United States Capitol. Patriots stood their ground today! We aren’t done yet, either! You want to steal our election, and not hear us in court? Good! Now you’ll hear our civil unrest!”

 

Nichols is also said to have posted this picture and caption on Facebook, on December 24, 2020.

We’re either going to do it the EASY way or the HARD way..

It’ll get done either way though!

Don’t Listen To Ryan .. Listen to the American people!

 

Four days later, he posted again: “Pence better do the right thing, or we’re going to MAKE you do the right thing!”

 

In fact, it can be almost funny, in a sad, sick, pathetic way, to read what Nichols said in another post the day after the riot. He was apparently upset that his right-wing side of the story wasn’t getting the credit they deserved for battering police and smashing up the Capitol Building.

 

According to the affidavit, he posted,

 

Listen up: I hear so many reports of “Antifa” was storming the capital [sic] building. Know that every single person who believes that narrative have been DUPED AGAIN! Sure, there may have been some “Antifa” in DC, but there wasn’t enough to storm the capital [sic] themselves.

 

From the lips of a rioter to your Trump-loving ears – if you still hadn’t heard. These weren’t left-wing types at all. 

Die for the Cause. Kill for the Cause.

 

THE SECOND-MOST AMAZING ASPECT of life in Trumpistan in the last four years has been the credulity of supporters of Donald J. Trump. Their god-hero was a brazen liar. Many of them even realized that fact. Yet, they still had unquestioning faith  that their orange savior would make America great.

 

Again.

 

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Did Trump incite a riot on January 6, with his words that day? He incited a riot with his words for more than four years.

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What, then, was the most amazing aspect? That such a despicable human being was ever voted into office to begin. His followers turned out in even greater numbers, four years later, and tried to elect him again.

 

For some, the explanation was their own racism. Racists loved Trump from the start and loved him more the more they saw of how he worked.

 

Those easily duped fell for the charlatan’s tricks. Oddly enough, good religious people came to imagine that Trump was god-chosen to lead the nation out of godless, transgender-people-using-the-bathroom-of-their-choice Satanic times. Some had good reasons, of course, a believe their hero could save jobs, a hope that he would challenge China on trade. Above all, fear and hate were the driving forces. Trump was a master at fueling the hate of certain groups for certain other groups, turning Americans against other Americans, as never before. It was his most unpatriotic act.

 

Did Trump incite a riot on January 6, with his words that day? He incited a riot with his words for more than four years, starting from the moment he announced he wanted to run for president.

 

He stirred the anger, and on Capitol Hill, we saw the fruits of his poisonous seeds sprout. Not all Trump supporters are haters. Not all of the people who voted for him are beyond hope. Yet, the men and women who tried to destroy the rule of law, and thwart the casting of certified electoral votes, they were Trump fans all the way. We have the proof and perhaps the proof can set people free.

 

Newly arrested, we had,

 

…Robert Gieswein, 24, of Woodland Park, Colo. Charging documents and videos indicate he may have links to the three extremist groups that have drawn the most attention from the FBI: the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers and Three Percenters. Some of the videos appear to include members who discussed storming the Capitol about an hour ahead of the riot.

 

In court papers, FBI agents say Gieswein — charged with assaulting police, civil disorder and obstruction of police and government — runs a private paramilitary training group and is affiliated with the Three Percenters. The FBI said in court filings that Gieswein was apparently recorded multiple times inside and outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, decked out in military garb with two distinctive markings that made it easier for investigators to trace his actions that day — a patch for his paramilitary group, the Woodland Wild Dogs, and a black pouch on his chest that said, “MY MOM THINKS I’M SPECIAL,” evocative of the Proud Boys anthem, “Proud of Your Boy.

 

Someone who appears to match the description of Gieswein laid out in FBI arrest affidavits shows up on a live-streamed Proud Boys video from about 11:14 a.m. to 12:55 p.m. that day. About 30 minutes into the video, viewed by The Washington Post, one member in the group with people in blaze-orange hats, camouflage backpacks and military-style vests yells, “Let’s take the f---ing Capitol!” Someone else then admonishes, “Let’s not ­f---ing yell that.”

 

… Then, about 2:13 p.m., according to FBI affidavits, Gieswein appears in a different video with a helmeted group breaking a window on the Senate side of the Capitol using a riot shield and a piece of lumber, one of the earliest breaches of the building.

 

CNN reported an additional arrest on January 21:

 

Joseph Randall Biggs, 37, of Florida was arrested Wednesday and is facing three counts, obstruction of a proceeding, entering restricted grounds and disorderly conduct, for his part in the siege of the Capitol on January 6, according to the Justice Department and an FBI affidavit. The FBI described Biggs in the affidavit as an organizer for the Proud Boys.

 

Authorities say Biggs said, “This is awesome!” on livestreamed footage of rioters entering the Capitol building, according to the affidavit.

 

“Your affiant also notes that multiple individuals were photographed or depicted on videos with earpieces, including other individuals believed to be associated with the Proud Boys,” the FBI affidavit says.

 

The charges are among a recent spate of federal cases that allege planning and organization among far-right groups.

 

The FBI said that Biggs told agents he entered the Capitol but not by using force, and denied knowing about any planning for the storming of the building.

 

CBS noted the arrest of yet another rioter. “Come on guys. We need patriots. You guys, it’s the way in,” Gina Bisignano can allegedly be seen calling out in several videos circulating on social media. In one she’s seen pushing against officers in an attempt to get inside the Capitol building. In another she’s standing near a window into the building exhorting others to pour into the building. “Gina’s Beverly Hills…Everybody, we need gas masks…we need weapons...we need strong, angry patriots to help our boys,” she calls out. “They don’t want to leave. We need protection.” 

 

She has admitted she was there, and has now been charged with civil disorder, destruction of government property, aiding and abetting, obstruction of an official proceeding, knowingly entering a restricted building or grounds and violent entry or disorderly conduct.

 

(Upon her return to Beverly Hills, California, where she lives, the magnitude of what has happened apparently hits her. She tells a local newspaper, “My life is over. I’m going to jail. I’m going to lose my son.”)

 

CBS also reported on the arrest of Couy Griffin, a Nevada county commissioner, and the founder of Cowboys for Trump.

 

Before leaving for D.C., Griffin noted:

 

My vehicle is an extension of my home in regards to the constitutional law, and I’ve got a right to keep those firearms in my car. I’ve got a .357 Henry, big boy rifle lever action I’ve got in the truck of the car and I’ve got a .357 single action revolver Colt Reuger that I’ll have on the front seat on the right side. And I will embrace my Second Amendment and keep my right to bear arms. My vehicle is an extension of my home in regards to the constitutional law and I’ve got a right to keep those firearms in my car. I’m going to be in D.C. by God’s grace, God willing.”

 

He did go. By the grace of God, he did riot. Judges and juries willing, he’ll get convicted and sent to prison.

 

Also arrested, Maryland man, Bryan Betancur, who expressed a desire to be a “lone wolf killer” prior to the riot. He was wearing a GPS monitoring device as a condition of probation, related to a fourth degree burglary, when he allegedly took part in the attack on Capitol Hill.

 

The affidavit describes Betancur as having,

 

made statements to law enforcement officers that he is a member of several white supremacy organizations. Betancur has voiced homicidial ideations, made comments about conducting a school shooting, and has researched mass shootings. Betancur voiced support for James Fields, the individual convicted for killing an individual with his car during protests in Charlottesville, Virginia. Betancur has stated he wanted to run people over with a vehicle and kill people in a church.

 

Investigators found photos on his social media platforms appearing to show him in a Proud Boys shirt and holding up a Confederate battle flag at the Capitol.

 

*

 

Add Keith Lee, a Texan, an Air Force veteran, husband and father of two small children (at least based on pictures he posted in social media) and a former police detective to the list of arrestees. In the weeks leading up to the November election, Lee helped organized a number of pro-Trump car and truck caravans. Afterwards, he helped raise money online to pay expenses for “patriots” who wanted to make the trip to D.C. on January 6, and claimed to have passed out tens of thousands of dollars.

 

The day after Trump called on his supporters to come to D.C. on January 6, because it “will be wild,” a new website appeared, Wild Protest. At least 2,000 people donated at least $181,700, with calls for people to rally and halt the certification of the vote. Right-wing extremist groups like the Oath Keepers solicited donations online to cover “gas, airfare, hotels, food and equipment.”

 

Now, probably: bail money and for legal expenses.

 

In online videos, Lee, 41, is allegedly seen casing the Capitol grounds on the morning of January 6. He points out the flimsiness of the fencing. Even before Trump’s rally ends, he is cheering on the arrival of far-right militiamen who encircle the building. When the larger crowd arrives, Lee calls out with a bullhorn, urging members of the mob to rush break in, until he and hundreds of others crowd the Capitol Rotunda. Lee is live-streaming events at that point, and even finds a moment to do a little fund-raising.

 

“If you couldn’t make the trip, give five to 10 bucks,” he told his viewers, seeking donations for the legal costs of two jailed “patriots,” a leader of the far-right Proud Boys and an ally who had clashed with police during an armed incursion at Oregon’s statehouse.

 

Lee did not respond to requests for comment [from reporters]. He has often likened supporters of overturning the election to the signers of the Declaration of Independence and has said he is willing to give his life for the cause.

 

Of course, if Lee was willing to die for the cause, he had to be willing to kill other Americans for the cause, too.

Capitol Hill Arrests: Section Two

Vaughn Gordon: The Louisiana man admits he was inside the Capitol Building. He describes events as a “riot.”

He insists, however, that he was peaceful and did not damage any property. He remained for 2-3 hours, taking pictures and videos. Gordon told authorities he came to D.C. to attend a “Stop the Steal” rally with a friend. 

Trump spread the lie of the stolen election. His loyalists believed it. 

____________________ 

“Lets [sic] hunt these cowards down like the Traitors that each of them are. This includes RINOS, Dems, and Tech Execs. We now have the green light.” 

Troy Anthony Smocks

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* 

Troy Anthony Smocks (has several aliases): Allegedly took part in the January 6 riot; on return home to Dallas, posted on Parler: 

So over the next 24 hours, I would say lets get our personal affairs in order. Prepare our weapons, and then go get’em. Lets hunt these cowards down like the Traitors that each of them are. This includes RINOS, Dems, and Tech Execs. We now have the green light. [All] who resist US are enemies of Our Constitution, and must be treated as such. Today, the cowards ran as We took the Capital. They have it back now, only because We left. It wasn’t the building that We wanted. . . it was them!” 

* 

Andrew Hatley: According to the affidavit in Hatley’s case, the South Carolina man drove his “early 2000s” red mustang to Washington to attend the Trump rally on Jan. 6. When it came time to storm the Capitol, he wore a gas mask. 

Hatley at first denied taking part in the riot, despite a selfie he allegedly posted in front of the John C. Calhoun statue in the lower floor of the building. 

According to the affidavit, on his  social media, 

A post was seen on HATLEY’s account which stated, “It has come to my attention that there was someone who looks like me at the Capitol. I’d like to set the record straight. I don’t have that kind of motivation for lost causes. I just don’t care enough anymore, certainly not enough for all that.”

 

His denial was not helped, when the first comment came from an individual identified as “SB Lamont” who stated, “Welcome back.” 

Even worse, for Hatley, GPS data indicated he was right there on Capitol Hill at the time of the attack. Since that time, three phone numbers associated with Hatley have been disconnected. 

When a reporter for the Charleston Post and Courier called the number listed for his employer,

“A man who answered the phone at Senn Freight Lines, the Newberry trucking company that Hatley lists as his employer on Facebook, said ‘we will have no comment’ before hanging up.” 

Records available at this point do not indicate any particular links to extremist groups, left or right. Hatley has been charged with four federal crimes. He was arrested in Arizona on January 19. 

If we can’t tell yet where Hatley stands, politically speaking, this blogger can report that if we take a broad look at all the individuals arrested so far, with a handful of exceptions they trend white, whiter, whitest. 

Definitely not your Black Lives Matter demographic. 

* 

Matthew Council: In an affidavit, a Capitol Hill police officer describes Council’s alleged role in the riot. After a window was broken and an emergency side door breached, he and other officers tried to form a wall to keep rioters out. 

In the course of this effort and while inside the Capitol building, I encountered an adult male who was later identified as Matthew Ross COUNCIL. He was part of a larger group, but was individually pushing against the barrier to include an emergency door that is kept closed. Once the door was forcibly opened he broke through along with others. All during this time he was continually yelling at police officers that were trying to contain the scene. When he was deterred from advancing further into the building, COUNCIL pushed a uniformed officer of the United States Capitol Police. COUNCIL was subsequently pepper sprayed by one or more other law enforcement officers. The pepper spray also had an effect on me, but I was able to respond and detain COUNCIL. While in custody, but prior to being advised of his Miranda rights, COUNCIL spontaneously expressed remorse about pushing the officer and indicated that he did not intend to injure her.

 

According to the Washington Post, Council is a former football player at Liberty University “the conservative evangelical institution,” and “appears to have dabbled in politics, as well. He worked on at least one unsuccessful Republican campaign for the North Carolina House of Representatives roughly 10 years ago and also pursued political science courses at Seminole State in 2011.” 

* 

Gracyn (Grace) Dawn Courtright: senior at the University of Kentucky, said on social media that the attack was “cool.” 

According to the affidavit for her arrest, Courtright posted to Instagram, either the day of the attack or the day after: “INFAMY IS JUST AS GOOD AS FAME,” she wrote above a mirror photo. “EITHER WAY I END UP MORE KNOWN. XOXO” 

She earned an extra charge of theft for taking a “Member’s Only” sign from the Capitol Building. 

* 

Jenny Louise Cudd: Cudd is a former mayoral candidate in Midland, Texas and flower shop owner, now facing up to 18 months in prison. On Facebook, she posted, “We did break down Nancy Pelosi’s office door and somebody stole her gavel.” 

She claimed later that she used the term “we” to refer to the actions of the group, not her own. 

Her own media posts indicate she was being disingenuous. In one video she exclaims, “We just pushed, pushed and pushed, and yelled go and yelled charge … and we got in.” In another: “F*** yes, I am proud of my actions. I f****** charged the Capitol today with patriots. Hell yes, I am proud of my actions.” 

Asked by a TV reporter on January 8, if she had any regrets, she replied, “I would absolutely do it again.” 

Cudd has described herself as a “conservative diehard patriot.” Like several other rioters, she was outraged by mask-mandates. 

* 

Eliel Rosa: A friend of Cudd; told a judge he did not have legal representation; has not had a job since he was granted asylum from Brazil, four-and-a-half years ago. 

According to Texas Monthly: 

Last year, the news website SanAngelolive.com described Rosa as a father and husband with “aspirations to earn his PhD in Public Policy and Constitutional Law,” and reported that he’d been tapped to serve as an immigration adviser to Jamie Berryhill, a Republican who would lose a GOP primary to represent a West Texas congressional district. 

 

* 

Paul Davis: In a series of video from January 6, the Texas attorney explained why he was in Washington D.C. and what he had been up to. In one, he reports, “I just got teargassed. That was not fun.”  

In another, he claims, “If this was a legitimate election, then let us inspect it. We’re all trying to get into the Capitol to stop this, and this is what’s happening. They’re tear gassing us. This is not acceptable.” 

Before deleting all his social media posts, he defended his actions, saying, “I already lost my job because of the Twitter mob,” he posted, according to the Houston Chronicle. “I’m not upset. I’m thankful to be suffering for righteousness and freedom.” 

His former employer, Goosehead Insurance, announced his termination: 

While we support our employees’ right to vote and express themselves politically, we do not condone violent or illegal acts. This one former employee’s actions are not reflective of our company culture or values, and we are disappointed with his behavior. Thankfully, we have the cherished rights of assembly and free speech, but those rights do not—and cannot—extend to violence in any form. 

(I do not see any evidence that Mr. Davis has been arrested.) 

* 

Michael Shane Daughtry: According to the F.B.I., the 58-year-old Georgia man was arrested as a result of his participation in the Jan. 6 riot. The affidavit describes him as operating “Crazy Coon’s Armory” out of his home. On social media he posts ads for the sale of guns and ammunition. According to U.S. Marshals his guns are being held as part of his bond conditions. 

Daughtry’s political inclinations clearly lean far right, as is apparent from his social media posts. On November 2, 2020, an ad for his business read as follows: “Anyone needing an AR15 and some extra ammo before the election, I’ve got a couple left in stock. . . It may be your last chance if the election don’t go right tomorrow! Let me know if you are interested?” 

If you still think he might lean left (because you can’t read and interpret information), federal agents add: 

In a Facebook post on December 26th, 2020, DAUGHTRY posted a picture of a woman alongside an undetermined number of rounds of ammunition which were partially coated in purple. In the background of the picture, a machine used in the re-loading of ammunition can be partially seen. The post reads as follows: “I love a woman in a housecoat reloading ammo. Ain’t our Purple Anti-Liberal Bullets pretty. We finished up the first 500 rounds tonight…500 more to go. My buddy ‘Machine Gun Mikey’ poured these powder-coated bullets for me.”

Capitol Hill Arrests: Section Three

Nicholas DeCarlo: This Texas gentleman had apparently listened to President Trump once too often. 

Or maybe a hundred times. 

He allegedly wore a t-shirt and a hat to the riot, both emblazoned with the phrase, “MT Media,” short for “Murder the Media.’ 

You know: Like Trump has repeatedly said, the media is “the Enemy of the American People.” DeCarlo, 30, allegedly appears in several pictures with Nick Ochs, the reputed founder of the Hawaiian branch of the Proud Boys. 

In fact, DeCarlo told investigators he worked for “Murder the Media News,” and was there on…who knows…an assignment? Ochs and DeCarlo are seen in one picture standing in a spot where it was later found someone had scratched “Murder the Media” into the Capitol Building woodwork. 

____________________ 

Strong had claimed World War III was going to occur on Jan. 6 and that the extremist group QAnon would cover the debt for a new truck he recently had purchased.

____________________ 

* 

Patrick Alonzo Stedman: The 32-year-old New Jersey man describes himself in his Twitter profile as a “Dating + Relationship Strategist. I read people like books and help them change their story.” 

He has more than 25 million followers! 

You can quickly deduce where Stedman stands, when you realize he sometimes posts about the “COVID/CABAL” on his account. 

On December 30, he was already fired up and ready to go. He called on his followers to get in touch with him, because he was forming a “team” to go to Washington D.C. on January 6. He explained: 

“Highly, HIGHLY recommend all Patriots come to DC on the 6th. This will be a turning point in our nation.

 

Will eventually be a national holiday akin to the 4th of July. You want to tell your grandchildren you were there.” 

This is who these people think they are.

Now the feds may throw the book at him. In a video posted to his Twitter account on the day of the riot, Stedman claimed, “I was pretty much in the first wave, and we broke down the doors and climbed up the back part of the Capitol building and got all the way into the chambers.” 

In one of his first images allegedly posted from the day of the riot, Stedman says he sees the Yeti! 

“Backwards hat (Antifa) right where they were breaking into the main area of Congress.” The picture he includes does not seem to prove anything about who the person in the backwards hat is; in fact…hell…I might be old, but I can’t tell which person he’s even talking about. Nor is there any explanation of how Stedman knew the individual was Antifa. 

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, other videos posted by Stedman show him sitting in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office. 

Stedman, who claims to  be an expert in “female psychology” is apparently terrible when it comes to predictions. “Patriots took the hard drives from the Capitol,” he tweeted happily at one point. Then he reported that President Trump had sent in the D.C. National Guard to assist the rioters. “What did we tell you these last few months? The storm is here,” he exclaimed. 

As in “Q,” the storm is here. 

* 

Tyler Ethridge: Texas Monthly provides all the information you might need to know on Ethridge, a youth pastor in Florida. For example, he was once called the “greatest six-man football player” in Texas high school history. Ethridge starred as quarterback for Richland Springs High School and set several state records, including for touchdown passes. 

In a video posted to Parler, a man who identifies himself as a pastor speaks from inside the Capitol as rioters in the background chant “Stop the steal.” “Just to let you know, I’m not involved in this,” the man says. “I’m just observing. … I don’t want to say that what we’re doing is right. But if the election is being stolen, what is it going to take?”

 

In the aftermath of the Capitol riot, Ethridge defended his actions on his YouTube channel. In one video he said he had a “radical love for this nation,” adding that he believed that the “prophets” said that Trump should be president for two terms. Meanwhile on Twitter, where his account is now set to private, he wrote that he was “willing to go to jail” for what he believed in and had turned himself into federal authorities. “I don’t have a lawyer. I unlawfully entered the Capitol (even though I was let in). That’s against the law so I turned myself in,” he tweeted.

 

“I’m probably going to lose my job as a pastor after this,” Ethridge said in the video from inside the Capitol. Indeed, the church he worked at in Tampa announced on January 19 that Ethridge was no longer part of its staff. 

As of now, Ethridge has not been arrested. 

* 

Melody Steele-Smith: Ms. Steele admits that she was there on Capitol Hill during the riot. She doesn’t admit there was a riot. In one social media post she says, “I was there. I’m trying to figure out how I could be there all day and miss all this violence and destruction I’m seeing on tv. I think photos for the news were staged.” 

(Okay, nobody ever said these people weren’t delusional.) 

She adds, “I hope they come for me my videos will show the peace and the lies on the news.” 

Admittedly, she sounds rather harmless, albeit ill-informed. There doesn’t appear to be much other information about her. 

USA Today does describe Steele-Smith as “a long-time Trump supporter who attended a rally in Greenville North Carolina last July.” She also “posted photos on her Facebook account of the inside of the offices for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her staff during the Capitol riot.” 

* 

Kevin Strong: The alleged rioter is described as 6' 7'', and a QAnon supporter from California. No doubt he’s bummed that none of the “Q” prophecies came true on Jan. 20, and the Biden inauguration went off as planned. 

Strong works for the Federal Aviation Administration when he’s not on the lookout for cannibalistic pedophile liberals. 

According to KTLA Channel 5 News: 

The investigation began after someone told the agency that Strong “had been showing signs of behavioral changes over the last few months including stockpiling items and telling others to get ready for martial law, rioting, and protesting,” the FBI affidavit said.

 

The FBI was told that Strong had claimed World War III was going to occur on Jan. 6 and that the extremist group QAnon would cover the debt for a new truck he recently had purchased.

 

The FBI also was told that Strong had hung a flag at his home that said “WW1WGA,” which is a QAnon slogan standing for “Where We Go One, We Go All,” according to the affidavit.

 

FBI agents went to Strong’s home east of Los Angeles on Jan. 16 and seized two guns belonging to his uncle. 

 

According to the affidavit in his case, the defendant “adheres strongly to QAnon ideology, admitting to having ‘Q Clearance,’ and said he believed that “a new one-party system” called “the Patriot Party” was coming. 

* 

Jacob Lewis: The report on Strong (above), leads to another story from KTLA. A Victorville, California gym owner has also been charged with participating in the riot. According to this report, Lewis has defied lockdown orders several times during the pandemic. 

Now the lockdown he may face will have bars. 

According to one tipster, in December Lewis had shown them photos of firearms he allegedly possessed and inquired about how to buy ammunition, according to court filings. At the time, Lewis warned the person to “watch what happens to the Capitol January 6,” prosecutors said. 

According to the affidavit, on Jan. 8, F.B.I. agents received a tip that Lewis had flown to Washington, D.C. “to attack the Capitol along with many Trump supporters to stop the certification of the electoral college.” 

When questioned by agents at his home, Lewis admitted he was inside the Capitol Building, said that he had not participated in any violence, and, in fact – as far as facts go – “he believed that some individuals involved in agitating were Antifa members in disguise.”