The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Friday arrested reporter Steve Baker for his protection of the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. In the course of the riot, a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol constructing to protest Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory.
Baker, who was current on the scene, videotaped himself and expressed sympathy with the rioters. He faces a number of accusations for his deeds and controversial statements throughout the riot.
Regardless of his declare of being an unbiased journalist, individuals have raised questions on his involvement within the Capitol riot. The FBI used his recorded movies as proof in opposition to him.
Additionally Learn: Former Fox Information reporter says he was fired after difficult Capitol Hill Protection
The arrest of Baker, an investigative reporter for conservative information outlet Blaze Media, has sparked controversy, with some calling it an assault on free press.
Few others, like Georgia Consultant Marjorie Taylor Greene and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy have condemned Baker’s detention, claiming it infringes free press. Nonetheless, many recommend that his actions went past mere reporting and that he actively participated within the chaos.
In a publish on X, Blaze media mentioned shared a video of Baker’s arrest, displaying him in handcuffs.
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Reacting to Baker’s arrest, Marjorie Taylor Greene, a staunch supporter of Trump, mentioned: “The Biden regime simply arrested journalist Steve Baker for masking Jan 6.”
“Free Press is lifeless in America when the federal government jails journalists who refuse to report the regime’s political agenda and lies,” she wrote on X.
“Those that preach about ‘threats to our democracy’ ought to take a tough have a look at the threats to freedom of the press,” Ramaswamy tweeted.
Conservative activist Brigitte Gabriel mentioned in publish: “Steve Baker has completed nothing flawed. That is harassment.”
In the meantime, Blaze Media founder Glenn Beck in a press release mentioned: “The timing of the FBI’s actions is peculiar, to say the least. It serves as a stark reminder of the challenges we face in our pursuit of reality. It demonstrates that these in positions of energy are fast to react when confronted with narratives that deviate even barely from their rigorously scripted variations of occasions.”
Who’s Steve Baker and what did he say earlier than his arrest?
Steve Baker is charged with 4 customary misdemeanors – “Knowingly Coming into or Remaining in any Restricted Constructing or Grounds With out Lawful Authority, Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Constructing or Floor, Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Constructing, and Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Constructing”.
In keeping with a replica of an FBI affidavit obtained by NBC Information, federal prosecutors will deal with Baker’s feedback that point out he was supportive to the mob, resembling slamming Nancy Pelosi after discussing the mob raiding the previous Home speaker’s workplace and saying he regretted not stealing authorities property like computer systems throughout the assault.
“The one factor I remorse is that I didn’t, like, steal their computer systems as a result of God is aware of what I might’ve discovered on their computer systems if I’d completed that,” Baker said, as per the affidavit.
In one other interview on January 6, he mentioned: “Do I approve of what occurred right now?” “I approve 100%.” he added, based on the FBI submitting.
Additionally Learn: US home speaker to launch over 40,000 hours of Capitol riot video
Forward of his arrest, Baker posted on X: “This time, it is actually occurring. In contrast to the 2 earlier threats my attorneys acquired from @FBI/@thejusticedept (Nov. 21 and Dec. 23), my self-surrender for alleged J6 crimes is about for this Friday morning in Dallas, TX. There may be now a signed arrest warrant.”
He them knowledgeable that official will take him to the courthouse in Dallas, Texas to seem earlier than the Justice of the Peace on Friday.
“They did not need to go this route, as we have been informed that my prices are non-violent misdemeanors,” he mentioned in one other publish on X.
“My attorneys have additionally been assured by the gov. that this will likely be an ‘out and in’ affair and that they’ve ‘no intention’ of detaining me. However, somewhat than issuing a easy order to seem, they appear to really feel the necessity to give me a dose of the non-public humiliation remedy,” he added.
