Thread by @capitolhunters

#SeditionHunters - now that his sentencing’s over, let’s talk MAGAfluencer Brandon Straka's role in the Capitol attack. Straka (500K on Twitter) led his “WalkAway” campaign since 2018, widely flagged as a Russian asset. On Jan 6, left the VIP section with Michael Flynn & co..1/

Straka’s story has an hour gap, then he arrives at the E. Capitol just as invaders wrest open the Columbus Doors, races up the steps. Claims he stayed just “a few minutes”, never saw violence. Watch the sync: his video is at L. Full footage at link: 2/

Straka was listed as a speaker for the Lot 8 Stop the Steal rally (never happened), but didn’t go there - instead ran up the steps where Proud Boy leader Joe Biggs was queuing. There's a clear view of Biggs' group just before someone tells Straka "Senators are running out!" 3/

Once at the doors, Straka stays for 10 minutes, watches the crowd fight with police & steal a riot shield. He comments “They're using gas - we're being gassed right now". Other organizers were there too - here's Straka with MAGA Drag the Interstate leaders Keith and Kenny Lee. 4/

Straka's sentencing memo says he left quickly, only spent "roughly half an hour to an hour on the Capitol Grounds". But he's in video well over an hour. He makes an excursion to the House doors with his entourage, including WalkAway Event Coordinator Nick Miles.. 5/

Straka and entourage don't head out til nearly 4 PM, moving north past emergency vehicles & police lining the Capitol grounds. Just after they pass, listen to the crowd casually chat about killing lawmakers: "they might have tunnels.." "could always thrown them off of that.." 6/

Straka’s a familiar type: ex-actor (1 IMDb credit) who rocketed to fame leading a divisive social media campaign. Tried to go viral with gun control in March 2018, did better with WalkAway in May, viral in June, $ from Alex Jones, 70K followers by Aug. 7/

Raw Story called it amazingly fast, in July 2018, noting the “remarkably similar” Tweets, the “artificial boost into the public sphere by automated Twitter accounts…linked to Russian influence operations.” 8/
rawstory.com/2018/07/heres-…

CNN piled on in late July: “Russian bots are using #WalkAway to try to wound Dems in midterms”, “#WalkAway ...is now the seventh most popular Russia-influenced hashtag as of this writing…” 9/
cnn.com/2018/07/17/opi…

Reporter @davidalove for CNN was blunt about Straka’s operation: “The purpose of this now-astroturf campaign is to manipulate public opinion by creating the illusion that this is a popular movement. In reality, #WalkAway has become pure propaganda, a psychological operation.” 10/

@davidalove notes Straka’s similarity to Candace Owens, also a would-be actor suddenly platformed (in her case, in 2017). Her divisive #Blexit campaign pushed fear of immigration, sought to convince Black voters to leave the Democratic party. 11/

Straka is one of many #SeditionVIP's at the Capitol on Jan 6 - so many we had to log their back-stories in one giant spreadsheet to keep track. The patterns in it are instructive. The influencers who brought crowds to the Capitol have deep connections, shared histories. 12/

In summer 2020, Straka held “Rescue America” rallies across the U.S. (also billed as “anti-BLM”): Baltimore, Chicago, LA, SF, Philly, Dallas, Nashville, DC. Just a few 100 people at each, but violence sometimes followed. Video is from Dallas (WFAA); Nick Miles is in stripes. 13/

Straka's memo says he didn't incite violence at the Capitol, but he did on social media. Before the Dec. 12 DC rally: "GET ROWDY GUYS!!!! Nice time is OVER". So blatant a concerned supporter warned him about image: no inciting "or anything that could be construed as such" 14/

Influencers like Straka played a key role in the lead-up to the Capitol attack: they convinced followers not just that an election was stolen but that they should fear an enemy, be prepared to defend themselves with violence. Straka & others hit this theme over and over. 15/

Today Straka got his sentence, near the max asked by DOJ: 3 years probation, 3 months home confinement. Judge Friedrich did not believe Straka's 'I saw nothing' bs about what happened at the Capitol that day. 16/

https://mobile.twitter.com/emptywheel/status/1485653228796760067

But Judge Friedrich did believe Straka's other bs - that WalkAway was founded to bring people together, that Straka wanted to help the police, that he was deeply remorseful - he cried in court. Straka is an ACTOR. Even a D-list actor can be convincing. 17/

https://mobile.twitter.com/emptywheel/status/1485657289570848769

A recent WaPo article on Ukraine was optimistically titled "The West has gotten savvier": we now realize Russia "treats the information ecosystem as an active front in any conflict", constructing divisive narratives. But Jan 6 - whoever ran it - shows we are still naive. 18/

In 2018, news media called Straka's bs. In 2021, his history was never mentioned - we seem LESS savvy. The #SeditionVIP spreadsheet reinforces: in the last five years the U.S. has seen waves of targeted influence campaigns, divisive social engineering. How do we counter it? 19/

The #SeditionVIP spreadsheet doesn't imply Russia drove Jan 6 - only that SOMEONE did. The attack couldn't work without the influencers, & their roots are long.

The sheet will go public as soon as it's checked - it covers a subset of 50 VIPs connected to rallies and crowds. 20/

This work is a group effort over months. Dozens of #SeditionHunters found the video, identified the VIPs, dug out their backstories. @StevieG54099097 sync'd video (see YT channel for more): youtube.com/channel/UCboWX…
The WaPo story mentioned is at link: washingtonpost.com/outlook/2022/0…
21/

Update: When Straka wept courtroom tears today, was he feeling bad for injured police, remorseful for his part? Nope - 6 months after Jan 6, he headlined a rally billed as Exposing the #Fakesurrection. People lie, & actors act. (h/t @ChichiVision18) 22/

https://twitter.com/ChichiVision18/status/1485655404575080448?t=2GTAW6ZK_V9YUm4oI3vHYQ&s=19/photo/1