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Ryan J. Reilly

Jan 6 • 10 tweets • 4 min read

@misstessowen

Take a little journey with me, won’t you?

SO. Two years ago today, on Jan. 6, 2021, @misstessowen tweeted this photo of three Trump supporters at the U.S. Capitol.

They were wearing matching MAGA CIVIL WAR shirts.

https://twitter.com/misstessowen/status/1346932836704653314

For some, this photo illustrated the ample warning signs that Jan. 6 could go bad. Trump supporters literally showed up. in "CIVIL WAR" t-shirts!

But, on the dumbest parts of the internet, another narrative emerged: that these guys were obviously feds (or "FED'S").

Now there's no evidence at the moment that this trio entered the Capitol on Jan. 6 or did anything else outside the building -- like assault officers or destroy property -- that would earn them charges. They normally wouldn't be a very high priority for online sleuths.

But for one sleuth, that fed meme was pretty damn irritating. So they set out to solve this.

And -- wouldn't you know it! -- turns out these guys are just plain old Trump fans who actually thought the election was stolen. #occamsrazor

nbcnews.com/politics/justi…

The Kentucky trio are all blue collar workers and registered Republicans, according to social media profiles and public records. They're all connected on Facebook. Two of them are related. nbcnews.com/politics/justi…

That, and much more, in my piece on where the federal investigation stands two years in: nbcnews.com/politics/justi…

There's also a fun line about a Jan. 6 participant who has since been arrested for walking around his neighborhood Winnie the Pooh style (but not for Jan. 6). nbcnews.com/politics/justi…

https://twitter.com/russ_walker/status/1611357511604486145

[deep sigh]

https://twitter.com/russ_walker/status/1611357511604486145

Doug Mastriano’s own campaign staffer was right at the door. That staffer’s longtime friend went inside but hasn’t been charged yet. But that doesn’t mean their feds! nbcnews.com/politics/2022-…

https://twitter.com/ryanjreilly/status/1590321101984628736

Like many Capitol insiders, that guy is probably wondering when the bus is coming, so to speak.

https://twitter.com/ryanjreilly/status/1590321101984628736

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More from @ryanjreilly

Ryan J. Reilly

@ryanjreilly

Jan 8

(THREAD)

Two years ago, on Jan. 7, 2021, federal prosecutors filed the first cases against rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol.

They've since charged hundreds in what's become the largest criminal probe in FBI / DOJ history.

There's a long way to go.

nbcnews.com/politics/justi…

So far, they've made 900+ arrests and secured nearly 500 pleas and 40 guilty verdicts.

Even so, that's only a fraction of the 3,000+ who could be charged for either entering the building or engaging in violence and destruction outside.

nbcnews.com/politics/justi…

In many ways, the prosecutors spent year two playing catchup on the arrests made in year one.

The pace of arrests dramatically slowed in 2022, but DOJ secured convictions against 300+ defendants, including several on charges of seditious conspiracy.

nbcnews.com/politics/justi…

Read 15 tweets

Ryan J. Reilly

@ryanjreilly

Jan 6

Capitol Police have confirmed the arrest of Micki Witthoeft, the mother of Jan. 6 rioter Ashli Babbitt, who was shot and killed by a Capitol Police officer two years ago today after she jumped through a broken window leading into the Speaker's Lobby.

"A woman in the group was given multiple warnings to get out of the road. Instead of getting out of the road, the woman refused to leave, turned around with her hands behind her back, and asked to be arrested."

"As is typical for this charge, Ms. Witthoeft was processed and released this afternoon after being given a citation to appear in court at a later date."

Read 5 tweets

Ryan J. Reilly

@ryanjreilly

Jan 6

A Jan. 6 participant just led a random group of eighth grade tourists around the grounds of the Capitol singing a patriotic song.

Their chaperones told me they had no clue what was up.

“We don’t support that.”

Not tweeting kids’ images, but here he is saying goodbye.

Sure you’ll see it on TikTok soon unless the chaperones got to them.

Chaperones: make sure the guy in the funny hat leading your eighth graders around the Capitol perimeter wasn’t on the restricted grounds of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6!

https://twitter.com/ryanjreilly/status/1439258075182084102

Here he was at a previous protest:

https://twitter.com/ryanjreilly/status/1439258075182084102

Read 4 tweets

Ryan J. Reilly

@ryanjreilly

Jan 6

The scene at the U.S. Capitol, where witnesses say Ashli Babbitt’s mom was arrested.

Earlier:

All of this is taking place between the Capitol and the federal courthouse, where hundreds of Jan. 6 defendants are being prosecuted.

Read 6 tweets

Ryan J. Reilly

@ryanjreilly

Jan 5

Jan. 6 committee staffers say the report's "emphasis on Trump meant important context was left on the cutting room floor." justsecurity.org/84658/insiders…

Jan. 6 committee investigators: "the lack of an official Committee report chapter or appendix dedicated exclusively to these matters does not mean our investigation exonerated social media companies for their failure to confront violent rhetoric."

"These threats to U.S. democracy are likely to outlive Trump’s political relevance, and they were not outside the purview of the Committee." justsecurity.org/84658/insiders…

Read 6 tweets