Ryan Kelley, a GOP candidate for governor of Michigan, was arrested by the FBI.
On Thursday morning, the FBI arrested and prosecuted one of the leading Republican contenders for governor of Michigan for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol brawl.
Following an FBI raid on his residence, Ryan Kelley, one of the five surviving candidates hoping to unseat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, was charged with misdemeanour charges arising from the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach.
Ryan Kelley, who is he?
Ryan Kelley, 40, runs a real estate company in West Michigan. He attended Grand Rapids Community College after graduating from Jenison High School in 1999. Kelley has been a vocal opponent of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s COVID-19 limits and is a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump.
Kelley planned a protest at the Michigan Capitol during the initial months of the COVID outbreak, calling for highly armed militias to meet inside the statehouse. Ryan told The Associated Press that militia members are “law abiding, lawful people who love this nation, with a couple of rotten apples here and there.” I have a question for you: are there bad apples in pretty much every group we have?”
Kelley attended “Stop the Steal” protests in Lansing, where he spread fake election conspiracy theories. Ryan also said that Republicans should unplug voting equipment “if they see something they don’t like happening,” which is both illegal and unproductive.
Ryan Kelley’s charges, Jan. 6: What are they about?
Kelley’s role in the Jan. 6 insurgency has been well known, but no charges have been brought against him until recently. According to an affidavit filed by the FBI, Kelley was recorded on camera outside the Capitol, waving to the crowd and directing them to the building’s stairs.
Ryan allegedly “filmed the mob attacking and pushing past U.S. Capitol Police Officers” on his cellphone. After causing police to retreat, he was later seen within a gathering that climbed the stairs to a Capitol door, according to the affidavit.
According to the criminal complaint, Kelley, who lives in Allendale Township, is charged with disrupting public order, harming public property, and accessing restricted territory without authority. At this time, the Kelley campaign is not commenting on the arrest. On Thursday afternoon, he was arraigned and freed on charges.
After numerous candidates were removed from the ballot for faking petition signatures, Kelley is one of only five GOP candidates left for the August Primary Election. Former Detroit police chief James Craig was one of them, and he is widely considered to be the leading candidate to challenge Gov. Whitmer in November.
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