Michigan Republican gubernatorial candidate Ryan Kelley was arrested by federal agents Thursday morning at his home after executing a search warrant. He is facing “misdemeanor charges related to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.”
Kelley was at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, and while he has stated he did nothing illegal, video allegedly shows him shouting, “This is– this is war, baby!” according to The Detroit News:
“In June 2021, the Michigan Democratic Party promoted video footage that appeared to show Kelley shouting ‘Come on, let’s go! This is it! This is– this is war, baby!’ as he moved toward the Capitol building.”
Kelley, who is the founder of the American Patriot Council, is opposed to vaccine requirements and promised supporters he would dissolve the state’s Dept. of Education.
He reportedly has called the state’s top Democrats, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel, and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson “felons,” and said they should be arrested.
In January, he told a crowd in Livingston County to unplug voting machines from the wall if “you see something you don’t like happening with the machine.”
The Michigan Democratic Party Chair, Lavora Barnes, in a statement said:
“Just days after their field was cut in half due to corruption and mass fraud, Republican gubernatorial candidates’ callous disregard for the principles of democracy was on full display again today as Ryan Kelley was taken into custody by the FBI following his participation in the January 6th insurrection.”
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