Former <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/proud-boys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Proud Boys</a> chairman Enrique Tarrio was sentenced Tuesday to 22 years behind bars in connection to the breach at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. 
The sentence marks the longest to date in the Department of Justice&#8217;s handling of J6.
Tarrio, the son of Cuban immigrants, was found guilty of seditious conspiracy by a federal jury in Washington, D.C., back in May, and then sentenced by Judge Timothy Kelly. The former Proud Boy was facing 33 years behind bars.
&#8220;I am not a political zealot. Inflicting harm or changing the results of the election was not my goal,&#8221; Tarrio <a href="https://apnews.com/article/enrique-tarrio-capitol-riot-seditious-conspiracy-sentencing-da60222b3e1e54902db2bbbb219dc3fb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> before sentencing. &#8220;Please show me mercy. I ask that you not take my 40s away from me.&#8221;
Tarrio was notably not in D.C. on the day of the Capitol breach. Prosecutors, instead, argued that Tarrio was a leader and not a foot soldier, calling him &#8220;intelligent, charming, creative, and articulate” and claiming that he used those talents to “inflame and radicalize an untold number of followers.&#8221;
The government relied heavily on private communication from J6 defendants, sorting through hundreds of thousands of messages to try to make the case that Tarrio and others were guilty of this rare seditious conspiracy charge.
The seditious conspiracy law was enacted after the Civil War to arrest Southerners who might keep fighting the U.S. government, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/proud-boys-seditious-conspiracy-explained-207f7ca08d7c30d3cb28127eb9992bca" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Associated Press. It’s extremely rare in its application and hard to prove, though it’s been used by the DOJ about a dozen times in connection to the Capitol breach, rather successfully.
In one message used by the prosecution, Tarrio <a href="https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/sedition-trial-for-miami-ex-proud-boys-leader-4-others-begins-2-years-after-jan-6-riot/2948854/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, “Make no mistake … we did this.” The government also highlighted a document outlining a Capitol takeover that was sent to Tarrio on social media platform Telegram called “<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/26/proud-boys-leader-verdict-jan-6-00093891">1776 Returns</a>.” Tarrio did not directly respond to the sent document and claims he never even saw it, let alone opened it. 
Defense lawyers maintained throughout the trial that there was not a single shred of written evidence to show that Tarrio conspired to stop the certification of the 2020 election.
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While the trial was ongoing, Tarrio said from inside a jail cell that the government was impeding on free speech rights. 
“What they’re trying to do, what people are trying to do &#8212; and this is in general, I’m speaking in general &#8212; is manipulate how we talk to each other in the locker room,&#8221; Tarrio <a href="https://twitter.com/gatewaypundit/status/1651006027209342977" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a Twitter spaces event hosted on April 25. &#8220;And it’s not fair. &#8230; It’s just not right. It’s not the justice system that you grew up in civics class learning about.”
Two other Proud Boy members, Joe Biggs and Ethan Nordean, have also been convicted of seditious conspiracy. Judge Kelly sentenced Biggs to 17 years years behind bars and Nordean was hit with 18 years. Another Proud Boy, Zachary Rehl, was also convicted of seditious conspiracy, was given a 15-year prison sentence by Judge Kelly. Moreover, two Oath Keepers who have been convicted of seditious conspiracy; Stewart Rhodes has been sentenced to 18 years, and Kelly Meggs to 12 years.
Overall, more than 1,100 people have been charged in connection to the Capitol breach, and hundreds have already been sentenced to prison time.

Enrique Tarrio

Enrique Tarrio Sentenced To Decades Behind Bars, The Longest J6 Sentence To Date

Capitol Riot

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January 6

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U.S.

Two members of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/proud-boys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Proud Boys</a> were sentenced to over 15 years in prison on Thursday on charges in connection with the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.
Joseph Biggs, a former group leader, received 17 years in federal prison — among the longest sentences handed down — after a Washington, D.C., jury convicted him of seditious conspiracy for attempting to forcibly prevent the peaceful transfer of presidential power and other charges.
&#8220;Our Constitution and laws give you so many important rights that Americans have fought and died for and that you yourself put on a uniform to defend,&#8221; District Judge Timothy Kelly <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/31/politics/proud-boys-biggs-sentencing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> said. &#8220;People around the world would give anything for these rights,&#8221; adding that the events on January 6 &#8220;broke our tradition of the peaceful transferring of power&#8221; in the United States.
&#8220;The nature of the constitutional moment we were in that day is something that is so sensitive that it deserves a significant sentence,&#8221; he said.
Biggs, a 38-year-old U.S. Army veteran of Ormond Beach, Florida, was convicted in May of seditious conspiracy; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of an official proceeding; conspiracy to use force, intimidation or threats to prevent officers of the U.S. from discharging their duties; interference with law enforcement during civil disorder; and destruction of government property.
During his sentencing hearing, he <a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-riot-proud-boys-sentencing-seditious-conspiracy-5c8bf8a8e5dc6381e7387e31e554cee6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> admitted that he &#8220;messed up&#8221; on January 6 while claiming he was &#8220;seduced by the crowd&#8221; to move forward at the nation&#8217;s Capitol.
&#8220;I know that I messed up that day, but I am not a terrorist,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/former-proud-boys-leaders-could-face-longest-sentences-yet-us-capitol-attack-2023-08-31/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
&#8220;I wanted to see what would happen,&#8221; he said. &#8220;My curiosity got the better of me, and I&#8217;ll have to live with that for the rest of my life.&#8221;
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&#8220;I&#8217;m not a terrorist,&#8221; he added. &#8220;I don&#8217;t have hate in my heart.&#8221;
Another former leader of the Proud Boys was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Thursday.
Zachary Rehl received his sentencing after a federal jury <a href="https://themessenger.com/politics/proud-boy-zachary-rehl-sprayed-police-prison-seditious-conspiracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> found him guilty of obstructing an official proceeding, conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding, conspiring to use force to prevent federal officers from discharging their duties, interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder, and destruction of federal property.
Rehl, a 38-year-old Marine from Philadelphia, reportedly committed perjury during the trial when he lied about assaulting police with a chemical spray. But video footage showed him spraying a chemical irritant at Capitol police officers.
During his hearing, he said he believed the politicians who &#8220;started spreading lies about the election,&#8221; adding that he &#8220;fell for it, hook, line and sinker.&#8221;
Rehl and Briggs went to trial alongside other Proud Boy members, including Enrique Tarrio, Ethan Nordean, and Dominic Pezzola. All but Pezzola were convicted of seditious conspiracy. Pezzola and Nordean will receive sentencing on Friday, and Tarrio on Tuesday.
According to The Associated Press, prosecutors have charged 1,129 people with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. Of those, at least 630 have pleaded guilty, and 110 have been convicted at trial.

Trump Supporters Hold “Stop The Steal” Rally In DC Amid Ratification Of Presidential Election

Two Proud Boys Sentenced More Than 15 Years In Prison In J6 Case: Reports

2020 Election

Courts

This article is adapted from today’s Morning Wire Afternoon Update. To listen to the podcast version, click <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/podcasts/morning-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
Proud Boys Convicted
After six days of deliberation, a jury in Washington, D.C. has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/verdict-in-for-proud-boys-charged-with-january-6-seditious-conspiracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">convicted</a> four out of five Proud Boy defendants of seditious conspiracy in relation to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. The men convicted are Enrique Tarrio, the former chairman of the Proud Boys, and three other members and chapter leaders: Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, and Zachary Rehl. 
Democrats Debate Subway Chokehold
Various Democrat political leaders are speaking out after a homeless man on a NY subway <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nyc-mayor-aoc-spar-over-death-of-unstable-homeless-man-at-hands-of-former-marine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">died</a> from being put in a chokehold on Monday. Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez claims that 30-year-old Jordan Neely was murdered. Meanwhile, New York City Mayor Eric Adams called the accusation irresponsible at a time when “we are still investigating the situation.” 
The city medical examiner ruled the death a homicide on Wednesday. Witnesses say that Neely was threatening riders on the subway when another passenger took him down from behind and placed him in a chokehold for about 15 minutes, as other passengers helped subdue him. Neely had been arrested over 40 times in the past and had an outstanding assault warrant at the time of his death.  Still, Adams stressed that there are “so many unknowns at this time.”
One Missing After Chemical Explosion In Massachusetts 
One worker is missing after an explosion rattled a pharmaceutical chemical facility in Newburyport, Massachusetts early Thursday morning. CBS <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/explosion-seqens-chemical-facility-newburyport-massachusetts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that firefighters were called to Seqens, a pharmaceutical manufacturing company in Newburyport shortly before 2:00 am et. Once the crew arrived at the location,  they reportedly found an industrial-sized vat 30 feet away in a parking lot. According to authorities, four workers were inside the building at the time and were treated for injuries., The fifth is mysteriously missing. Here’s the town’s fire chief, Steve Bradbury:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Worker missing after &quot;violent explosion&quot; at Newburyport pharmaceutical manufacturing plant" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7iHJ2yr8a-c?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Major Union Withholding Biden Endorsement 
The United Auto Workers, an influential union in U.S. politics, has announced that it has not yet made a decision whether to re-endorse President Joe Biden in the 2024 election, citing concerns over his plans to increase electric vehicles on the road — a move that could take away jobs from Americans. 
Biden has supported policies that would effectively require two-thirds of new cars sold in the U.S. to be electric within a decade. However, electric vehicles often use fewer parts, meaning fewer workers are required to manufacture them or are often made overseas in places like China. CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/03/politics/autoworkers-union-holding-off-endorsing-biden/index.html#:~:text=The%20powerful%20United%20Auto%20Workers,a%20memo%20from%20the%20union." target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the UAW  president sent a memo to members this week, saying that “The federal government is pouring billions into the electric vehicle transition, with no strings attached and no commitment to workers” while adding that &#8220;The EV transition is at serious risk of becoming a race to the bottom.”  
Jury Rules Ed Sheeran Didn&#8217;t Copy Marvin Gaye
A Manhattan jury <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-jury-reaches-verdict-in-ed-sheeran-lets-get-it-on-copyright-trial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled</a> Thursday that English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran was not liable for copyright infringement in the case regarding his 2014 hit song &#8220;Thinking Out Loud,&#8221; which was accused of sounding too similar to Marvin Gaye’s hit song “Let&#8217;s Get It On.&#8221;
The suit, which was brought by the family of a co-writer of the song, was asking for 100 million dollars in damages. Sheeran has stated that if the case had gone the other way he would quit music altogether.
To listen to the audio version of this podcast, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/morning-wire/id1576594336" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>. And for more in-depth discussion of the biggest stories of the day, listen to the latest full episode of Morning Wire every morning.
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Thursday Afternoon Update: Proud Boys Conviction, Jordan Neely Latest, One Missing After Chemical Explosion In Massachusetts 

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After six days of deliberation, a jury in Washington, D.C., has convicted four out of five Proud Boy defendants of seditious conspiracy in relation to the Jan. 6 riot at the United States Capitol. 
The men convicted of the rare charge are Enrique Tarrio, the former chairman of the Proud Boys, and other chapter leaders Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, and Zachary Rehl. Dominic Pezzola, a member of the Proud Boys from Rochester, New York, bypassed a conviction on seditious conspiracy for now, but was hit lesser convictions. 
&#8220;The jury agrees that the government has proved the existence of a seditious conspiracy,&#8221; POLITICO&#8217;s Kyle Cheney <a href="https://twitter.com/kyledcheney/status/1654139236147134465" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> Thursday morning, adding that Tarrio, Nordean, Biggs, and Rehl were found guilty of the rare charge, which carries up to 20 years behind bars. 
&#8220;All defendants but PEZZOLA also guilty of conspiracy to obstruct Congress,&#8221; Cheney reported. &#8220;Jury appears deadlocked on Pezzola for both of first two counts. However ALL defendants, including PEZZOLA, guilty of actual obstruction of Congress.&#8221;
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MORE: All defendants but PEZZOLA also guilty of conspiracy to obstruct Congress. Jury appears deadlocked on Pezzola for both of first two counts.
However ALL defendants, including PEZZOLA, guilty of actual obstruction of Congress.
&mdash; Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) <a href="https://twitter.com/kyledcheney/status/1654139954644021249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2023</a></blockquote>
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All five defendants were also <a href="https://twitter.com/kyledcheney/status/1654145653231046657" target="_blank" rel="noopener">convicted</a> of obstruction of an official proceeding, conspiracy to prevent Congress or federal officers from discharging duties, interference with law enforcement during a civil disorder, and destruction of government property.
The only defendant who was accused of violence on January 6 was Pezzola, a member of the Proud Boys from Rochester, New York. He apparently used a riot shield that belonged to an officer to break a window pane on the western front of the U.S. Capitol. Pezzola was <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/two-members-proud-boys-indicted-conspiracy-other-charges-related-jan-6-riots">arrested</a> way back in January of 2021, and had remained in jail since. 
Tarrio, who has received the most attention from the mainstream media in this case, was not in Washington, D.C., on the day of the breach. During the trial, the prosecution cited mostly private and some public messages from Tarrio that they said showed the former leader taking credit for the riot. In one message, for example, Tarrio <a href="https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/sedition-trial-for-miami-ex-proud-boys-leader-4-others-begins-2-years-after-jan-6-riot/2948854/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>, &#8220;Make no mistake &#8230; we did this.”
The government also brought up a document outlining a Capitol takeover that was sent to Tarrio on Telegram called “<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/26/proud-boys-leader-verdict-jan-6-00093891">1776 Returns</a>.” Tarrio did not directly respond to the sent document, and claims he never even saw it, let alone opened it up. 
From jail, Tarrio on April 25 commented on the speech issue that was a large part of this trial. Speaking in general terms, Tarrio said the government is trying to “manipulate” how people speak to each other privately. 
“What they’re trying to do, what people are trying to do – and this is in general, I’m speaking in general – is manipulate how we talk to each other in the locker room,&#8221; the former Proud Boy leader said in a Twitter Spaces event. &#8220;And it’s not fair […] It’s just not right. It’s not the Justice system that you grew up in civics class learning about.”

Verdict In For Proud Boys Charged With January 6 Seditious Conspiracy

Verdict In For Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio, Connected For J6 Capitol Breach; DOJ Snags Seditious Conspiracy Convictions    

A new week brought another increase in the number of suspected informants who interacted with defendants from the U.S. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/capitol-riot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Capitol riot</a> on January 6, 2021.
Following a motion last week that asserted there were <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/proud-boys-attorney-wants-unmask-informants-during-jan-6-trial-1793094" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at least 40</a> undercover informants for the FBI and other agencies involved in the riot, a defense attorney in a high-profile <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/proud-boys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Proud Boys</a> seditious conspiracy case said in a filing on Monday the estimate has been bumped up to 50 due to new information about plain-clothes Metropolitan Police Department officers.
&#8220;And just this past weekend, the defense learned that there were at least 10 to 12 additional, previously unknown plain-clothes MPD officers among the Proud Boys,&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/julie_kelly2/status/1645431077052317696" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the filing states</a>. &#8220;This brings the total number of informants among defendants on or around Jan. 6 to 50 or more. And there are reasons to suspect the true number is higher.&#8221;
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BREAKING: Another doozy of a motion filed today by a Proud Boy defense lawyer related to informants, undercover agents
Number of DC Metro undercovers keeps growing: <a href="https://t.co/3vOrIUZNPT">pic.twitter.com/3vOrIUZNPT</a>
&mdash; Julie Kelly 🇺🇸 (@julie_kelly2) <a href="https://twitter.com/julie_kelly2/status/1645431077052317696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The case revolves around former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio, and four other members — Zachary Rehl, Joe Biggs, Ethan Nordean, Dominic Pezzola — who were <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/leader-proud-boys-and-four-other-members-indicted-federal-court-seditious-conspiracy-and" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indicted in federal court</a> for seditious conspiracy and other offenses related to January 6, 2021, the day a crowd of people entered the U.S. Capitol and disrupted lawmakers who were meeting to certify Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory. They face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of seditious conspiracy.
Informants <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/about/faqs/what-is-the-fbis-policy-on-the-use-of-informants" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are used by</a> law enforcement for various investigations, not just those related to January 6, but lawyers for the Proud Boys defendants have made them a centerpiece of their clients&#8217; lengthy trial. An informant for the FBI, who told his handler the Proud Boys &#8220;did not do it, nor inspire&#8221; the violence, even <a href="https://apnews.com/article/proud-boys-capitol-riot-jan-6-informant-3324d58c9f7ba9b3c2f4b2fe7743c920" target="_blank" rel="noopener">testified for the defense</a> last month.
Yet it is the sheer number of informants that have fueled concerns not only about <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fbi-and-capitol-police-identified-credible-threats-but-failed-to-follow-procedure-in-run-up-to-january-6-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">intelligence failures</a> leading up to January 6, but also suspicions about how some of them acted in the events leading up to the U.S. Capitol breach and questions about the retention of evidence.
The filing on Monday, excerpts of which were <a href="https://twitter.com/julie_kelly2/status/1645431077052317696" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared on Twitter</a> by American Greatness senior writer Julie Kelly, stressed that new information obtained by the defense is &#8220;plainly exculpatory&#8221; and claimed that undercover operatives were &#8220;planted among the protesters as instigators; not just observers.&#8221;
The DOJ has said it will stick to responding to allegations <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/proud-boys-attorney-wants-unmask-informants-during-jan-6-trial-1793094" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raised by the defense</a> attorneys in court. <a href="https://twitter.com/julie_kelly2/status/1645482519460999168" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In a new court filing of its own</a>, the DOJ insisted there is nothing &#8220;per se&#8221; — Latin for &#8220;by itself&#8221; — &#8220;exculpatory about using confidential human sources to gather&#8221; information about people suspected of planning violence.
Roughly 27 months after the chaos on January 6, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia says more than <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/27-months-jan-6-attack-capitol" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1,020 arrests</a> have been made in connection to January 6 and notes some 533 defendants have pleaded guilty, including four to a federal charge of seditious conspiracy.

Proud Boys Defense Attorney Claims 50 Informants Revealed In January 6 Case

Department of Justice

The Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed yet another government informant, according to an attorney for one of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/proud-boys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Proud Boys</a> facing a seditious conspiracy case tied to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/january-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">January 6</a>.
This latest twist came on Wednesday when the government conveyed to the defense that this person, who was set to appear on behalf of one of the defendants on Thursday, served as a &#8220;Confidential Human Source&#8221; (CHS) from April 2021 through at least January 2023, <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23720252-motiontocompelcarmen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to a court filing</a>.
“During this period of time, the CHS has been in contact via telephone, text messaging and other electronic means, with one or more of the counsel for the defense and at least one defendant,” attorney Carmen Hernandez wrote.
The informant, who was not identified in the court filing, also participated in prayer meetings with members of one or more of the defendants&#8217; families and engaged in conversations with one of the defendant&#8217;s family members about replacing one of the defense counsel, the attorney added.
Hernandez, who is representing Zachary Rehl, made the assertions in a motion that seeks to compel the disclosure of all FBI interview reports as well as DOJ memos relating to the recording and reporting of the defense team.
U.S. District Court Judge Tim Kelly had <a href="https://twitter.com/julie_kelly2/status/1638637200060424195" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told U.S. government</a> to respond to the filing by 9 a.m. on Thursday, but then ordered the deadline to be extended to the afternoon followed by a hearing on the motion and <a href="https://twitter.com/rparloff/status/1638684516528029697" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pushed back the trial</a> to resume on Friday.
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In light of explosive defense motion filed this afternoon, Proud Boys trial tomorrow is postponed till Friday. Hearing will be held at 3pm on the motion. Govt ordered to respond to it by 1pm tomorrow. &#8230; 1/2 <a href="https://t.co/R5FIY7gziJ">pic.twitter.com/R5FIY7gziJ</a>
&mdash; Roger Parloff (@rparloff) <a href="https://twitter.com/rparloff/status/1638684516528029697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The case involves Rehl, former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio, and three other members — Joe Biggs, Ethan Nordean, Dominic Pezzola — who were <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/leader-proud-boys-and-four-other-members-indicted-federal-court-seditious-conspiracy-and" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indicted in federal court</a> for seditious conspiracy and other offenses related to January 6, 2021, the day a crowd of people entered the U.S. Capitol and disrupted lawmakers who were meeting to certify Biden’s 2020 election victory.
Already, the Justice Department indicated the FBI had upwards of eight informants inside the Proud Boys leading up to January 6. The New York Times, which <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/14/us/politics/fbi-informants-proud-boys-jan-6.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported these revelations in November</a>, insisted that no &#8220;evidence has surfaced&#8221; suggesting that the FBI &#8220;played any role in the attack.&#8221;
Others are more skeptical, including Julie Kelly, a senior writer for American Greatness who has been closely following this story. She <a href="https://twitter.com/julie_kelly2/status/1638633029798068229" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reacted to the court filing</a> on Wednesday by saying, &#8220;DOJ asked Judge Kelly to force defense team to vet questions related to FBI informants WITH THE GOVERNMENT before any were asked in front of the jury. Kelly, of course, complied. Now we know why.&#8221; The writer also opined that the DOJ &#8220;knows they have a terribly weak case.&#8221;
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The Proud Boys trial has endured multiple delays and tense moments, including earlier this month when the federal judge blocked the questioning of witnesses on the bulk of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/proud-boys-j6-case-upended-by-hidden-fbi-messages-judge-calls-much-ado-about-nothing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unintentionally-disclosed FBI messages</a>.
The filing on Wednesday from Hernandez said the defendants are &#8220;preparing a separate motion to dismiss the Indictment or for an evidentiary hearing, raising serious and substantiated allegations of governmental misconduct surrounding the surreptitious invasion and interference of the defense team by the government through a confidential human source, at the government&#8217;s behest.&#8221;
Roughly 26 months after the U.S. Capitol breach, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia says <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/26-months-jan-6-attack-capitol" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more than 1,000 arrests have been made</a> in connection to January 6 and notes more than 500 defendants have pleaded guilty, including four to a federal charge of seditious conspiracy.

Proud Boys Attorney Says DOJ Revealed Informant Close To Defendants

A federal judge on Monday blocked the questioning of witnesses on the bulk of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/fbi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FBI</a> messages disclosed unintentionally in the trial of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/proud-boys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Proud Boys</a> leaders over the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/january-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">January 6</a>  Capitol riot.
The messages caused a stir last week after defense attorneys began questioning a witness about several FBI messages that prosecutors say contain classified information, according to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/12/proud-boys-misconduct-discovery-internal-fbi-messages-00086695" target="_blank" rel="noopener">POLITICO</a>. Defense attorneys allege that prosecutors may be attempting to hide information damaging to their case behind classification barriers.
The government’s seditious conspiracy case against five Proud Boys leaders – Joe Biggs, Ethan Nordean, Dominic Pezzola, Zachary Rehl, and Enrique Tarrio – is one of the most important trials surrounding the January 6 riot, prosecutors say. The trial, which has already undergone numerous delays, was put on hold again last week after prosecutors handed over thousands of messages sent and received by FBI Special Agent Nicole Miller, one of the lead investigators into the Proud Boys&#8217; possible involvement in the January 6 breach.
The unintentional disclosure happened when prosecutors shared a file of messages retrieved from the FBI’s secure messaging system regarding prosecutors’ questioning of Miller. Prosecutors received the messages first from Miller, who obtained the messages through a filter on the FBI system; however, the filter also picked up some messages that prosecutors say are not pertinent to the case and should not have been released. Those messages were accidentally left in “hidden” rows of an Excel spreadsheet turned over to defense attorneys.
The disclosure came to light Thursday after Nordean’s defense attorney, Nicholas Smith, began <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/09/classified-info-proud-boys-trial-00086357" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cross-examining</a> Miller about the messages. Prosecutors objected, and U.S. District Court Judge Tim Kelly dismissed the jury until prosecutors and the defense could work out the disagreement.
The messages, defense attorneys say, suggest serious misconduct by the FBI related to the case against the Proud Boys defendants. Defense attorneys pointed to a conversation Miller and another agent had about one defendant’s decision to fight the government’s charges. Miller had learned about the defendant’s decision from messages the defendant, Rehl, had sent to his attorney, which defense attorneys say suggests a breach of attorney-client privilege.
Other messages that defense attorneys said looked suspicious included a message from one FBI agent asking his name be omitted from a report about a meeting with a confidential human source, an FBI agent’s opinion about the strength of the prosecution’s case against the Proud Boys, and discussion of an order to destroy 338 pieces of evidence.
Prosecutors responded to questions about the messages in a Sunday filing. On Monday, Judge Kelly <a href="https://twitter.com/kyledcheney/status/1635286105854734338" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blocked</a> the defense from questioning Miller on most of the messages, calling the kerfuffle over the mistakenly revealed communications “much ado about nothing” if prosecutors’ explanations are correct.
Kelly allowed questioning on the FBI agent who requested his name be omitted from a report on a meeting with an FBI source. The judge blocked questioning on the other concerns unless defense attorneys could supply persuasive arguments rebutting the Justice Department’s claims about the hidden messages.
Prosecutors said Sunday in an 18-page <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.229063/gov.uscourts.dcd.229063.687.0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">filing</a> that the defense team’s chief concerns are without merit and each “poses a substantial risk of confusing the jury and unfairly prejudicing the government.”
On the alleged breach of attorney-client privilege, the Justice Department said that Rehl waved his Sixth Amendment rights because the conversation “took place over a monitored jail email system that was subject to routine monitoring, which was made known both to the inmate (who had to sign an acknowledgment upon registration and click an acknowledgment each time he used the system) and to the attorney.”
The prosecutors dismissed the FBI agent’s assessment of the case against the defendants under prior court rulings. “As the Court has already explained, it is improper for counsel on either side to elicit testimony about an agent’s opinion on the strength of the evidence,” the filing says.
On the destruction of evidence, the Justice Department said the conversation was related to a 20-year-old, multi-co-defendant trial and not part of a malicious attempt to destroy evidence related to any January 6 prosecution.
The requested editing of the FBI source report, prosecutors said, resulted from a misunderstanding by the FBI agent who made the request.
Smith, Nordean’s attorney, filed a <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.228299/gov.uscourts.dcd.228299.688.0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">motion</a> on Sunday raising questions about thousands of additional lines of messages that the Department of Justice removed from the Excel spreadsheet.

Proud Boys J6 Case Upended By Hidden FBI Messages Judge Calls ‘Much Ado About Nothing’

Politico

Washington D.C.

Five members of the Proud Boys have been indicted for seditious conspiracy related to their storming of the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.
An <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/577292268/Tarrio-Et-Al-Superseding-Indictment-6-6-22-1">amended indictment</a> unsealed in Federal District Court in Washington shows that Enrique Tarrio, who formerly served as the chairman of the Proud Boys, Joseph Biggs, Ethan Nordean, Zachary Rehl and Dominic Pezzola, were indicted for seditious conspiracy.
All of the men were members of the extremist group and had traveled to DC from across the country for the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/january-6">Jan. 6</a> protest — an event that evolved into a riot and resulted in the storming of the United States Capitol.
Tarrio was not in the nation&#8217;s capitol when the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/capitol-riot">Capitol Riot</a> occurred, the filing notes: he had left the city following an order from a local judge after he was charged with the December burning of a Black Lives Matter banner.
Though Tarrio was not accused with “physically taking part in the breach of the Capitol,” the filing said, he still “led the advance planning and remained in contact with other members of the Proud Boys during” the riot, ordered the group to go &#8220;incognito&#8221; rather than wearing their traditional shirts, and created a &#8220;command and control structure” in a Telegram group chat.
Tarrio&#8217;s lawyers have argued that there is no evidence that he and the Proud Boys were conspiring ahead of time to storm the Capitol and that their group chat and protective gear was intended to guard themselves from the leftist activists that they encountered at previous DC events, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/06/us/politics/proud-boys-charged-sedition-capitol-attack.html">according to the New York Times</a>.
The Times notes that the Proud Boys had already been charged with conspiring to obstruct the certification of the 2020 presidential election in an indictment filed in March, and that the charge of seditious conspiracy is the most serious crime that the Justice Department has charged those involved in the Capitol Riot thus far.
The publication notes that charges of seditious conspiracy require that prosecutors prove force was used to interfere with the execution of federal law or to overthrow the government.
The House committee investigating Jan. 6 plans to feature the Proud Boys during their public hearing Thursday night, according to the Times — the committee will show live testimony from documentary film maker Nick Quested who had embedded with the Proud Boys during the riot, as well as testimony from Capitol Police Officer Caroline Edwards, who was injured during the Capitol Riot in an attack that the Times suggested was caused by the Proud Boys.
Lawmakers on the House’s Jan. 6 <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/january-6-committee">committee</a> have hired the former president of ABC News, James Goldston, to promote its findings as a “blockbuster investigative special,” <a href="https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-am-047a583d-c615-4c68-8351-eb4cf5698698.html?chunk=0&amp;utm_term=twsocialshare#story0">Axios reported Monday morning</a>. Those results will be aired during primetime on Thursday evening.
Thursday’s hearing will reportedly include both pre-produced videos and live witnesses, according to Axios, as well as the unveiling of never-before-seen official White House photographs of the breach and surveillance footage.
“It is extremely broad. It’s extremely well organized. It’s really chilling,” Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, a Republican, recently told <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/liz-cheney-january-6-insurrection-conspiracy-to-overturn-election-was-extremely-broad-well-organized/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS “Sunday Morning,</a>” describing the riot as an “extremely well-organized” conspiracy.
“There will be, I think, substantial evidence that really demonstrates the coordination and the planning and the effort, despite the fact that they understood that Donald Trump lost the election and even once the insurrection began and the violence began, there were ongoing efforts to persuade the former President to stop the violence and call on folks to go home, and he refused to do it,” Democratic Rep. David Cicilline of Rhode Island <a href="https://e.newsletters.cnn.com/click?EcGF1bC5yLmxlYmxhbmMzQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ/CeyJtaWQiOiIxNjU0NDczNjc2NTY2ZTY0YmY2ZmFmYjdjIiwiY3QiOiJjbm4tYmM3YWYyMWViOTk3YzAxMTM1MTFjMmQ0NDE1ZjM2ZjMtMSIsInJkIjoiZ21haWwuY29tIn0/HWkhfQ05OX2lfTmV3c19OREJBTjA2MDYyMDIyNjIwOTMzMSxjbjEsaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY25uLmNvbS8yMDIyLzA2LzA0L3BvbGl0aWNzL2NpY2lsbGluZS1qYW51YXJ5LTYtaGVhcmluZy1jbm50di9pbmRleC5odG1s/qP3V0bV90ZXJtPTE2NTQ0NzM2NzY1NjZlNjRiZjZmYWZiN2MmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1jbm5fV2hhdCtNYXR0ZXJzK2ZvcitKdW5lKzUlMkMrMjAyMiZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJmJ0X2VlPWp1RE1ibUFINlFLNmMzeHd5T0ZRRE5pZ3ZlOWVMbGN1ZGY5JTJCWHRIOVlKNXNzM2Q1eWZ2YzB4WGpKVFQ0dXNuRSZidF90cz0xNjU0NDczNjc2NTY5/ste867a1fef" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told CNN</a> on Saturday.

Screen Shot 2022-06-06 at 4.01.19 PM

Five Proud Boys Indicted For Seditious Conspiracy In Capitol Riot

Court Indicts Five Proud Boys For Seditious Conspiracy In Jan. 6 Capitol Riot 

Donald Trump

January 6 Committee

A 22-year veteran D.C. police officer has been suspended from his post and is currently under investigation by his department, the FBI, and the Department of Justice for reportedly working with a leader of the Proud Boys to defuse  potentially violent confrontation with left-wing groups like Antifa, according to a report.
Shane Lamond, a lieutenant in the intelligence branch and father of three, &#8220;has been put on leave amid an investigation into alleged improper contacts with a prominent member of the extremist group Proud Boys,&#8221; <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/02/16/dc-police-tarrio-proud-boys-lamond/">reported</a> The Washington Post.
Few details have been disclosed by authorities, though officers anonymously told the Post that Lamond potentially had &#8220;communications&#8221; with Proud Boys leader Henry “Enrique” Tarrio.
Notably, Tarrio told the Post he was in contact with Lamond in a professional capacity to let the officer know where his group would be protesting. The officer would let Tarrio know the location of &#8220;counter protesters,&#8221; seemingly Antifa, in an effort to &#8220;avoid conflict.&#8221; The Post reported:
<blockquote>Tarrio, reached by phone, described his contacts with Lamond as professional. He said he provided Lamond or other police officials advance notice when the Proud Boys planned to rally or march in the District.
But Tarrio also said that during marches, Lamond would tell him the location of counterdemonstrators. Tarrio said that was so his group could avoid conflict, though after one violent night of demonstrations, police accused the Proud Boys of roaming the city looking for and instigating fights, targeting people they believed identified as antifa, or antifascists.</blockquote>
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“He [Lamond] was just a liaison officer for when we held rallies,” Tarrio said. The report noted that Tarrio &#8220;denied their relationship extended beyond that and said he is not a confidential informant for anyone on the D.C. police force.&#8221;
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“They’re just trying to get anybody at this point,” Tarrio added, speaking of those investigating Lamond. “I only told him, ‘We’re coming into town and we’re going to hold this protest.’ That’s as far as the relationship went.”
A fundraiser has been started by Brooke Lamond, wife of the suspended officer.
&#8220;DC Police Officer Shane Lamond, a 22 year veteran of the DC Metropolitan Police Department, has wrongfully been been placed on administrative leave pending a criminal investigation,&#8221; the <a href="https://givesendgo.com/G2RQA">GiveSendGo</a> fundraiser reads.
&#8220;Why, you ask? The answer is quite simple, for doing his job,&#8221; it bluntly states.
&#8220;They are accusing him of keeping the PEACE, by keeping conflicting parties separate from one another to avoid any violence and to keep the community safe, all while allowing citizens to safely exercise their First Amendment rights,&#8221; the fundraiser continues.
&#8220;Officer Lamond is a father of 3 and a husband before he is a cop,&#8221; Brooke says. &#8220;I and his children, are watching a man who has dedicated the last 22 years of his life to protecting our nation&#8217;s Capital, as well as our family, and he has done so with nothing but integrity and grace. Only to watch him fight for the career and reputation he has spent the last 22 years of his life building.&#8221;
&#8220;I am here asking for your help in any way possible,&#8221; she closes the post. &#8220;We are going to need all the prayers and help we can get. Thank you for taking the time to read this. God Bless.&#8221;
As of Friday evening, $3,728 has been raised for the Lamonds.
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US-CUBA-POLITICS-UNREST-PROTEST

D.C. Officer Suspended, Under FBI, DOJ Investigation For Working With Proud Boys Leader To Evade Violence With Antifa: Report

Police

A judge on Monday ordered two members of the right-wing men&#8217;s group Proud Boys jailed without any conditions of release while they await trial for their alleged role in the breach of the Capitol in January.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee, determined Joseph Biggs and Ethan Nordean were too big a threat to be free before they have their day in court, highlighting &#8220;new evidence&#8221; from Justice Department prosecutors and noting that it did not matter that they weren&#8217;t armed on Jan. 6 and did not assault anyone. The Chicago Sun-Times <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2021/4/19/22392580/leaders-proud-boys-ordered-jailed-capitol-riot-charges">reported</a>:
<blockquote>
Joseph Biggs and Ethan Nordean had been free since their March 10 indictment, but U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly concluded that the two men are dangerous and no conditions for their release could be adequate. The judge said Biggs and Nordean “facilitated political violence” even if they weren’t armed and didn’t assault anybody at the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Kelly overruled another federal judge in Washington, D.C., who had ordered pretrial home confinement for Nordean. Biggs was freed after his initial Jan. 20 arrest in his home state of Florida. Justice Department prosecutors initially didn’t seek to keep Biggs jailed but last month asked for his pretrial release to be revoked, saying new evidence shows he poses a “grave danger” to the community.
</blockquote>
Kelly determined that the &#8220;new evidence presented to prosecutors showed that the two men organized members of their group who participated in the Capitol attack,&#8221; <a href="https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/549879-judge-orders-proud-boys-leader-charged-in-capitol-breach-to-remain">according</a> to The Hill.
Biggs and Nordean were indicted last month with &#8220;conspiring to impede Congress’ certification of the Electoral College vote,&#8221; the Chicago Sun-Times reported. &#8220;Other charges in the indictment include obstruction of an official proceeding, obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder and disorderly conduct.&#8221;
U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell during a hearing in March admonished prosecutors for &#8220;backtracking on their claims that Nordean had instructed Proud Boys members to split up into smaller groups and directed a &#8216;strategic plan&#8217; to breach the Capitol,&#8221; the report noted. Judge Howell, however, concluded that Nordean was &#8220;extensively involved&#8221; in “pre-planning” the Jan 6. breach of the Capitol.
The group the men are a part of, Proud Boys, “were clearly prepared for a violent confrontation,&#8221; the judge added.
A Proud Boys leader from North Carolina who was charged in connection with the Capitol riot, Charles Donohoe, was ordered by Judge Michael Harvey on Thursday to remain jailed until his trial for the safety of the community, POLITICO <a href="https://www.politico.com/amp/news/2021/04/22/proud-boys-leader-detained-484310">reported</a>.
Judge Harvey determined Donohoe played a central role in the breach and celebrated afterward, the report said.
“Here, the danger posed by his release is that he will continue in the future, with his co-conspirators, both indicted and unindicted, to engage in acts of political violence or to aid and abet those who do,” the judge said.
Donohoe and other Proud Boys leaders &#8220;spoke of political violence, of the spirit of 1776, of revolution, of war,” Harvey reportedly said. “There’s no evidence in the record that the defendant or co-conspirators saw Jan. 6 or even the transfer of power to the Biden administration … as the end of that struggle.”
Biggs and Nordean&#8217;s attorneys unsuccessfully requested the suspension of Judge Kelly&#8217;s Monday ruling pending a possible appeal.

Donald Trump supporters organize a rally

2 ‘Proud Boys’ Jailed With No Release Conditions Until Trial For Alleged Role In Capitol Breach

The Department of Justice issued a news release on Friday night stating that two New York men had been indicted for their alleged role in the violent riot at the U.S. Capitol earlier this month.
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/29/nyregion/proud-boys-charged-with-conspiracy-in-capitol-riot.html">reported</a> that the DOJ announced the agency’s “first conspiracy charges against the Proud Boys,” identifying Dominic Pezzola, of Rochester, and William Pepe, of Beacon, as “two members of the far-right nationalist group.” According to the Times, they are accused of “working together to obstruct and interfere with law enforcement officers protecting Congress during the final certification of the presidential election.”
As of now, the indictment does not accuse the men of conspiring to plan the January 6 attack on the Capitol before traveling to Washington, D.C. The Times reports, it &#8220;describes only a two-person conspiracy that lasted only through the day of the rally when, it notes, a large group of Proud Boys traveled to Washington and gathered near the Capitol grounds.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
That said, govt is alleging the two defendants, Dominic Pezzola &amp; William Pepe, conspired w/others &quot;known &amp; unknown to the grand jury,&quot; which means 1. There&#39;s a grand jury (apparently) still investigating and 2. There could easily be more charges on this indictment. <a href="https://t.co/zc00U2uxT9">pic.twitter.com/zc00U2uxT9</a>
&mdash; Alan Feuer (@alanfeuer) <a href="https://twitter.com/alanfeuer/status/1355552527660572677?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The outlet described Mr. Pezzola, 43, as “a former boxer and Marine,” and Mr. Pepe, 31, as “an employee of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.” Both defendants were already in custody, facing lesser charges connected to the Capitol breach. Prosecutors say Pezzola was part of the mob that confronted a Capitol Police officer in the stairway and posted a video on social media smoking a cigar inside the Capitol Building. Prosecutors said Pepe had been photographed inside the Capitol.
On Friday, they were indicted in D.C. federal court on charges of conspiracy, civil disorder, unlawfully entering restricted buildings or grounds, and disorderly and disruptive conduct in restricted buildings or grounds.
The charging documents said Pezzola and Pepe are members of the Proud Boys, stated that they have attended various Proud Boys gatherings and protests, and alleged that both possess tactical vests branded with the Proud Boys logo.
The DOJ provides more details on the <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/two-members-proud-boys-indicted-conspiracy-other-charges-related-jan-6-riots">accusations</a> in the indictment filed on Friday:
<blockquote>Pezzola and Pepe engaged in a conspiracy to obstruct, influence, impede, and interfere with law enforcement officers engaged in their official duties in protecting the U.S. Capitol and its grounds on Jan. 6, 2021. It is alleged that Pezzola and Pepe took actions to evade and render ineffective the protective equipment deployed by Capitol Police in active riot control measures, including actions to remove temporary metal barricades erected by the Capitol Police for the purpose of controlling access to the Capitol Grounds, and the stealing and purloining of property belonging to Capitol Police.
 It is further alleged that Pezzola confronted a Capitol Police officer attempting to control the crowd and ripped away the officer’s riot shield, while the officer was physically engaging with individuals who had gathered unlawfully in the west plaza of the Capitol. Pezzola can be seen on video that has been widely distributed, using that riot shield to smash a window at the U.S. Capitol.</blockquote>
The Proud Boys were founded in 2016. The group <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/two-members-proud-boys-indicted-conspiracy-other-charges-related-jan-6-riots">describes</a> itself as a “pro-Western fraternal organization for men who refuse to apologize for creating the modern world; aka Western Chauvinists.” The Times article says they have “maintained links with both overt white supremacists and more mainstream Republicans,” and been “vocal” and “often violent” supporters of former President Donald J. Trump.
Michael Sherwin, the U.S. attorney in Washington, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/29/nyregion/proud-boys-charged-with-conspiracy-in-capitol-riot.html">said</a> earlier this week that prosecutors had prioritized bringing “more complicated conspiracy cases.” He <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fbi-identifies-more-400-suspects-capitol-riot-n1255757">mentioned</a> “possible coordination among militia groups from different states that had a plan” to descend on Washington, D.C., “to engage in criminal conduct.”
A CNN analysis of court documents <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/29/politics/proud-boys-conspiracy-charges-capitol-riot/index.html">claims</a> at least eight of the approximately 175 defendants facing charges related to the Capitol riot “are affiliated with the Proud Boys.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/proud-boys-leader-denies-new-report-that-claims-he-was-prolific-law-enforcement-informant">Proud Boys Leader Denies New Report That Claims He Was ‘Prolific’ Law Enforcement Informant</a>

Congress Holds Joint Session To Ratify 2020 Presidential Election

Two Proud Boys Indicted On Conspiracy Charges For Alleged Role In U.S. Capitol Riot

Proud Boys leader Henry “Enrique” Tarrio is denying a report that claims he was an informant cooperating with federal and local law enforcement agencies several years ago.
According to an <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-proudboys-leader-idUSKBN29W1PE">exclusive report</a> published by Reuters on Wednesday, “Tarrio’s own lawyer described his undercover work and said he had helped authorities prosecute more than a dozen people in various cases involving drugs, gambling and human smuggling.” The outlet goes on to cite statements from a former federal prosecutor, an FBI agent, a Clinton-appointed federal judge, along with a transcript of a 2014 federal court proceeding, noting, “there is no evidence Tarrio has cooperated with authorities since then.”
Tarrio, 36, said he had no recollection of ever collaborating with government agencies to that extent.
“I don’t know any of this,” Tarrio reportedly said in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday. “I don’t recall any of this.”
Still, Reuters reports that “law enforcement officials and the court transcript contradict Tarrio’s denial.”
Tarrio, who was arrested in 2012, acknowledged his fraud sentence had been reduced from 30 months to 16 months, but, according to the report, “insisted that leniency was provided only because he and his co-defendants helped investigators ‘clear up’ questions about his own case. He said he never helped investigate others.”
Reuters also spoke to Vanessa Singh Johannes, the former federal prosecutor in Tarrio’s trial. She reportedly told the outlet that “he cooperated with local and federal law enforcement, to aid in the prosecution of those running other, separate criminal enterprises, ranging from running marijuana grow houses in Miami to operating pharmaceutical fraud schemes.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Exclusive: Proud Boys leader was ‘prolific’ informer for law enforcement <a href="https://t.co/1vW4fvoyCn">https://t.co/1vW4fvoyCn</a> <a href="https://t.co/XqYi5oElic">pic.twitter.com/XqYi5oElic</a>
&mdash; Reuters (@Reuters) <a href="https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1354484419655032835?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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More from Reuters:
<blockquote>Tarrio’s then-lawyer Jeffrey Feiler said in court that his client had worked undercover in numerous investigations, one involving the sale of anabolic steroids, another regarding “wholesale prescription narcotics” and a third targeting human smuggling. He said Tarrio helped police uncover three marijuana grow houses, and was a “prolific” cooperator.
In the smuggling case, Tarrio, “at his own risk, in an undercover role met and negotiated to pay $11,000 to members of that ring to bring in fictitious family members of his from another country,” the lawyer said in court.
In an interview, Feiler said he did not recall details about the case but added, “The information I provided to the court was based on information provided to me by law enforcement and the prosecutor.”</blockquote>
The Washington Post referenced “a screed posted online” by Tarrio after the Reuters report was published. <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/proud-boys-enrique-tarrio-fbi-informer/2021/01/27/21c1df0e-60be-11eb-9430-e7c77b5b0297_story.html">According</a> to the Post, &#8220;Tarrio criticized the government and the media for disclosing his past activities, and argued that his cooperation was done with the full knowledge and participation of his co-defendants.&#8221; The outlet quoted Tarrio as writing, “They have proven that if you cooperate with the US government they will hang you out to dry…So my question is…is it worth it? That I leave up to y’all to decide.”
The excerpt appears to be from a much <a href="https://t.me/NobleLeader/1697">longer passage</a> posted on a <a href="https://t.me/s/NobleLeader">Telegram account</a> believed to be manned by Tarrio. It said the Reuters report “sensationalizes the fact that in this case there was some heavy cooperating” while accusing the outlet of using unrelated cases to create “clickbait” to “demonize” Mr. Tarrio.
“You are seeing the media and government propaganda machine work in real time,” the account posted. “They’ve silenced us…demonetized us…used us as a scapegoat for their own failures…and most importantly…put us in f***ing chains. I was saying this years ago that the moment Donald Trump leaves office they will do everything in their power to stop us.”
Tarrio is based in Miami and became the national chairman of the Proud Boys in 2018, two years after its founding. Reuters describes the Proud Boys as an “extremist” and “right-wing” group that started out “protesting political correctness and perceived constraints on masculinity,” but “grew into a group with distinctive colors of yellow and black that embraced street fighting.”
In interviews with Reuters, Tarrio reportedly said there were times when he had alerted law enforcement before Proud Boys’ rallies in various cities. However, he ended that practice in mid-December after members of the group clashed with anti-Trump protesters in the streets of Washington, D.C., Tarrio said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Fights are breaking out between Proud Boys staying at hotels near the White House and protesters. Sporadic so far, one brief but intense clash ended with a firework going off at Hyatt Place near K and 16th. People still being treated for pepper spray exposure. <a href="https://t.co/3ax3G8AHZd">pic.twitter.com/3ax3G8AHZd</a>
&mdash; Alejandro Alvarez 🫡 (@aletweetsnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/aletweetsnews/status/1337908687990648840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Tarrio <a href="https://dcist.com/story/20/12/18/proud-boys-leader-enrique-tarrio-black-lives-matter-church-protests/">claimed responsibility</a> for burning a Black Lives Matter banner stolen from a church during those December demonstrations. He was taken into custody shortly after arriving in D.C. on January 4, two days before the pro-Trump Save America rally. Law enforcement charged Tarrio with destruction of property and possession of two high-capacity firearm magazines that police had found in his backpack at the time of his arrest. They were both unloaded. Tarrio <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/proud-boys-enrique-tarrio-fbi-informer/2021/01/27/21c1df0e-60be-11eb-9430-e7c77b5b0297_story.html">pleaded</a> not guilty and was released on January 5 after being <a href="https://dcist.com/story/21/01/04/proud-boys-leader-arrested-blm-banner-burning/">ordered</a> by a judge to leave D.C. Although he did not participate in the Capitol breach the next day, at least five Proud Boys have been charged for their alleged roles.

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