Records display fervent Trump fans fueled U.S. Capitol takeover

The insurrectionist mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol at the president’s behest the other day was overwhelmingly built up of longtime Trump supporters, including Republican Party officials, GOP political donors, far-right militants, white colored supremacists, and adherents of the QAnon myth that the federal government is secretly controlled by a cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophile cannibals. Information display that some were heavily armed and included convicted criminals, for instance a Florida man recently unveiled from prison for attempted murder.

The Associated Press reviewed social media posts, voter registrations, court files and other public record information for a lot more than 120 persons either facing criminal charges linked to the Jan. 6 unrest or who, heading maskless amid the pandemic, were later discovered through photographs and video lessons taken through the melee.

The data gives lie to claims by right-wing pundits and Republican officials such as for example Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., that the violence was perpetrated by left-wing antifa thugs rather than supporters of the president.

“If the studies are true,” Gaetz explained on the House floor just hours after the attack, “a number of the people who breached the Capitol today were not Trump supporters. These were masquerading as Trump supporters and, actually, were customers of the violent terrorist group antifa.”

Steven D’Antuono, the associate director responsible for the FBI’s Washington field office, told reporters that investigators had seen “not any indication” antifa activists were disguised just as Trump supporters in Wednesday’s riot.

The AP found that many of the rioters had taken up to social media following the November election to retweet and parrot false claims by Trump that the vote had been stolen in a vast international conspiracy. Countless acquired openly threatened violence against Democrats and Republicans they thought to be insufficiently devoted to the president. During the riot, some livestreamed and posted images of themselves at the Capitol. Afterwards, various bragged about what they had done.

Up to now, at least 90 people have already been arrested on fees which range from misdemeanor curfew violations to felonies linked to assaults on cops, possessing unlawful weapons and making death threats against House Loudspeaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Among them was Lonnie Leroy Coffman, 70, an Alabama grandfather who drove to Washington to attend Trump’s “Save America Rally” in a crimson GMC Sierra pickup filled with an M4 assault rifle, multiple loaded magazines, three handguns and 11 Mason jars filled with homemade napalm, relating to courtroom filings. He was arrested carrying a 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun and a .22-caliber derringer pistol in his pockets.

His grandson, Brandon Coffman, told the AP on Fri his grandfather was a Republican who had expressed admiration for Trump at holiday break gatherings. He said he had no idea why Coffman would arrive in the nation’s capital armed for civil war.

As well facing federal charges is Cleveland Grover Meredith Jr., a Georgia man who in the wake of the election experienced protested outside the home of Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, whom Trump possessed publicly blamed for his damage in the condition. Meredith drove to Washington the other day for the “Save America” rally but arrived late as a result of a problem with the lamps on his trailer, regarding to courtroom filings that include expletive-laden texts.

“Headed to DC with a good (s--) ton of 5.56 armor-piercing ammo,” he texted friends and relatives on Jan. 6, adding a purple devil emoji, regarding to court filings. The next time, he texted to the group: “Considering heading to Pelosi (C--’s) speech and adding a bullet in her noggin on Live TV.” He once more added a purple devil emoji, and wrote he might hit her along with his truck instead. “I’m gonna work that (C--) Pelosi over while she chews on her gums. … Dead (B--) Strolling. I predict that within 12 days, many inside our country will die.”

A good participant in the written text exchange provided screenshots to the FBI, who tracked Meredith to a Holiday Inn a brief walk from the Capitol. They found a concise Tavor X95 assault rifle, a 9mm Glock 19 handgun and about 100 rounds of ammunition, according to courtroom filings. The agents as well seized a stash of THC edibles and a vial of injectable testosterone.

Meredith is charged with transmitting a threat, together with felony counts for possession of firearms and ammunition.

Michael Thomas Curzio was arrested in relation to the riots less than 2 yrs after he premiered from a good Florida prison in 2019. He previously dished up eight years for attempted murder.

Federal police vowed Fri to bring extra charges against those who carried out the attack on the Capitol, launching a nationwide manhunt for a large number of suspects discovered from photographic evidence

The FBI has opened a murder probe into the loss of life of Capitol OFFICER Brian D. Sicknick, who was hit in the top with a fire extinguisher, according to law enforcement officials who spoke on the health of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation publicly.

The Trump supporters who died in the riot were Kevin D. Greeson, 55, of Athens, Alabama; Benjamin Philips, 50, of Ringtown, Pennsylvania; Ashli Babbitt, 35, of NORTH PARK; and Rosanne Boyland, 34, of Kennesaw, Georgia.

Boyland’s sister told the AP on Fri she was a great adherent of the QAnon conspiracy theory that holds Trump is America’s savior. Her Facebook web page featured photos and videos praising Trump and endorsing fantasies, including one theory that a shadowy group was employing the coronavirus to steal elections. Boyland’s final content on Twitter - a retweet of a post by White House social media director Dan Scavino - was an image of thousands of folks surrounding the Washington Monument on Wednesday.

The AP’s review discovered that QAnon beliefs were common amongst those who heeded Trump’s call to come quickly to Washington.

Doug Jensen, 41, was first arrested by the FBI on Fri found in Des Moines, Iowa, after returning residence from the riot. An AP photographer captured photos of him confronting Capitol Cops beyond the Senate chamber on Wednesday.

Jensen was wearing a good black T-shirt emblazoned with a sizable Q and the phrase “Trust THE PROGRAM,” a mention of QAnon.

Jensen’s older brother, William Routh, told the AP on Saturday that Jensen believed that the individual posting as Q was either Trump or perhaps someone very near to the president.

“I feel like he had a lot of impact from the web that confused or obscured his opinions on certain issues,” said Routh, of Clarksville, Arkansas, who described himself as a good Republican Trump supporter. “When I talked to him, he believed that probably this was Trump telling him how to proceed.”