Republican Candidate for Michigan Governor Arrested, Charged in Connection With Capitol Riot

News of the arrest arrives on the same day as the Jan. 6 committee was set to launch a hearing focused on the fatal riot, which took place last January.

June 9, 2022

A Republican candidate for governor in Michigan has been arrested and charged in connection with last year’s fatal Capitol riot.

Per a report from the Associated Press, 40-year-old Ryan Kelley—who’s one of five GOP candidates pursuing the office—was charged with multiple misdemeanors on Thursday. Among the Capitol riot-focused details cited in court documents are a February 2021 interview in which Kelley himself spoke about being at the location on Jan. 6, as well as his featured speaker status at a regional Stop the Steal rally in Lansing. He has also been reported to have been seen outside the Capitol in footage of the Jan. 6 riot.

In a criminal complaint shared by a WDIV-TV reporter, as seen below, Kelley’s offenses are listed as: knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, knowingly engaging in any act of physical violence against person or property in any restricted building or grounds, and willfully inquiring or committing any depredation against any property of the U.S.

A more detailed regional report notes that Kelley was arrested by the FBI Thursday at his home in Allendale, which was also the site of a search warrant executed the same day. In a statement, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia said Kelley was set to make an initial court appearance later on Thursday.

At the time of this writing, Kelley’s team had already begun predictable efforts to turn the arrest into a campaign-serving development by sharing a post to Facebook with the phrase “political prisoner.”

News of Kelley’s arrest comes on the same day as the launch of the publicly broadcast Jan. 6 committee hearings. Per a committee statement, Thursday evening’s hearing will feature “previously unseen material” focused on the riot, as well as testimony from witnesses. The hearing will be streamed via the link below.