A Republican candidate challenging a Democratic governor in Michigan was arrested on Thursday for allegedly attending the U.S. Capitol rally last year.
Ryan Kelley, a leading GOP candidate for governor of Michigan, was taken into federal custody and charged with four misdemeanor crimes, including trespassing, disorderly conduct, committing an act of violence against a person or property on restricted grounds, and depredation of federal property.
The arrest came on the same day the House committee started its televised hearing of the January 6 riots.
“[Kelley] is among more than 800 people who are facing criminal charges in connection with the Jan. 6 riot. More than 300 people have pleaded guilty, largely to misdemeanor offenses punishable by no more than one year in prison. Some who’ve pleaded guilty to misdemeanors have been sentenced to short stints behind bars while others have been sentenced to home confinement or probation,” the Associated Press reported.
Kelley could face a year in prison for each count against him. His campaign has not released an official statement regarding his arrest but a short post on Kelley’s page on Thursday said, “Political Prisoner.”
The GOP candidate rose to prominence in the Great Lakes State in 2020 when Kelley became an outspoken critic of the draconian COVID-19 restrictions enacted by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
Similarly, a physical education teacher in California is suing the Sacramento City Unified School District after he was fired for participating in the riots last year.
Dustin Watson acknowledged in the lawsuit that he participated in the rally but claimed that he “did not anticipate the events to take a violent turn.”
Watson was subsequently investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was “relieved of any suspicion of domestic terrorism,” the lawsuit reads. He seeks relief and damages for loss of pay, as well as denial of employment benefits.
He has since taken a job teaching in another school district south of Sacramento and said that he feels that the school has blacklisted him over his harmless actions.
“I do believe I have been blacklisted, due to the fact I was also dropped from my credential program and denied the chance to finish my teaching credential of which I was four months away from completing,” the teacher said.
