LANSING, Mich. (CN) — The FBI raided the western Michigan home of Republican gubernatorial candidate Ryan Kelley and arrested him Thursday morning for charges related to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
A real estate broker from Allendale, Michigan, Kelley is one of five candidates for governor on the Aug. 2 Republican primary ballot. He was seen in Washington on the day of the insurrection.
He has been charged with four misdemeanors, including disorderly conduct and unlawfully entering a restricted building. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison if convicted on all charges.
Kelley, 40, founded the American Patriot Council, which says it aims to “restore and sustain a constitutional government in the United States of America.” The group also says on its website that it condemns "the use of violence as a form of political action.”
According to charging documents, an anonymous tipster called attention to Kelley’s attendance at the Capitol that was also corroborated by a video in a Twitter post. Kelley was identified by his aviator sunglasses and backwards black baseball cap as he assembled on the northwestern scaffolding on the western side of the Capitol.
“The media is a video which shows Kelley, wearing a black hat and a black coat, is in a crowd of people who are assaulting and pushing past law enforcement officers,” according to an FBI affidavit.
Kelley allegedly was not satisfied just being in attendance.
“After causing U.S. Capitol Police to retreat, the crowd climbed the stairs towards the entrance to the interior of the U.S. Capitol…Kelley moved towards the side of the nearby stairs and began to climb onto an architectural feature next to those stairs,” the affidavit states.
The documents say Kelley stood on the architectural feature and gestured for the mob behind him to advance inside. These actions were captured on YouTube.
Further confirmation of Kelley’s identity came in the form of pictures of him consistently wearing the same black baseball hat and black coat at local political events.
When Kelley faced local media over reports that he was at the riot, he denied going inside the Capitol and refused to confirm if he was captured in several photographs that were presented to him.
The FBI says three witnesses were used to positively identify Kelley in the photos.
“Based on the foregoing…there is probable cause to believe that Kelley…knowingly remained in any restricted building without authority to do so…with the intent to impede or disrupt the orderly conduct of government business,” the affidavit states.
An emailed request for a comment from the Kelley campaign was not immediately returned.
Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes released a statement Thursday condemning Kelley.
“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” she said.
Kelley’s American Patriot Council has alleged that Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, all Democrats, have committed felonies in office with their actions regarding the Covid-19 pandemic and should be arrested.
The Detroit News reported that Kelley told a crowd in Livingston County in January to unplug voting machines from the wall if "you see something you don't like happening with the machine."
Benson, the top election official in the state, referred the Kelley’s comments to Nessel and noted that tampering with voting machines was illegal.
In January 2021, the Detroit Free Press reported that Allendale citizens called for Kelley’s removal from the Allendale Township Planning commission when the videos of his participation in the Capitol riot began to surface.
“Not condemning bad behavior is condoning it,” said Allendale resident Debbie Culbertson. “He should not represent who we are as a community.”
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