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Who is Steve Baker and why has his arrest sparked MAGA outrage? Here's full story
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Friday arrested reporter Steve Baker for his coverage of the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Friday arrested reporter Steve Baker for his coverage of the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. During the riot, a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building to protest Joe Biden's 2020 election victory.
Baker, who was present at the scene, videotaped himself and expressed sympathy with the rioters. He faces multiple accusations for his deeds and controversial statements during the riot.
Despite his claim of being an independent journalist, people have raised questions about his involvement in the Capitol riot. The FBI used his recorded videos as evidence against him.
Also Read: Former Fox News reporter says he was fired after challenging Capitol Hill Coverage
The arrest of Baker, an investigative reporter for conservative news outlet Blaze Media, has sparked controversy, with some calling it an attack on free press.
Few others, like Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy have condemned Baker's detention, claiming it infringes free press. However, many suggest that his actions went beyond mere reporting and that he actively participated in the chaos.
In a post on X, Blaze media said shared a video of Baker's arrest, showing him in handcuffs.
‘Free Press is dead in America’: Supporters of Trump's MAGA voice outrage
Reacting to Baker's arrest, Marjorie Taylor Greene, a staunch supporter of Trump, said: “The Biden regime just arrested journalist Steve Baker for covering Jan 6.”
"Free Press is dead in America when the government jails journalists who refuse to report the regime's political agenda and lies," she wrote on X.
“Those who pontificate about 'threats to our democracy' should take a hard look at the threats to freedom of the press,” Ramaswamy tweeted.
Conservative activist Brigitte Gabriel said in post: “Steve Baker has done nothing wrong. This is harassment.”
Meanwhile, Blaze Media founder Glenn Beck in a statement said: “The timing of the FBI's actions is peculiar, to say the least. It serves as a stark reminder of the challenges we face in our pursuit of truth. It demonstrates that those in positions of power are quick to react when confronted with narratives that deviate even slightly from their carefully scripted versions of events.”
Who is Steve Baker and what did he say before his arrest?
Steve Baker is charged with four standard misdemeanors – “Knowingly Entering or Remaining in any Restricted Building or Grounds Without Lawful Authority, Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Ground, Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building, and Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building".
According to a copy of an FBI affidavit obtained by NBC News, federal prosecutors will focus on Baker's comments that indicate he was supportive to the mob, such as slamming Nancy Pelosi after discussing the mob raiding the former House speaker's office and saying he regretted not stealing government property like computers during the attack.
"The only thing I regret is that I didn’t, like, steal their computers because God knows what I could’ve found on their computers if I’d done that," Baker stated, as per the affidavit.
In another interview on January 6, he said: “Do I approve of what happened today?" "I approve 100%." he added, according to the FBI filing.
Also Read: US house speaker to release over 40,000 hours of Capitol riot video
Ahead of his arrest, Baker posted on X: "This time, it's really happening. Unlike the two previous threats my attorneys received from @FBI/@thejusticedept (Nov. 21 and Dec. 23), my self-surrender for alleged J6 crimes is set for this Friday morning in Dallas, TX. There is now a signed arrest warrant."
He them informed that official will take him to the courthouse in Dallas, Texas to appear before the magistrate on Friday.
"They didn't have to go this route, as we've been told that my charges are non-violent misdemeanors," he said in another post on X.
“My attorneys have also been assured by the gov. that this will be an 'in and out' affair and that they have 'no intention' of detaining me. But, rather than issuing a simple order to appear, they seem to feel the need to give me a dose of the personal humiliation treatment,” he added.
