President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice on Tuesday unsealed documents revealing a new arrest was made in connection to the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
During a standoff with law enforcement at the Lower West Terrace tunnel, a Kentucky man was detained on suspicion of joining the others that day that breached the Capitol. According to court documents, Barry Saturday is alleged to have been present when rioters attacked police officers guarding the Capitol and allegedly rejoiced after witnessing one rioter steal a police shield.
According to the affidavit, investigators followed Saturday’s movements throughout the altercation with police, including his push toward the police line as rioters attempted to break through and enter the building.
After being pepper sprayed and later forced out of the tunnel, he was observed “deliberately following” two lone officers who had been drawn into the crowd before rejoining the group at the tunnel entrance, according to court records.
“FBI officials say they used a facial comparison tool to match up Saturday’s pictures with his Twitter account and a photo of him on the Lexington Herald-Leader news website. They then found that Saturday had actually been interviewed by the FBI three times before in 2018 and 2019 when he was reporting that he was a victim of some kind of cyber intrusion, according to officials. The FBI never found such evidence on Saturday’s devices, but agents who interviewed him during those appearances confirmed that he was the individual depicted in photos from the riot,” ABC News reported.
“They further confirmed his identity through his public social media photos and driver’s license photograph, as well as information obtained via search warrant from his cell phone, according to charging documents,” the outlet added.
This comes as former President Donald Trump has been indicted again by Special Counsel Jack Smith stemming from his investigation into the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol Building.
According to Fox News, “This is the second federal indictment the former president faces out of Smith’s investigation. Trump, who leads the 2024 GOP presidential primary field, has already pleaded not guilty to 37 counts related to his alleged improper retention of classified records from his presidency.”
Trump faces several charges in that probe, including willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and false statements. Additionally, he was indicted on three additional counts as part of a superseding indictment issued in connection with the same investigation last week.
This is the second time in U.S. history that a former president has faced charges in a federal criminal probe.
“This is nothing more than the latest corrupt chapter in the continued pathetic attempt by the Biden Crime Family and their weaponized Department of Justice to interfere with the 2024 Presidential Election, in which President Trump is the undisputed frontrunner, and leading by substantial margins,” a Trump campaign spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
“But why did they wait two and a half years to bring these fake charges, right in the middle of President Trump’s winning campaign for 2024? Why was it announced the day after the big Crooked Joe Biden scandal broke out from the Halls of Congress?” the spokesperson added.
“The answer is, election interference!” the spokesperson said. “The lawlessness of these persecutions of President Trump and his supporters is reminiscent of Nazi Germany in the 1930s, the former Soviet Union, and other authoritarian, dictatorial regimes.”
“President Trump has always followed the law and the Constitution, with advice from many highly accomplished attorneys,” the spokesperson continued. “These un-American witch hunts will fail and President Trump will be re-elected to the White House so he can save our Country from the abuse, incompetence, and corruption that is running through the veins of our Country at levels never seen before.”
The spokesperson concluded: “Three years ago, we had strong borders, energy independence, no inflation, and a great economy. Today, we are a nation in decline. President Trump will not be deterred by disgraceful and unprecedented political targeting!”
Reports said Trump was charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.
