On Friday the FBI arrested Steve Baker, a Blaze News investigative journalist, for his reporting on January 6.
Baker faces charges including “knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority,” “disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds,” “disorderly conduct in a Capitol building” and “parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.”
“They didn’t have to go this route,” Baker told Blaze News. “We have been told that my charges are only misdemeanors. And my attorneys have been assured that this will be an ‘in and out’ affair with ‘no intention’ to detain me. But rather than issuing a simple order to appear, they went the ‘arrest warrant’ route.”
James Lee Bright, Baker’s attorney, commented on the unusual secrecy surrounding the charges prior to surrender.
“We do not know if there will be pretrial travel restrictions, although that has been the norm for J6 defendants — even for misdemeanor defendants,” Baker said.
Matthew Peterson, Blaze Media’s editor in chief, criticized the federal government’s handling of Baker’s case.
“The federal government’s treatment of Steve Baker is outrageous,” Peterson said. “He’s had unknown charges hanging over his head for years, but after we started working with him the government sprang back into action. There is no need to put him in a jumpsuit or handcuffs except as a humiliation ritual or a show, which seems to be exactly what they are planning on doing on Friday.”
“We will be showing the world footage from January 6 that shows Steve was clearly present that day as an independent journalist. Government retaliation such as this against journalists contradicts the very idea of a free press, the purpose of our form of government, and what once was the American way of life.”
“This should not be happening in America,” Peterson concluded
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