“When it rains it pours for Michigan Republicans” … “Kelley is…the top of the field right now” … “Not some random gadfly candidate” … “One of the many insurrectionists doing well in GOP primaries” … “It’s not a safe assumption that being arrested by the FBI…would hurt Ryan Kelley’s chances in the primary”
This morning, the news broke that Republican gubernatorial candidate and known insurrectionist Ryan Kelley was arrested by the FBI during a raid on his home relating to several charges stemming from the violent activity that took place on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021.
Those Near and Far Noted Kelley’s Arrest Marked the Latest Chapter in a Republican Gubernatorial Primary Marked by Fraud, Corruption, Lies, and Criminal Activity
Eric Lloyd (9&10 News): Two weeks ago there were ten GOP candidates for governor. Since then, five have been kicked off the ballot and another has been arrested. We may not need a primary. The Michigan election cycle is like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.
Andrew Roth (Michigan Advance): Nearly one week after half of the Republican gubernatorial candidates failed to make the ballot because they submitted thousands of fraudulent signatures, Ryan Kelley, one of five remaining candidates, has been arrested by the FBI for Jan. 6 involvement. #MIGov #Election2022
Malachi Barrett (Bridge Detroit): Forget Trump, inter-party fighting or fundraising, the legal system has been the biggest player in deciding Michigan’s Republican gubernatorial field.
Chad Livengood (Detroit News): Oh, you thought this rollercoaster race for the Republican nomination for governor of Michigan was going to calm down for a week???
Zach Gorchow (Gongwer): When you’re giving a presentation on the 2022 election cycle to a group and one of the attendees informs you a candidate for governor has been arrested.
Steve Neavling (Detroit Metro Times): It had been a really bad month for Republican candidates for governor in Michigan.
Former MIGOP Executive Director Jeff Timmer: Serious question: is there a single Republican candidate/campaign in Michigan who’s not recently been arrested or under criminal investigation?
Philip Lewis (Huffington Post): Michigan has to have the wildest gubernatorial race this year
Reporters Spelled Out the Violent, Criminal Behavior That Earned Kelley Multiple FBI Indictments
Simon Schuster (MLive): “As far as going through any barricades, or doing anything like that, I never took part in any forceful anything,” Ryan Kelley told [Malachi Barrett] in March 2021. The FBI document supporting his arrest alleges Kelley helped a rioter do exactly that.
Ryan Reilly (NBC News): Ryan Kelley, the FBI says, was “using his hands to support another rioter who is pulling the metal barricade.”
Mark Cavitt (The Oakland Press): UPDATE: The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia just released this statement on the FBI’s arrest of MI gubernatorial candidate Ryan Kelley. Kelley scheduled to make initial court appearance this afternoon in U.S. District Court for Western District of Michigan.
David Eggert (Crain’s Detroit Business): On Jan. 16, 2021, an anonymous tipster alerted the FBI that Ryan Kelley was at the Capitol attack – providing photos. More tips followed, including from a confidential informant who’d been working with FBI to provide info on domestic terrorism groups since 2020.
Chad Livengood (Detroit News): The FBI’s investigation of GOP gubernatorial candidate Ryan Kelley’s involvement in the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol started with this tweet and a tip with the “the same or similar pictures,” according to an FBI statement used to arrest Kelley.
Arpan Lobo (Detroit Free Press): The FBI used this photo of Ryan Kelley I took during a rally in Oct. 2020 in Allendale to compare with screenshots of media coverage from Jan. 6 riots. The sunglasses in particular were helpful to match, FBI agents wrote in their statement of facts regarding Kelley
Reporters Detailed Kelley’s Standing in the Crowded GOP Gubernatorial Field and the Comments About the Insurrection That Earned Him His Frontrunner Status
Grant Hermes (WDIV): CONFIRMED: FBI is executing a search warrant at the Allendale home of Ryan Kelley. There’s also an arrest warrant out for him. Kelley is a current GOP gov candidate polling around 19%, the top of the field right now. He was also on the Capitol steps on Jan. 6.
Tim Miller (The Bulwark): A recent poll had Kelley in the lead in a fractured field. This is not some random gadfly candidate. He’s one of the many insurrectionists doing well in GOP primaries. He could very well have been (be?) the GOP nominee.
Henry Gomez (NBC News): When it rains it pours for Michigan Republicans. Top two GOP candidates disqualified from the primary. Ryan Kelley, who took the lead in the first poll after that, was arrested by the FBI today.
Jacob Rubashkin (Inside Elections): So to recap Michigan Gov:
-Two top GOP candidates were denied ballot access after each submitted thousands of forged signatures
-The candidate who led in the only poll after that, Ryan Kelley, was just arrested by the FBI (unclear for what but he was at the Capitol on Jan. 6)
Andrew Roth (Michigan Advance): If he’s able to run, it’s not a safe assumption that being arrested by the FBI for involvement in the Jan. 6 insurrection would hurt Ryan Kelley’s chances in the primary. #MIGov #Election2022
Samuel Robinson (Axios Detroit): Ryan Kelley’s political career:
— township planning commissioner
— website/yt channel advocating to arrest lawmakers over pandemic restrictions.
— organized counter protest in support of confederate statue
— attended Jan. 6
— finalist for GOP governor
— arrested by FBI
Craig Mauger (Detroit News): Ryan Kelley has previously called for the arrests of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel
Eric Lloyd (9&10 News): KELLEY ARREST | [9 & 10 News] At our GOP candidate debate, I asked the candidates what they did to fight against government control. Kelley: It’s about what you do. I was in Washington DC on January 6th as well, standing up against our stolen election.
Samuel J. Robinson (Axios): I spoke to Ryan Kelley for this, who told me the Jan. 6 insurrection was an “energizing event” where “real patriots” were simply acting in support of Donald Trump. He doesn’t think his involvement in it disqualifies him from office.
Malachi Barrett (Bridge Detroit): Ryan Kelley: “I get called an insurrectionist because I went to Washington, D.C. “We cannot be fearful of what they’re going to say about us, what they’re going to call us.”
Malachi Barrett (Bridge Detroit): Ryan Kelley: “I think that event was definitely an energizing event, right? It will live on in history, absolutely. For a lot of different things.”
Steve Neavling (Detroit Metro Times): Here Kelley is again saying, “Come on, let’s go! This is it! This is, this is war, baby!”
Craig Mauger (Detroit News): About 40 people here in Grand Rapids to show their support for Ryan Kelley ahead of his 2:30 arraignment, including a handful of Michigan candidates.
David Eggert (Crain’s Detroit Business): Ryan Kelley’s campaign posts 2 words in a Facebook post: ‘political prisoner’
