By Neenah Payne
The events at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 have been likened to the attack on Pearl Harbor which set of World War II and to the 9/11 attacks which were used to justify the endless War on Terror. This is the largest criminal investigation in FBI history. Many Americans have been arrested and detained without charges. Yet, the corporate media has provided only one side of the story.
Instead of an “insurrection”, it looks like many Americans went to the Capitol to peacefully protest what they believed was a stolen election. A recount of contested states could have resolved the question and re-assured Americans the vote was fair. Trump and many Americans expected Vice President Mike Pence to call for a recount. There are important questions about the lack of security at the Capitol. Fortunately, Tucker Carlson and Epoch Times have shown the rest of the story.
Tucker Carlson: Other Side of January 6 Story
Good journalism provides facts on both sides of a story so people can come to their own conclusions. Propaganda censors one side of the story to force people to come to a pre-ordained conclusion that serves a political agenda. What did the corporate media hide about January 6 and why?
Fox News host Tucker Carlson shows first of Jan. 6 footage
On January 6, 2021, the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., was attacked by a mob of supporters of then-U.S. president Donald Trump, two months after his defeat in the 2020 presidential election.
Tucker Carlson: Here is the truth 3/9/23
Epoch Times Panel: “The Real Story of Jan 6”
Jan Jekielek is a Senior Editor with The Epoch Times and host of the show "American Thought Leaders." He was raised in communist Poland. In the video below, Jekielek says about The Epoch Times:
Today, we are the 4th largest news media in America following the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post, although they don’t like to admit it. A friend of mine, Jason Jones, once said, “The Epoch Times stands up for vulnerable people. I wasn’t totally sure about you until you decided to tackle January 6th.” We started on this issue back in 2021, and we’ve published more than 500 articles on January 6th. We have produced two feature-length documentaries. We’ve had exclusive access to the January 6th video footage.
Jekielek explains that 16 million people have seen The Real Story of January 6 | Documentary which first aired in 2022. The Real Story of January 6 Part 2: The Long Road Home | NEW Documentary was launched on the third anniversary of January 6 to show what has happened to January 6 defendants. Note: A subscription to Epoch Times is required to see the full documentaries.
DOJ Now Sharply Increasing Jan. 6 Arrests
After a Pause, DOJ is Now Sharply Increasing Jan. 6 Arrests 3/6/24
The DOJ is making arrests and filing charges at its quickest pace in three years, pushing the expected total up to 2,150 arrests by 2026. The pace of FBI arrests and the opening of new Jan. 6 criminal cases quickened so much in late 2023 and early 2024 that District of Columbia federal courts could bend under the weight.
In the past two months, 93 people have been arrested and charged, according to Department of Justice (DOJ) reports. At the current rate, some 445 new cases could hit the docket in 2024—more than in 2022 and 2023, according to one estimate. In total, up to March 6, at least 1,358 people have been arrested by the FBI and criminally charged by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for crimes related to Jan. 6.
If the current trend is to hold, total arrests will be 2,150 by the time the statute of limitations on Jan. 6 crimes expires in early 2026, according to Jacob Rugh, associate professor of sociology at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Mr. Rugh and researcher Isabella Felin have been publishing Jan. 6 statistics and data visualization on X and Instagram since August 2022.
William Shipley, a former federal prosecutor who has represented more than 50 Jan. 6 defendants, said he noticed an upswing in cases starting in September 2023….. The top arrest states include Florida (129), Texas (104), Pennsylvania (93), California (90), New York (80), Ohio (71), and Virginia (67). Together they comprise nearly 50 percent of all Jan. 6 defendants, according to research by Mr. Rugh. About 63 percent of Jan. 6 criminal cases have been adjudicated and defendants sentenced, according to DOJ figures. About 58 percent of defendants were given jail or prison time, 19 percent received home detention, and another 3.5 percent received a combination.
Of the 769 defendants who pleaded guilty to charges, 69 percent were for misdemeanors and 31 percent for felonies, the DOJ reports. Some 1,276 defendants were charged with entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, and 486 were charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers. More than 350 were hit with the controversial “corruptly obstructing, influencing or impeding an official proceeding” charge. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on April 16 on a challenge to how the DOJ has used 2002-era corporate fraud statutes to prosecute Jan. 6 defendants for interrupting the counting of Electoral College votes…..
The DOJ has stated since Jan. 6 that finding, arresting, and prosecuting those who were at the U.S. Capitol is a top priority, carried out at “unprecedented speed and scale.” The FBI launched the largest investigation in its history in response to Jan. 6…..
Trouble on the Horizon
When the Supreme Court on Dec. 13, 2023, said it would take up Jan. 6 defendant Joseph W. Fischer’s challenge to the use of 18 U.S. Code §1512(c)(2) to prosecute Jan. 6 defendants for obstructing Congress’ tallying of Electoral College votes, it was an earth-shaking development. Many legal observers believe the high court will strike down the DOJ’s novel use of a post-Enron corporate fraud statute to lodge felony charges against 342 defendants and counting. Oral arguments are set for April 16 with a decision likely by late June. That development has already led to delayed sentencings and the release of some Jan. 6 convicts from prison…..The appeals court ruling could affect 100 Jan. 6 defendants who had the enhancement applied to their sentences. According to Mr. Shipley, it could cut the sentences for many defendants by half or more.
See the Epoch Times site for the whole article.
Matthew Lawrence Perna Act of 2024
March 1, 2024
WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene is proudly introducing the Matthew Lawrence Perna Act of 2024, named in honor of Matthew Perna, a victim of the cruel and unusual treatment inflicted by Joe Biden’s Department of Injustice, tragically leading to his untimely death.
This vital legislation is a critical step in ensuring that the political persecution witnessed in the aftermath of January 6th is curtailed by the law.
The Matthew Lawrence Perna Act enacts several essential reforms, including:
The punitive and unconstitutional treatment of January 6th defendants by Biden’s Department of Injustice exposes a deeply flawed two-tiered justice system weaponized against American citizens. With 1,314 individuals charged so far, Matthew Graves is set to charge one per day this year, highlighting the unjust targeting of peaceful protestors. At the same time, violent Antifa and BLM criminals remain on the streets and evade accountability.
“Having personally witnessed the abuses in the DC jail, where patriotic Americans are left to suffer by the very government meant to protect them, it is evident that reform is urgently needed,” stated Congresswoman Greene. Matthew Perna's tragic death serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of unchecked government brutality. His life could have been spared if not for the relentless persecution by the Biden regime.
The Matthew Lawrence Perna Act is a beacon of hope, ensuring that Matthew did not perish in vain and holding the Biden regime accountable for its crimes against American citizens. This bill was originally introduced in the 117th Congress by former Congressman Louie Gohmert, Congresswoman Greene was the only co-sponsor of the legislation. Now, the sole sponsor of this bill in the 118th Congress, Congresswoman Greene urges all of her colleagues to sign on as a co-sponsor and ensure no non-violent political protestor is ever treated with such inhumanity in the United States ever again.
Gohmert Files Bill to Halt Abusive Prosecution of Nonviolent Political Protesters
Retiring U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) on Dec. 21 introduced a bill that would a number of concerns Republicans have about the detention, treatment, and prosecution of Jan. 6 defendants. Gohmert filed the “Matthew Lawrence Perna Act of 2022,” which he says would prevent overzealous prosecution, detainment, and sentencing of nonviolent political protesters. Following more than a year of the federal government continuing and postponing his case—Perna pleaded guilty, but then, facing enhanced charges and a harsher sentencing recommendation, committed suicide.
The bill is named for Matthew Perna, a Pennsylvania man who was arrested for being present in the Capitol building during the Jan. 6, 2021, protests. The bill, if passed, would prohibit the detention of political activists arrested during the course of a protest for non-violent crimes. The bill would also allow for speedy trials for detainees arrested for non-violent crimes during a political protest, among other provisions.
While many Republicans in Congress view the Jan. 6 defendants as political prisoners, Democrats view them as rioters and insurrectionists. The House Jan. 6 committee on Dec. 19 recommended criminal charges against President Donald Trump in connection to his actions and statements related to Jan. 6.
“The Biden administration and the FBI would like to have the public believe that Trump supporters pose the greatest threat to our democracy. However, the greatest threat to our Republic is our own government which grossly abuses its power, uses tools for spying on foreign threats to spy on its citizens, and now holds political prisoners,” Gohmert said in a press release about the bill.
During the writing of the bill, Gohmert’s office stressed and required that the language of the legislation protect nonviolent political protesters no matter the issue and no matter with which segment of the political spectrum the protesters are aligned.
Filing of the legislation is particularly welcome and gratifying news for Geri Perna, aunt of Matthew Perna. Geri Perna became her nephew’s advocate immediately after his arrest. A primary way she supported him was in researching and forwarding articles on Jan. 6 that might provide information helpful in his defense. Following his death, the efforts of Geri Perna and Gohmert joined. Geri Perna has worked closely with Gohmert’s office throughout the development and crafting of the bill.
“From the beginning, Rep. Gohmert has been vocal and hardworking—he has been the loudest and hardest working—in raising the issue of the unjust political prosecution of Matthew, and others protested peacefully and nonviolently on that day,” said Geri Perna in a phone conversation with The Epoch Times from her home in Florida.
The bill also seeks to provide “remedies for malicious prosecution,” and limiting “use of national security authorities against citizens of the United States.” The bill also intends to limit the “use of national defense or foreign policy justifications as a shield by which the government can deny U.S. citizens’ requests to know whether or not he or she is being surveilled [or] investigated by his [or] her own government.”
The Work Continues
Geri Perna remains angry about the death of her nephew. “Matthew had never been arrested in his life; he turned himself in when he found out that there was an image of him on video taken at the Capitol that day,” said Perna. “And even when he turned himself into a local FBI field office in New Castle, the agents must have felt that whatever he would be charged with, combined with their observation that he was a respectful and good person, warranted Matthew being processed and released that day. “But, not long after, the FBI is at the house, and they take his laptop and cellphone and the clothes he wore the day he was at the Capitol. It became one thing after another.”
Then, on that Monday, Matthew took a phone call from his lawyer and was informed that the government was postponing the sentencing to April 1. His lawyer told him that the government was now planning to add the charge of terrorism, and with the added charge, the prosecutors could be looking for him to serve four to six years in prison. “It was too much. It scared Matthew terribly,” Perna said Geri Perna takes the pain and channels it to fighting for change. She hopes she will soon have an ally in the Matthew Lawrence Perna Act of 2022.
Documentary: The Real Story of January 6
Note: You must subscribe to The Epoch Times to watch the whole documentary.
The Real Story of January 6 | Documentary (video)
“The Real Story of January 6,” a documentary by The Epoch Times, reveals the truth that has been hidden from the American people. While a narrative has been set that what took place that day was an insurrection, key events and witnesses have been ignored until now. The documentary takes an unvarnished look at police use of force and the deaths that resulted in some measure from it.
The film asks tough questions about who was responsible for the chaos that day. With compelling interviews and exclusive video footage, the documentary tells the real story of January 6. The film is narrated by Joshua Philipp, host of “Crossroads” on EpochTV and a senior investigative reporter at The Epoch Times. Jasper Fakkert, editor-in-chief of The Epoch Times, said: “There has been a narrative perpetuated about January 6 that omits many of the facts about what happened that day. With in-depth interviews and exclusive video footage, we take an objective look at the issues, the people, and the impacts of the events.”
The film takes a close look at the shooting of 35-year-old Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt and the deaths of three other supporters of former President Donald J. Trump. It analyzes the police response to the massive crowds and use of force around the U.S. Capitol. It examines the human impacts of Jan. 6, including the suicide of one defendant and the long pretrial imprisonment of dozens of others. It also investigates claims that some attacks on the Capitol and police were carried out by unindicted suspicious actors.
What Really Happened on January 6? | The Real Story of January 6
While the dust from Jan. 6, 2021, has long cleared, it has been replaced by a smoke screen. A carefully crafted narrative has been set that claims the events of that day amounted to a “violent insurrection.” This claim, however, does not match the facts. “The Real Story of January 6” takes an objective look at what happened through the eyes of those who were there. The Epoch Times provides the first comprehensive look into what really happened that day. The Truth can’t be hidden.
The Real Story of January 6: Part 2
The Real Story of January 6 Part 2: The Long Road Home | NEW Documentary (video)
With the FBI calling its J6 investigations “bigger than 9/11,” Jan. 6, 2021 has marked a turning point in American history. In the three years since Jan 6, a historic criminal investigation into the incident has played out in a dramatic fashion across the country. As of now, J6 prosecutions have reached beyond the 1,000-case milestone, while the DOJ warned of more to come.
In “The Real Story of Jan. 6 Part 2: The Long Road Home,” Epoch Times journalist Joseph Hanneman reveals shocking evidence of how the wide-ranging prosecutions of Jan. 6 defendants have been handled with injustice.
While “The Real Story of Jan. 6 Part 1” tells the real story of what happened that day, Part 2 will take an objective look at what has happened ever since—and the fine line between justice and political vengeance.
With legal expertise, personal stories of J6 defendants, Capitol security footage, and first-hand testimonies of FBI whistleblowers, this documentary delves into the truth of J6 criminal investigations, and how they have changed American life. The skepticism of opaque government processes has never been more intense than it is now regarding Jan 6 defendants, whose lives have never been the same.
How are they being treated in court, in jail, and in the public eye? Are the sweeping prosecutions a justified cause? What does it mean to our constitutional rights and the future of this country? What do the exclusive Capitol security tapes reveal about the full picture of January 6?
After three years of investigation by The Epoch Times, we’ve peeled back the countless layers of Jan. 6 to expose injustices and champion stories. We take a closer look at some of the injustices done in the prosecution process, including depriving defendants of fair due process, long-term pretrial detention, the abuse of SWAT raids, advancing felony charges without substantial criminal evidence, mistreatment in jail, and more. All of the above marks a turning point in our justice system.
What does America look like in the post-Jan 6 era?
How is the government using J6 as a springboard to inflate its “domestic terrorism” probe—and why?
And more importantly, how do we heal as a nation?
Official website: Jan6RealStory.com
Neenah Payne writes for Activist Post
Top image: PBS
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