The FBI arrested Republican presidential candidate Michigan Ryan Kelly on Thursday on charges of wrongdoing stemming from his role in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by a crowd of supporters of then-President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Donald Trump said. Kelley, 40, of Allendale, is one of five state Republicans vying to face Democratic Gretchen Whitmer next fall. He currently serves as Appointed Design Commissioner in Allendale. His campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. His arrest comes on the same day that the Democratic-led House of Representatives committee investigating the US Capitol attack last year will hold the first of several scheduled hearings to gather information on the uprising and the facts. that led to it. According to an affidavit by an FBI agent, Kelley was videotaped standing in front of a crowd of people “attacking and pushing law enforcement officers” at the Capitol. Other images also show Kelley climbing an architectural element near the northwest stairs of the building, the statement said. He is then seen in a video shaking his hand to encourage the crowd to move up the stairs. Kelley’s presence at the Capitol that day was first acknowledged by a caller to the FBI tip line, as well as by a trusted human resource who has worked with the office since 2020 to provide information on domestic terrorist groups in Michigan, statement. The FBI’s affidavit said investigators were also able to compare photos of Kelley at other events where he wore similar costumes, including the US Patriotic Council “Judgment Day” rally in May 2020, among others. In November 2020, the statement said, he was also a keynote speaker at a “Stop the Steal” rally in which he told the crowd: “We will stand up and fight for America, for Donald Trump. “We are not going to let the Democrats steal this election.” Kelley faces charges of intentionally entering restricted spaces without legal authority, disorderly conduct, knowingly engaging in acts of physical violence against property for limited reasons, and intentional injury to U.S. property. He is one of more than 840 people charged in connection with the Capitol attack. The Morning and Afternoon Newsletters are compiled by Globe editors, giving you a brief overview of the day’s most important headlines. Register today.
