WASHINGTON — A Donald Trump fan who participated within the Jan. 6 assault after which was the topic of a conspiracy idea on Tucker Carlson’s former Fox Information present was arrested by the FBI on Wednesday.
Rally Runner, previously generally known as Daniel Donnelly Jr., was arrested in St. Louis, Missouri, in accordance with court docket information. Runner faces 5 federal costs, together with obstructing, impeding, and interfering with legislation enforcement officers throughout a civil dysfunction.
Again in 2021, Joseph McBride, a lawyer who was then representing a number of Jan. 6 defendants, mentioned on Carlson’s present that Runner was “clearly a law enforcement officer” and an “agent provocateur” who had solely dressed up as a Trump fan as a part of a scheme to make Trump followers look dangerous. In reality, Runner was an actual Trump fan, in addition to a St. Louis Cardinals fanatic who ran across the stadium throughout dwelling video games, thus his identify change. He was additionally a giant admirer of Tucker Carlson and mentioned in an interview final yr that he was dissatisfied that Carlson would unfold false info.
“Disenchanted is an understatement,” Runner mentioned. “For years I believed Trucker was a accountable reporter centered on stopping ‘Faux Information’ simply to be hit with this story.”
McBride, when first knowledgeable of Runner’s actual id in late 2021, mentioned he didn’t “have to be proper” in every little thing he claimed, and that he was “theorizing issues” and making an attempt to win the general public relations battle.
“If I’m unsuitable, so be it, bro. I don’t care,” McBride said. “I don’t give a s— about being unsuitable.”
McBride, who has since been dismissed by at the very least three Jan. 6 defendants he beforehand represented, didn’t reply to NBC Information’ request for touch upon Wednesday. Carlson additionally didn’t reply to a request for remark.
Runner mentioned earlier this year that he hadn’t heard from the FBI about his presence exterior the Capitol on Jan. 6 since his preliminary interview in early 2021; he didn’t go contained in the constructing. “I simply went to face up for Trump,” Runner informed NBC Information. “To run for him and America.”
Runner himself had confirmed his participation within the Capitol riot in a number of movies on social media and in an interview. The FBI affidavit cites a number of of the movies {that a} reporter beforehand considered.
This text was initially printed on NBCNews.com