A 23-year-old man who allegedly assaulted a police officer in the course of the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol was later paid by the Virginia Republican Occasion to marketing campaign for now-Gov. Glenn Youngkin, HuffPost has confirmed.
Joseph Brody was arrested by federal authorities final month close to his dwelling in northern Virginia for his alleged function within the rebellion. He’s charged with a number of felonies, together with: assaulting, resisting or impeding legislation enforcement officers, inflicting bodily damage; interfering with a legislation enforcement officer throughout a civil dysfunction; and obstruction of an official continuing.
In accordance with an FBI affidavit, Brody attended the riot as a part of a contingent of younger males affiliated with the “America First” white nationalist motion. Brody allegedly pushed a steel barricade right into a police officer, knocking him over.
He additionally allegedly entered Democratic Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s convention room, the place he briefly eliminated an American flag from its holder, and the U.S. Senate chamber, the place he took images of paperwork on senators’ desks. After exiting the Capitol, Brody allegedly joined different rioters in destroying media gear.
A well-known picture from that day — Time journal known as it among the finest of the 12 months — seems to point out Brody in a swimsuit and tie, with an American flag neck gaiter pulled over his mouth, standing arms outstretched on the constructing’s steps as he surveys the gang of rioters breaking into the Capitol.
Later in 2021 — in keeping with proof unearthed this week by the anti-fascist group Nameless Comrades Collective and on-line sleuths identified collectively as Sedition Hunters — Brody was employed by the Virginia GOP to assist marketing campaign for Youngkin.
Brody, in keeping with the Fairfax County GOP web site, had an official state Republican Occasion e mail tackle. He seems to have given a YouTube tutorial on telephone banking for marketing campaign volunteers and staffers. And he offered door-knocking coaching for volunteers.
Social media images present a person bearing a robust resemblance to Brody — as seen in rebellion images obtained by the FBI — campaigning for Youngkin and different Virginia Republican candidates. In a single image, the person who seems to be Brody holds a Youngkin marketing campaign signal. In one other, he’s sporting a Youngkin t-shirt.
“Mr. Brody was employed by the get together as a door-knocker for one month final fall. He has not been employed by the Republican Occasion of Virginia for over a 12 months,” a celebration spokesperson, Ellie Sorensen, instructed HuffPost on Wednesday. The affirmation was first reported Tuesday on Twitter by Ben Paviour, a journalist for Virginia public broadcaster VPM.
“Mr. Brody by no means labored for or with the Youngkin marketing campaign,” Kristin Davison, a political strategist who formed Youngkin’s profitable bid for governor, instructed HuffPost in an announcement. Davison gave the impression to be drawing a distinction with no distinction, suggesting that Brody had not labored for the marketing campaign as a result of he was paid by the state get together. She didn’t reply to a request for clarification.
Brody is amongst no less than 919 folks arrested for his or her half within the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol. His relationship with the GOP is simply the most recent instance of the political get together’s embrace of insurrectionism.
His mom, Maureen Brody, additionally attended the Jan. 6 “Cease the Steal” rally that become rebellion; she as soon as posted on Gab, the white supremacist-friendly social media platform, that she acquired close to sufficient to the Capitol that she and others had been focused with tear gasoline. Footage discovered by anti-fascist researchers additionally seems to point out her on the constructing’s steps — a restricted space.
Months later, Maureen Brody was named because the Republican nominee for a seat within the Virginia Home of Delegates. Throughout her marketing campaign — on June 21, 2021 — she posted a photograph to Gab displaying her standing behind a desk draped with an America First flag. She was working in a closely Democratic district and misplaced within the normal election by 30 factors.
Maureen Brody additionally seems to have helped in Youngkin’s bid for governor, in keeping with the Fairfax County GOP web site, by coordinating a door-knocking marketing campaign.
Neither Davison, the strategist for the Youngkin marketing campaign, nor the Virginia GOP responded to requests for remark about Maureen Brody photographing herself with the America First flag.
Joseph Brody and Maureen Brody additionally didn’t reply to a request for remark.
In accordance with the FBI affidavit, Joseph Brody confirmed as much as the Capitol on Jan. 6 with 4 different males affiliated with America First, all of whom have been arrested.
The 5 males illegally entered the Capitol, the FBI alleges, at 2:16 p.m., transferring all through the constructing. After getting into Pelosi’s convention room, Brody eliminated an American flag from its stand after which changed it when considered one of his pals communicates one thing to him, in keeping with surveillance footage.
Within the Senate chamber, he “appeared to carry a cellphone in his hand and {photograph}” paperwork and different info on senators’ desks, the FBI says.
On the north aspect of the Capitol, the affidavit says, Brody might be seen “lifting a steel barricade” and pushing it towards a police officer who had been trying to make use of a fireplace extinguisher to carry again rioters.
After leaving the Capitol, Brody and his America First crew watched as different rioters destroyed gear belonging to journalists reporting on the rebellion. Brody then allegedly joined in on the destruction, damaging a “corded telephone,” per the affidavit.
He was arrested on Sept. 15 in Springfield close to his dwelling. He appeared in courtroom and was launched pending additional courtroom appearances.