Steve Baker, a reporter for The Blaze, was handcuffed and escorted by FBI agents due to his involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, despite claims of non-violent reporting.
By yourNEWS Media Staff
Steve Baker, an investigative reporter for The Blaze, found himself in handcuffs and under FBI escort this Friday following his coverage of the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Baker, who was an independent journalist at the time of the riot, announced via a Twitter thread that the FBI had issued a warrant for his arrest related to his presence at the riot. He was ordered to self-surrender at a Dallas courthouse. Baker has maintained that he did not engage in any property damage and entered the Capitol only after it was evacuated.
Blaze Media Investigative Journalist @TPC4USA has now been taken into FBI custody for his J6 reporting
Watch: pic.twitter.com/OF9WVh26ER
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) March 1, 2024
A video circulating on social media shows Baker being led to a vehicle by two FBI agents. His attorneys have disclosed that Baker faced “threats” from the FBI regarding his impending arrest, with charges described as “non-violent misdemeanors,” including interstate racketeering and property damage. Baker’s specific charges at the time of his surrender were not disclosed, a move his attorney, James Lee Bright, called “really unusual.”
We do not yet know the specific charges. Technically … they are still “under seal” until the warrant is served. All else is as yet unknown. By this weekend, I will officially be a misdemeanor domestic journo-terrorist. (Something like that.) And so it begins.⬇️
— Steve Baker – TPC (@TPC4USA) February 28, 2024
Despite the allegations, Baker stated that he was informed the arrest would be a quick process, with no intention of detaining him. “They didn’t have to go this route,” Baker expressed, criticizing the decision to issue an arrest warrant instead of a simple order to appear.
The arrest comes amid Baker’s claims of “retaliation” from the Justice Department following his publication of two stories that he described as “greatly embarrassing” to the DOJ. “I’m not a depressive person, but I’m not happy about this,” Baker remarked, reflecting on the personal impact of the situation.
While we defend a great journalist & great friend, @TPC4USA, we also seek to restore @ruleoflaw and reseat enforcement back 2 within historical norms as we beseech current career public servants to implement reforms from within to restore these great institutions. #Jan6 #jan6th pic.twitter.com/iEhcq38q6W
— Brad Geyer (@BradGeyer) January 22, 2024
This incident highlights ongoing tensions between journalists and law enforcement in the wake of the Jan. 6 events, as well as the broader discussions about press freedom and the legal ramifications for reporters covering politically sensitive events.