Prosecutors want to send a talk show host and reporter who is tied to Infowars to a federal pen for 120 days for trespassing and saying things they didn’t like. They say he wanted to obstruct a session of Congress, but the underpinnings of the case are his exercise of free speech.
On January 17, 2020, Jonathan Owen Shroyer was charged with an alleged crime he committed on December 9 2019. On that date, he disrupted a House Judiciary Committee meeting, jumping up from his seat and shouting in a loud manner. He was removed from the room and arrested. As part of his plea agreement, he agreed to Perform 32 hours of community service.
As of Jan. 6 2021, he had completed 30 hours of community service.
JANUARY 6, 2021
On January 6, he was on Capitol Hill grounds that were off limits. Part of his prior agreement meant that he could not go onto the Capitol grounds.
He did not go into the capitol building. He stood outside in various locations with Alex Jones telling people it was a setup and they should not go into the capitol building.
Since he only performed 30 of the 32 hours of community service, and went on to the capitol grounds, not into the building, the feds want to put him in prison for 120 days.
In case you’re unfamiliar with Mr. Shroyer, he is a very good reporter, but he works for infowars, and he’s conservative.
Quotes that they used to charge Mr. Shroyer follow:
“Americans are ready to fight. We’re not exactly sure what that’s going to look like, perhaps in a couple of weeks, if we can’t stop the certification of the fraudulent election… we are the new revolution! We are going to restore and we are going to save the Republic!”
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Calling into a live Infowars broadcast, he said, “…what I’m afraid of is if we do not get this false certification of Biden stopped this week – I’m afraid of what that means for the rest of the month… Everybody knows the election was stolen… And we are just going to sit here and become activists for four years, or are we going to actually do something about this… whatever that cause or course of cause may be? “
When he called into Infowars, he said that he marched to the Capitol. He stated he was on “one side of the Capitol so we can’t see both sides, but this side alone, there’s probably about 100,000 people. They’ve taken the Capitol grounds and they surrounded the building itself. They’re on the actual building structure… we literally own the streets right now.”
THE CRIME OF FREE SPEECH AND RAISING ONE’S VOICE
Prosecutors said he committed crimes under 18 USC section 1752,A,1 and 2. He knowingly entered the restricted grounds,, and knowingly attempted to impede or disrupt the conduct of government business. They said he also violated 40 USC section 51O4,E,2,D and E, “which makes it a crime to willfully and knowingly utter loud threatening or abusive language or engage in disorderly or disruptive conduct”… and “E, obstruct or impede passage through or within the grounds or any of the Capitol buildings.”
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Mr. Shroyer fought the charges and finally gave up and copped a plea to the least charge, a minor misdemeanor. Now, they want him in a prison for 120 days.
Anyone who reads this and thinks it’s not gross overcharging for a minor trespassing charge, needs to explain why they feel as they do. When the Feds talk of his abusive speech, they’re really trying to imprison him for his free speech. Whether you agree with Mr. Shroyer, or not, you need to look deeper into what they’re really charging and why they’re doing it because one day it will come back on you as well. There is no justice for all if there’s no justice for one. There’s no free speech if there’s no free speech for some.
This is the most trumped-up charge and punishment they could come up with and the goal is to silence the political right.
As you know, the communist BLM and Antifa are not generally charged for shouting or trespassing.
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