Phil Grillo, Pardoned J6er Runs for Office in Queens

 Phillip S Grillo, who enjoys taking selfies with a lit cigarette in his mouth and storming a Capitol with a megaphone in his hand in his spare time, has filed to run in the Primary for the 26th Assembly District of New York State which represents Northeast Queens.  Previously, he ran for George Santos's vacated seat unsuccessfully. Unlike many of his fellow rioters, Phillip has some political experience as he was a district leader of the Republican Party previously.  He also is a retired NYC Police Officer who ironically or unironically at one point worked security of the perimeter of Gracie Mansion.  Additionally, he is/was an active member of the Knights of Columbus, and wore a jacket identifying himself as a member during the J6 riot.  That evidence was used in his original conviction in the storming of the Capitol.

During his participation of the riot on the Capitol on January 6th, 2021 Mr. Grillo is allegedly on video and audio recordings claiming that he is there to stop the steal and allegedly requests a hit a maurijauna from a fellow rioter and hi fives him afterward. To his credit, he did tell the judge at his conviction hearing, correctly, that he would be pardoned.  I'm no resume analyst but if that doesn't scream out "election victory" I don't know what does.

Brian Mock, alleged assaulter of police, pardoned J6er, runs for office in MN

 Not a good look when your own son testifies against you.  Good luck.

I don't want to mock a guy who has a last name, of well, Mock but sometimes the jokes write themselves. We turn our weary eyes to Minnesota. Specifically, we look at Mr. Brian Dale Mock, a man who has decided that the best way to follow up a federal prison sentence for assaulting police officers is to ask the public for a promotion.

If you want to understand the current state of American democracy, don’t look at the C-SPAN floor or the Ivy League debating societies. Look at Brian Dale Mock. Brian is a landscaping company owner, a former debt collector, and a man who, on January 6, 2021, decided to treat the U.S. Capitol like a particularly rowdy frat party and have a very low tolerance for "unstructured feedback."

Most people, upon being convicted of eleven counts including felony assault and theft of government property, might consider a quiet life of growing rutabagas or perhaps taking up a hobby that doesn’t involve "total rebellion." But Brian is an American. And in America, a criminal record isn't a "barrier to entry"; it’s a "proven track record of fighting the system."

Brian is running for the Minnesota State Senate. His campaign slogan is "Your Proven Fighter," which is technically true, though usually, "proven fighters" in politics are talking about tackling the marginal tax rate, not tackling a Sergeant at Arms and bragging about it later.

The background here is what we in the "not-currently-indicted" community call eventful. Brian’s journey to the Capitol was a family affair, though not the kind you see in Hallmark movies. He drove to D.C. with his girlfriend, telling his oldest son he "might die there." This is the kind of fatherly advice that usually leads to a lot of therapist bills, and indeed, his son eventually testified against him. There is nothing quite like the warmth of a family bond being replaced by a federal subpoena.

During the "frenzy"—a delightful term used by prosecutors to describe what the rest of us call "multiple felonies"—Brian was seen shoving officers, throwing a broken flagpole like an Olympic javelin with none of the grace, and "liberating" two riot shields. He later told his friends he’d "taken down at least 6 cops." It’s the kind of boast you usually hear from a teenager playing Call of Duty, except Brian was doing it in a brisk January breeze on the West Plaza.

Of course, Brian claims it’s all been "blown out of proportion." This is the standard defense of the modern politician, when you’re caught with your hand in the cookie jar. If you’re caught with your hand in the cookie jar while running for office, you’re a "victim of a narrative." Brian even argued in court that when he posted about Nancy, he was talking about Nancy Sinatra, not Nancy Pelosi. Because, as we all know, the biggest threat to American liberty in 2021 was a 1960s pop star whose boots were made for walking.

But wait, there’s more! Where is that Ronco guy when we need him and a set of ginsu knives? Brian’s resume also includes a 2010 incident where he allegedly pointed a gun at three children during a birthday party because he thought they were trying to start a fire. When the SWAT team arrived, he did the only logical thing: he barricaded himself inside and shaved his head. It’s the kind of calm, measured crisis management we look for in a state legislator.  There also was an accusation that he assaulted his ex-wife in 2009, and she claimed she rescinded the accusation after he tried to blackmail her and threaten to get her fired from her job. (allegedly of course and this is hearsay)

Now, thanks to a pardon from the 47th President—a man who knows a thing or two about "alternative" legal outcomes, Brian is out of the clink and on the ballot. He’s campaigning on criminal justice reform. And why not? No one knows the system better than a guy who’s been tackled by every branch of it.

In the old days, a candidate with a history of assaulting police and threatening children with firearms would be told to "go away" by a man in a smoke-filled room. But now he is a disruptor or an unconventional truth teller.

Jake Lang, artist, J6er, sculpture kicker

 Artistic expression?  There is a certain irony to The Gadsden Flag types that side with heavy handed, undertrained, masked Gov't figures disregarding the assumption of innocence.  Pretty sure thats what the British Loyalists did. I picture the Jake Lang types as a modern version of the loyalist to the Brits during the American Revolution.

The 18th-century Loyalist was a fascinating study in anxiety. They lived in terror of the local revolutionary groups, who often took matters into their own hands and ran crying to the British Army for protection. They wanted the security of an Empire but the moral high ground of a victim.

Fast forward to our modern rattlesnake-waver. He buys a flag that lauds individual sovereignty and distrust of the state. He then spends his Sunday mornings cheering for a federal police force that uses surveillance technology King George III couldn't have dreamt of in a fever or a wet dream at his local intersection.

It is a specific kind of liberty that only applies if you have the right zip code and a valid birth certificate. To the Gadsden-ICE enthusiast, the rattlesnake isn't a warning to the government; it’s a mascot for the border patrol. They’ve essentially turned the snake into a narc.

The original rattlesnake was a warning against being stepped on by a King. The modern version seems to be asking the King if he needs help lacing up his combat boots to do the stepping.

In 1775, the British Army was the "Law and Order" party. They were the ones conducting warrantless searches see the Writs of Assistance to make sure nobody was dodging the King’s cut. If you were a Loyalist, you cheered this on because you weren't the one with a basement full of Dutch gunpowder.

Today’s Gadsden-ICE supporter views the federal government as a "Deep State" monster when it looks at their tax returns or their browser history. But the moment that same federal government puts on a windbreaker and starts checking papers at a Greyhound station, it suddenly becomes the "Thin Blue Line" protecting Western Civilization.

If a 1776 Patriot met a modern Gadsden-ICE enthusiast, the confusion would be total. The Patriot would  be curious Why do they fly the flag of the resistance while polishing the boots of the King’s tax collectors?

The modern enthusiast would likely respond by calling the Patriot a "globalist" and complaining about the price of diesel.

Ultimately, both the British Loyalist and the Gadsden-ICE fan share a singular, desperate hope: that the boot of the state will always be occupied by a foot they recognize, and that it will always land on someone else's neck.

DOJ tries to undo Steve Bannon's Contempt Conviction

I thought Bannon had bigger fish to fry with the alleged scam he was running. I guess he got no jail time for that but the DOJ is trying to sweep his contempt of court for J6 away.  I used to actually think Bannon made some good points.  When people show you who they are, believe them.

To me Bannon, is a really interesting guy.  He has blue collar, Irish Catholic, pro-union Democrat roots which was typical of that era. But I particuarly enjoy his fashion sense: longish hair in constant disarray screaming "I'll bet you wish you had a mane like this, horseshoe head!" and his ability to wear three button down shirts simultaneously.  He has three ex-wives, which is similar to his career path in that he has pivoted many times.  He developed his globalist view while servicng a Naval Ship during his stint as an officer.  He did't embrace globalism, he decided he hated the machinery in which globalism functioned. I can't visualize Mr Bannon going through Boot Camp, but he must have.  Thank you for your service.  From there he went to Goldman Sachs, an odd choice for someone who hates the globalist machinery.  Then woked on the Biosphere Project.  Not the one with Steven Baldwin, but that would have been better if he had.  Then he made Documentary Movies, which makes sense if he was part of the Steven Baldwin Biosphere flicks.  Then went to BreitBart News.

Andrew Johnson, J6er, convicted of sexually abusing children

 Andrew Johnson's arrest was previously noted here.  He tried to bribe one kid not to testify.  But he got convicted of exposing himself and molesting, one kid was under 12 and one under 16.  I dont think that goes over too well in prison, even if one is a J6er. Read here

I doubt he is related to the original Andrew Johnson, but even the corrupt President Andrew Johnson is probably rolling in his grave to have his name associated with this guy.  There really is not anything that can be written as humorous observational comedy about this guy.  But he not only claimed he would be getting a 10 million dollar payout for being tried for his alleged crimes on January 6th, but allegedly offered to share that with the child he allegedly molested if they wouldn't tell on him. By putting the kid in his will, allegedly. Unlike many of the other crimes listed by other J6ers, this occurred after January 6th, 2021.  And was not part of a search or any any evidence gathering for his J6 prosecution. And the alleged assaults were not one offs, but rather occurred multiple times.

Dan Wilson gets 2nd Pardon first for J6 then for unrelated firearm charge

 Our current President gave Dan Wilson, an alleged militia member, a second pardon after his first pardon for his J6 offenses still didnt get him out of jail for unrelated firearms charges.  Now he is out, for now.

Somehow I dont think for long.  His firearms issues are due to prior convictions for multiple felonies and one weapon not being registered to him.

Jake Lang, J6er, goes to counter protest in Minneapolis, finds unlikely aid

 Man who aided alleged white supremacist tells his story  The story tells itself. Humanity wins.