TBA Law Blog

TBA Law Blog

Fall Out Continues from Last Week's Rally, Capitol Attack

Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Jan 15, 2021

The fall out continues for those who were present at a rally last week or part of a group that breached the U.S. Capitol. Greene County Assistant District Attorney General David Baker removed posts from his Facebook page, dodged questions and — through local attorney Jonathan Cave — threatened to sue the Knoxville News Sentinel before acknowledging he was at the rally, the paper reports. Baker said through his attorney that he did not enter the Capitol and called the actions of those who did “shameful.” In California, Chapman University law professor John Eastman, who assisted in filing several lawsuits challenging presidential election results and spoke at the rally, has left the law school, Law.com reports. He reached an agreement to immediately retire amid criticism of his role in stoking the attack. Finally, two Tennesseans who were present at the Capitol have been arrested. Eric Gavelek Munchel, known as “zip-tie guy” was arrested in Nashville. He appears in photographs “running wild in the Senate chamber carrying zip-tie restraints with a holster on his hip,” Tennessee Lookout reports. Matthew Bledsoe of Memphis was arrested and charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building without lawful authority, violent entry and disorderly conduct, the Commercial Appeal reports.

In related news, inspectors general for four federal departments today launched a sweeping review of how the FBI, the Pentagon and other law enforcement agencies responded to the attack at the Capitol, including whether there were failures in information sharing and other preparations that left the building vulnerable. The AP has more on the probe.

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