Michigan GOP candidate for governor and D.C. chiropractor charged for roles in Capitol riot

( NYPost.com )

Ryan Kelley, one of five Republican candidates for Michigan governor, was charged with four misdemeanor counts Thursday for his role in the 2021 postelection riot at the U.S. Capitol. 

Kelley was arrested at his home in Allendale, Michigan Thursday morning, and an arrest warrant and search warrant were executed at his home by FBI, a law enforcement official confirmed. He’s awaiting a court hearing in Grand Rapids, FBI spokeswoman Mara Schneider said. 

There was no immediate comment from Kelley’s campaign.

Kelley’s participation in the Jan. 6 insurrection has been widely known, and prosecutors said in their statement of facts filed with the court, “[T]he FBI received multiple tips regarding Ryan Kelley’s presence at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.”

The prosecutors’ statement notes at one point, Kelley, at about 2 p.m. on Jan. 6, “climbed onto and stood on an architectural feature next to the North West stairs and indicated by waving his hand that the crowd behind him should move towards the stairs leading into the U.S. Capitol building.”

In the court document, federal investigators filed several photos of him in a baseball cap worn backward, trying to rally the pro-Donald Trump crowd. 

Kelley is one of five candidates on the Aug. 2 Republican primary ballot. The winner will face Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

David Kaufman, D.C.-based chiropractor 

Washington, D.C.-based chiropractor David Kaufman was also arrested Wednesday night for storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Kaufman’s office is three blocks from the Capitol. 

Kaufman is the protester who scuffled with Jeffrey Smith, the D.C. police officer who took his own life nine days after the Capitol assault. CBS News interviewed his widow, Erin, in March. She has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Kaufman. The prosecutors’ statement of facts on Kaufman mentions her lawsuit: “Provided within the lawsuit were several screen captures from open-source media files that depict WALLS-KAUFMAN inside the Capitol Building and engaged in a scuffle with Law Enforcement Officers.”  

He’s been charged with entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.