In a development raising concerns over press freedom, FBI agents escorted Steve Baker, an investigative reporter at The Blaze, in handcuffs due to his coverage of the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
According to Baker’s Twitter thread on Tuesday, the FBI issued an arrest warrant, instructing Baker to self-surrender at a Dallas courthouse on Friday in connection to his presence during the riot. At the time of the events, Baker operated as an independent journalist, emphasizing that he did not engage in property damage and entered the U.S. Capitol only after the Senate and House were evacuated, as detailed in his October 2, 2023, piece.
Video footage shows two FBI agents leading a handcuffed Baker to a dark grey vehicle and placing him in the backseat on Friday morning.
Baker’s legal team received FBI “threats” on November 21, 2023, and December 23, 2023, regarding his impending arrest. These communications indicated that Baker faces “non-violent misdemeanors,” including charges related to “interstate racketeering and property damage,” as per his earlier reporting. Despite the notifications, Baker, as of Tuesday, remained unaware of the specific charges, with his attorney, James Lee Bright, deeming the non-disclosure as “really unusual.”
In January, Baker’s attorneys had suggested that the Justice Department might be orchestrating a form of “retaliation” against him for exposing two “greatly embarrassing” stories about the DOJ.
Expressing his sentiments, Baker stated to The Blaze on Tuesday, “They didn’t have to go this route. We have been told that my charges are only misdemeanors. And my attorneys have been assured that this will be an ‘in and out’ affair with ‘no intention’ to detain me. But rather than issuing a simple order to appear, they went the ‘arrest warrant’ route.”
Despite the challenging circumstances, Baker conveyed his perspective, saying, “I’m not a depressive person, but I’m not happy about this. I have prayed, ‘Lord, let this cup pass from me,’ but apparently it’s not going to.”
