Investigative journalist Steve Baker from Blaze News, who has long been dedicated to uncovering the truth about the events of January 6, 2021, and feels that he has been unfairly targeted by the U.S. government for his efforts, was charged with four misdemeanors connected to his coverage of the events at the U.S. Capitol.
Baker turned himself in to the FBI in Dallas on Friday.
The charges are:
- Knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority
- Disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds
- Disorderly conduct in a capitol building
- Parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a capitol building
Baker was informed of the charges for the first time on Friday.
Earlier this week, he informed Blaze News that authorities had not disclosed the charges to his attorney, James Lee Bright, because they feared Baker would share them on social media.
Bright described the decision to withhold information about the charges as “highly unusual.”
He expressed concern about his client’s situation, noting that Baker has always been cooperative. Bright also criticized the federal government for targeting journalists like Baker years after the fact, calling it a deliberate attempt to intimidate others in the industry.
Baker added that when he asked his other attorney, William Shipley, why the federal government is treating him like this, Shipley replied, “You know why. You’ve been poking them in the eye for three years.”
BlazeTV contributor Jill Savage noted that she exited the courtroom with Baker who “was able to wear his dress clothes but had shackles on his wrists and ankles. He is expected to be released today. His next hearing is set in DC for March 14th.”
Earlier this week, Baker revealed that the FBI had directed him to turn himself in on Friday morning, and he complied with their instructions.
Despite being advised by the agency to appear at the field office dressed casually in “shorts and sandals,” a sign of preparing for a potential public display of humiliation, Baker maintained his composure and arrived dressed in a suit and tie.
Subsequently, he was handcuffed, escorted by two agents to a waiting vehicle, and then taken to a courthouse.1
Matthew Peterson, editor in chief of Blaze Media, expressed his dismay at the unnecessary arrest of Steve Baker by the FBI. He stated that there was no justification for taking him into custody and hoped to see him released quickly.
Glenn Beck, co-founder of Blaze Media, emphasized in an op-ed that Baker’s fight for First Amendment rights is a shared struggle. He warned against governmental overreach and highlighted the importance of standing together in such times.
When asked about his well-being by Beck on Thursday, Baker remained undeterred in the face of adversity.
In December, Baker revealed that the FBI had informed him of pending charges from the U.S. Department of Justice related to his reporting on January 6. However, he later mentioned that the FBI had postponed his self-surrender until after Christmas. Since then, it has been a waiting game.
According to attorneys representing Baker in January, there are concerns that the Justice Department may be planning a retaliatory action against Baker due to his coverage of the events on January 6.
“Steve’s actions on January 6 have been known to the Department of Justice for 3 years,” Baker’s attorneys said in a January news release. “But it is only now — after Steve has broken two major stories greatly embarrassing to the DOJ — that he is possibly being targeted for arrest and possibly felony prosecution. Any action taken to put him in handcuffs, hold him in custody, and have him transported to court by federal law enforcement will be nothing other than retaliation for his recent reporting.”
Baker discussed his legal saga in a pair of October commentary pieces for Blaze News (here and here), detailing the ins and outs of the federal investigation he’s been under following his independent journalistic work on Jan. 6, which began before he joined Blaze News.
In January, Baker and his colleagues were questioning the U.S. government’s secrecy regarding the pipe bomb discovered on Jan. 6 at the Democratic National Committee headquarters.
In February, Baker released another report titled “Capitol Police redirected all CCTV cameras away from DNC pipe bomb investigation—except one.”
Last week, Baker published a new analysis inquiring why Kamala Harris was present at the DNC instead of the Capitol on Jan. 6.
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