(WWJ) A Republican candidate for governor of Michigan has pleaded not guilty to several misdemeanor charges related to the January 6 U.S. Capitol riots.
Ryan Kelley appeared via video for a brief hearing in federal court in Washington DC on Thursday, weeks after he was arrested as FBI agents raided his home in Allendale, Michigan, west of Grand Rapids.
According to court documents, Kelley is charged with "knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds without lawful authority during the riot, as well as disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds."
He was also charged with "knowingly engaging in an act of physical violence against person or property in a restricted building or grounds, and willfully injuring or committing a depredation against a property of the United States"."
Authorities allege that Kelley, in a black ballcap and aviator sunglasses, was caught on video during last year's riot. Several witnesses said they were able to identify him as part of a crowd of people "who are assaulting and pushing past law enforcement officers outside of the Capitol."
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During a debate last week, Kelley acknowledged being at the Capitol on Jan. 6, and explained why he was there.
“That was a First Amendment activity by a majority of those people, myself included," Kelley said. "We were there protesting the government because we don’t like the results of the 2020 election, the process of how it happened. And we have that First Amendment right. And that’s what 99% of the people were there for that day.”
Kelley previously organized an armed protest in Lansing, defying Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's stay-at-home orders in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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