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Brandon Straka the man behind the #WalkAway movement that has led many classical liberals to come to the Republican Party, filed a defamation lawsuit on Friday against MSNBC and its hosts Chris Hayes and Ari Melber. Straka has alleged the two hosts engaged in “untruthful reporting” about his actions during the January 6th Capital riots.
Straka told reporters that the January 6th riot and the subsequent break-in at the Capitol “has been used like the vessel,” allowing for prosecutors to levy serious charges against the participants and coercing them to plead guilty.
“I mean, you could have gotten a citation for littering on Capitol grounds that day; but because you were littering on Jan. 6, you’re a domestic terrorist and an insurrectionist,” Straka added, “It’s insane.”
Straka tweeted, “Today I filed a defamation lawsuit against MSNBC, Chris Hayes, & Ari Melber. I’m fighting back on behalf of every American who’s lives have been irreparably harmed by the duplicitous mainstream media.”
In a press release from the #WalkAway Campaign Straka explained the allegations. He states that during his prime time MSNBC show All in with Chris Hayes , Hayes claimed “We got a guy [showing video of Brandon Straka] who was there, who was involved in the lead up to the insurrection…who breaks into the Capitol”.
Hayes, on the Dec. 17, 2021 broadcast claimed that many people associated with former President Donald Trump “appear to have been smart enough not to commit the Federal crime of storming the Capitol live on television.”
“Brandon Straka is the exception,” Hayes claimed.
However, Straka clarifies, not only did he never enter the Capitol Building on January 6th, he was also “never accused of or charged with any act of violence, vandalism, theft, or destruction.”
The Statement of Offense submitted by the FBI seems to corroborate that Straka “engaged in disruptive conduct,” by participating chanting with a crowd “go, go, go” and “take it, take it,” specifically while on the capitol grounds between 2:30 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. before leaving the complex at about 3 p.m. The document never states that he “breaks into the Capitol.”
He went on to explain his allegations against Melber who made the claim that “He [Straka] was convicted in connection with the January 6 insurrection. He was found to have been trying to help attack police officers…His name is Brandon Straka. He confessed. He confessed to being guilty. He was found to [have been] helping attack police”.
Straka’s lawsuit counters this claim stating: “The Melber Statements are materially false because Straka did not confess and was not found by any Court to have helped attack police officers or to have attempted an attack on any police officer. Indeed, the public record… demonstrates beyond cavil that Straka did not engage in any acts of violence or encourage anyone to commit violence on January 6, 2021. Rather, he was filming events outside the east side of the Capitol in a journalistic capacity.”
Straka was placed under arrest Jan. 25 by federal agents in Omaha, Nebraska. He was subsequently charged with a Class B misdemeanor of disorderly conduct, to which he plead guilty. The suit alleges that the MSNBC network produced “egregiously malicious and untruthful reporting about the details of his misdemeanor charge.”
He told Newsmax that he hopes his suit will be precedent-setting for others who are dealing with “malicious defamation and misreporting.” Adding, “I hope we could set precedent with that lawsuit. And if we did, we now have about 1,000 Americans who will be able to start filing defamation suits against various media outlets.”
Brandon Straka the man behind the #WalkAway movement that has led many classical liberals to come to the Republican Party, filed a defamation lawsuit on Friday against MSNBC and its hosts Chris Hayes and Ari Melber. Straka has alleged the two hosts engaged in “untruthful reporting” about his actions during the January 6th Capital riots.
Straka told reporters that the January 6th riot and the subsequent break-in at the Capitol “has been used like the vessel,” allowing for prosecutors to levy serious charges against the participants and coercing them to plead guilty.
Straka tweeted, “Today I filed a defamation lawsuit against MSNBC, Chris Hayes, & Ari Melber. I’m fighting back on behalf of every American who’s lives have been irreparably harmed by the duplicitous mainstream media.”
In a press release from the #WalkAway Campaign Straka explained the allegations. He states that during his prime time MSNBC show All in with Chris Hayes , Hayes claimed “We got a guy [showing video of Brandon Straka] who was there, who was involved in the lead up to the insurrection…who breaks into the Capitol”.
Hayes, on the Dec. 17, 2021 broadcast claimed that many people associated with former President Donald Trump “appear to have been smart enough not to commit the Federal crime of storming the Capitol live on television.”
“Brandon Straka is the exception,” Hayes claimed.
However, Straka clarifies, not only did he never enter the Capitol Building on January 6th, he was also “never accused of or charged with any act of violence, vandalism, theft, or destruction.”
The Statement of Offense submitted by the FBI seems to corroborate that Straka “engaged in disruptive conduct,” by participating chanting with a crowd “go, go, go” and “take it, take it,” specifically while on the capitol grounds between 2:30 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. before leaving the complex at about 3 p.m. The document never states that he “breaks into the Capitol.”
He went on to explain his allegations against Melber who made the claim that “He [Straka] was convicted in connection with the January 6 insurrection. He was found to have been trying to help attack police officers…His name is Brandon Straka. He confessed. He confessed to being guilty. He was found to [have been] helping attack police”.
Straka’s lawsuit counters this claim stating: “The Melber Statements are materially false because Straka did not confess and was not found by any Court to have helped attack police officers or to have attempted an attack on any police officer. Indeed, the public record… demonstrates beyond cavil that Straka did not engage in any acts of violence or encourage anyone to commit violence on January 6, 2021. Rather, he was filming events outside the east side of the Capitol in a journalistic capacity.”
Straka was placed under arrest Jan. 25 by federal agents in Omaha, Nebraska. He was subsequently charged with a Class B misdemeanor of disorderly conduct, to which he plead guilty. The suit alleges that the MSNBC network produced “egregiously malicious and untruthful reporting about the details of his misdemeanor charge.”
He told Newsmax that he hopes his suit will be precedent-setting for others who are dealing with “malicious defamation and misreporting.” Adding, “I hope we could set precedent with that lawsuit. And if we did, we now have about 1,000 Americans who will be able to start filing defamation suits against various media outlets.”