S3EP17: Sedition VIPs with Jewelz Capitol Insurrection Report

We begin with a short summary of recent sentencings in January 6th cases: many of the defendants who have faced more serious charges have opted to go to trial, which has meant that we were always going to reach a point when a large number of serious felony defendants would be found guilty and sentenced all at once. We have reached that point, so I take a moment to take stock of the felony defendants who have been sentenced since March 1. The bulk of the episode consists of an interview with a sedition hunter who I address as Jewelz, who specializes in “Sedition VIPs” and who can be found on Twitter @BetoAngelMommas. We have a broad-ranging conversation regarding the activities of sedition VIPs on January 6th, the role they and organizers played in the runup to January 6th, and the assymetric polarization of the Republican Party beginning during the Obama era. Jewelz also discusses the link between the Council for National Policy and a slew of persons involved in January 6th, and how the conservative funder Foster Friess has bankrolled any number of far-right actors over the years, including Ali Alexander, Charlie Kirk and Project Veritas. We also discuss the interlocking network of extremist groups, including Groundswell, the Conservative Action Group, Judicial Watch and the Tea Party, where many of the activists who organized January 6th gained experience and connections.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/ohio-man-pleads-guilty-felony-charge-actions-jan-6-capitol-breach https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/maryland-man-sentenced-felony-and-misdemeanor-charges-related-capitol-breach https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/texas-man-sentenced-felony-and-misdemeanor-charges-related-capitol-breach https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/north-carolina-man-sentenced-assaulting-officers-during-jan-6-capitol-breach https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/pennsylvania-woman-found-guilty-felony-and-misdemeanor-charges-related-capitol-breach https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/kentucky-woman-pleads-guilty-assaulting-officers-during-jan-6-capitol-breach https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/three-men-are-first-capitol-breach-defendants-convicted-trial-assaulting-police-officers https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/nevada-man-pleads-guilty-assaulting-officers-during-jan-6-capitol-breach https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/7273354-CNP-Membership-Directory-September-2020 https://washingtonspectator.org/nelson-cnp/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2022/02/22/justice-clarence-thomas-wife-ginni-behind-group-that-reportedly-pushed-january-6-fake-electors-scheme/ https://www.foiaresearch.net/organization/groundswell-group