Now that the noose of federal prosecution is tightening around the necks of the violent insurrectionists, some of them are using rightwing media sites like The Gateway Pundit (which in the past has been cited for spreading hoaxes) to disavow their whiteness. In a recent message posted on site, Angel Harrelson, the wife of indicted Oath Keeper Kenneth Harrelson, stated the group is “made up of a diverse group of people.”
“One of the worst lies being spread about them is that they are somehow ‘white supremacists,’” Angel Harrelson wrote. “That is insulting and ridiculous. I’m Cajun, and therefore my ancestors and family members are black as well as American Indian.”
Sure, she is anything but a white nationalist. In fact, if you listen to Fox News, there’s no such thing as a white nationalist anywhere in America, let alone any at the Capitol on January 6. In their twisted version of the truth, the group of would-be seditionists was nothing but a group of patriots.
Harrelson’s husband, who now faces one conspiracy count and three other charges, allegedly plotted ahead of the riot with other Oath Keepers in online meetings and was caught on video illegally entering the Capitol alongside other members of the far-right group, according to his indictment.
According to reports in the media, members of the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys who were charged in the aftermath of January 6 riot have “been on a public relations blitz in the right-wing media, trying to recast themselves as victims of government overreach and a thuggish FBI. They’re also raising a lot of money along the way.”
The insurrectionists’ stories have raised money on GiveSendGo, “a Christian crowdfunding site that has become a go-to option for right-wing figures who would likely be banned from more mainstream sites like GoFundMe.” The Harrelson family has raised more than $160,000 so far. Good for them; they’re going to need it to pay their lawyers.
As the number of arrests of rioters keep rising, there’s sure to be more indicted folks coming up with all sorts of reasons why they should not be held accountable for their actions that fateful day. But the problem they all face is the video evidence, which proves their involvement in what was by far the most insidious incident our nation has experienced since the end of the Civil War.
As citizens we have to keep pressure on our members of Congress to assure the Department of Justice stays focused on prosecuting the individuals who stormed the Capital Building to the fullest extent of the law. This is the only way we can insure that no group, under no banner of patriotism, inspired by no megalomaniac, ever again dares to interrupt Congress as it goes about the people’s business.
