Steve Baker Says He Was Criminally Charged by FBI for 'Scary Words'

Conservative journalist Steve Baker claimed that his Friday arrest by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on charges related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot was down to "scary words."

Baker is an investigative journalist known for his work with the Glenn Beck-founded conservative news outlet, Blaze Media. Over the last few years, he has written extensively about the trials of Capitol riot defendants and spoken out in support of the event, which saw a mob of supporters of former President Donald Trump attempt to disrupt the certification of the 2020 presidential election in favor of Joe Biden.

On Friday, Baker himself became one of those defendants after he was arrested by the FBI and accused of allegedly participating in the storming of the Capitol. He faces four misdemeanor charges that have been leveled against many January 6 defendants, including charges of trespassing and disorderly conduct. He was released from custody later in the day after making his initial appearance in a Dallas court, defense attorney William Shipley told the Associated Press.

In the wake of his release, Baker spoke about his arrest for a clip published by The Blaze that was shortly circulated among conservative users on X, previously Twitter. In it, he said his arrest and processing were overdone, claiming he was "marched" through the building in leg chains for misdemeanors while another person who was being booked on a felony was not. He further claimed that his arrests, as well as those of other defendants, were because they said "scary words."

"If you don't say the right thing at the right time, and comport to the right narrative, that's what they're going to do is they're going to come after us and that's exactly what's happened," Baker said.

Beck said in a statement about Baker's arrest: "The timing of the FBI's actions is peculiar, to say the least. It serves as a stark reminder of the challenges we face in our pursuit of truth. It demonstrates that those in positions of power are quick to react when confronted with narratives that deviate even slightly from their carefully scripted versions of events."

Newsweek reached out to the FBI via email on Saturday afternoon for comment. Any comments received will be added to this story in an update.

Counter to Baker's claims and arguments, an FBI affidavit for his arrest explained that his charges were largely the result of him entering the Capitol building during the riot and his use of "loud, threatening, or abusive language" therein. The reporter allegedly entered the building through a broken door and joined in with a crowd of rioters outside the barricaded doors of the House chamber. After remaining in the building for 37 minutes, during which time he allegedly "antagonized" officers, he was led out by police.

"Your affiant submits there is also probable cause to believe that BAKER violated 40 U.S.C. §5104(e)(2), which makes it a crime to willfully and knowingly utter loud, threatening, or abusive language, or engage in disorderly or disruptive conduct, at any place in the Grounds or in any of the Capitol Buildings with the intent to impede, disrupt, or disturb the orderly conduct of a session of Congress or either House of Congress, or the orderly conduct in that building of a hearing before, or any deliberations of, a committee of Congress or either House of Congress; and parade, demonstrate, or picket in any of the Capitol Buildings," the affidavit explained.