Topline
Only dozens of people turned out for a right-wing January 6 “Truth” rally in Washington D.C. on Saturday, according to multiple reports, where controversial MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, under an election-related FBI investigation, was the headliner.
Mike Lindell was the most high-profile speaker scheduled for a pro-Trump “Truth” rally that drew … [+]
Key Facts
Despite promotion on sites like Gateway Pundit describing the rally as the “biggest to date,” photos and videos on social media revealed a sparsely attended event, with roughly half as many counter-protesters in attendance as protesters.
Most people in attendance were members of the fringe group the 1776 Restoration Movement, according to a Daily Beast reporter, who posted on Twitter photos of upside-down American flags along with a “Let’s Go Brandon” flag and a “POW-J6” flag.
The rally in part is in support of January 6 “political prisoners,” including the nearly 1,000 people charged in connection with the violent January 6 insurrection at the Capitol.
Organizers had asked “patriots” to “support your January 6th heroes,” clarifying the rally will be a “safe and peaceful event.”
Posts on Twitter showed counter-protesters chanting “Trump is a loser” and “F*** the Proud Boys.”
Key Background
The rally follows a rough couple months for former President Donald Trump, who is marred in several high-profile lawsuits and investigations, including a suit filed this week by New York Attorney General Letitia James claiming Trump and his adult children inflated the value of the Trump Organization, as well as the Justice Department’s ongoing probe into classified documents the former president took to his Mar-a-Lago home after he left the White House.
Tangent
Lindell, who is scheduled to speak at the rally via Zoom, is at the center of an FBI investigation into a breach of election equipment in Colorado. A district court judge denied Lindell’s request this week for a temporary restraining order to prevent the FBI from searching his phone, which federal agents seized at a Hardee’s drive through. Lindell has not been charged with a crime, although he is believed to be connected to six people named in a search warrant who allegedly breached the voting machines to prove baseless claims of voter fraud.
Crucial Quote
At least 919. That’s how many people have been charged in relation to the January 6 insurrection, according to a tracker by Insider. They include far-right Oath Keepers militia attorney Kellye SoRelle, who was arrested earlier this month and charged with four counts, including obstructing a joint session of Congress, as well as 72-year-old Howard Richardson, who was sentenced to 3.5 years for assaulting Capitol Police officers.
Further Reading
Trump Mar-A-Lago Investigation: DOJ Can Use Classified Documents, Court Rules (Forbes)
NY AG James Sues Trump For Fraud (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2022/09/24/pro-trump-truth-rally-fizzles-draws-nearly-as-many-counter-protesters/