by Scott McClallen
Federal Bureau of Investigation agents from Grand Rapids executed a search warrant and arrested GOP gubernatorial candidate Ryan Kelley at his Allendale residence on Thursday.
Kelley was charged with several misdemeanors, including
- Knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority.
- Disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds.
- Knowingly engage in any act of physical violence against person or property in any restricted building or grounds.
- Willingly injure or commit any depredation against any property of the United States.
The charges relate to Kelley attending a protest on Jan. 6, 2021, at the United States Capitol that preceded some people attacking the Capitol.
In 2021, a video posted on Twitter by the @MichiganTea political account appears to show Kelley shouting, “Come on, let’s go! This is it! This is – this is war, baby!
It’s unclear why law enforcement waited 17 months to arrest Kelley. The arrest precedes a U.S. House hearing on the January 6 riots tonight.
The arrest further shakes up the Michigan GOP gubernatorial race after a state board kicked five candidates off the Aug. 2, 2022 ballot, slashing the GOP candidate pool to five to face Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
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Scott McClallen is a staff writer covering Michigan and Minnesota for The Center Square. A graduate of Hillsdale College, his work has appeared on Forbes.com and FEE.org. Previously, he worked as a financial analyst at Pepsi.
Photo “Ryan Kelley” by Ryan Kelley.Â
