A right-wing video blogger accused of calling a cop a “fucking oath breaker” and “piece of shit” while he stormed the Capitol in January wants a federal judge to remove his court-mandated GPS monitor—insisting he loves law enforcement and has led an “exemplary life” with a “Christian upbringing.”
Anthime Joseph Gionet, the far-right activist better known as “Baked Alaska,” was charged in January with violent entry and disorderly conduct after he allegedly livestreamed himself attacking the Capitol. Prosecutors state that during the livestream, Gionet said “1776 baby” and insisted he’s not “leaving this bitch” before accusing a police officer of shoving him.
“You’re a fucking oath breaker you piece of shit,” Gionet allegedly said, before shouting “fuck you” at the officer at least four times. “You broke your oath to the Constitution.”
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But in a Friday motion to modify the conditions of his release ahead of his trial, Gionet’s lawyers insist the prominent Trump ally “has no criminal record” and only entered the Capitol on Jan. 6 as a “journalist.” Citing his “Christian upbringing” and schooling in a “private Christian” institution, the motion adds that “Mr. Gionet does not come from a background of violence and disdain for law enforcement” and should be allowed to wait for his trial without a GPS monitor.
“Mr. Gionet made a music video several years back called ‘We Love the Cops.’ The video has been viewed tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of times on youtube,” the motion argues.
“To be sure there were heinous acts that took place on that day. However, on this occasion for Mr. Gionet, the film he took will show that not only did he not engage in violence or tearing down of barriers or breaking of windows or objects within and around the capitol [sic], but he can be heard repeatedly telling others not to break or vandalize anything inside the capitol. He can be seen fist bumping officers. When he was told to leave, he left,” the motion adds.
Prosecutors, however, have argued that Gionet was aggressive toward officers trying to contain the sea of MAGA supporters that stormed the Capitol. According to a criminal complaint, Gionet—who tested positive for COVID-19 just days before the riot and is currently facing unrelated charges for allegedly pepper-spraying a bouncer last year—traveled to the nation’s capital in January for the “Stop The Steal” events.
As thousands of rioters breached the Capitol, Gionet, a former BuzzFeed employee turned far-right pro-Trump activist, livestreamed himself at the event on DLive, which has since removed the 27-minute video.
“Unleash the Kraken, let’s go,” Gionet is heard saying in the video, according to the complaint. “America First is inevitable. Fuck Globalists, let’s go!”
At one point, Gionet filmed himself entering an office, picking up a telephone, and acting out a “purported phone call with the United States Senate personnel.”
Later in the video, he entered another office, sat on a couch, and placed his feet on a table before encouraging others not to break anything. When law enforcement officers ask him to leave, Gionet identified himself as a member of the “media” before accusing an officer of shoving him. But “no shoving can be seen in the video,” the complaint states.
After screaming at the officer, Gionet left the Capitol.
