Four Face Charges for Allegedly Trying to Topple Andrew Jackson Statue Near White House
One man appeared in court today, but “was released on his own personal recognizance.”
The Department of Justice announced charges against four men for allegedly trying to tear down the Andrew Jackson statue near the White House.
From the DOJ press release:
Lee Michael Cantrell, 47, of Virginia; Connor Matthew Judd, 20, of Washington, D.C.; Ryan Lane, 37, of Maryland; and Graham Lloyd, 37, of Maine, were charged by criminal complaint yesterday with destruction of federal property, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael R. Sherwin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division James A. Dawson, and Acting Chief of the United States Park Police (USPP) Gregory T. Monahan.
The complaint, unsealed today, alleges that on June 22, 2020, the four men along with other unidentified individuals, damaged and attempted to tear down the statue depicting Andrew Jackson located in Lafayette Square. The complaint further alleges that Cantrell was captured on video attempting to pry the statue off its base with a wooden board and trying to pull the statue down with the aid of a yellow strap. The complaint alleges that Judd is seen on video trying to pull down the statue, and that Lane is seen on video affixing a rope to one part of the statue and then pulling on another rope tied to the statue. The complaint also alleges that video of the incident shows Lloyd as he breaks off and destroys the wheels of cannons located at the base of the statue. Lloyd is also captured on video pulling on ropes in an effort to topple the statue, and handing a hammer to an unidentified individual involved in the incident.
Judd appeared in court on Monday. The 20-year-old attends George Washington University and is a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity.
Judd did not say anything during his court appearance. He “was released on his own personal recognizance.” He has “to stay away from 13 different monuments.”
#FBIWFO & @usparkpolicepio are seeking to identify several individuals who are responsible for vandalizing federal property at Lafayette Square on June 22, 2020. If you have info, please call #FBI. https://t.co/oGsDaPweqC pic.twitter.com/mOpjK7EpS5
— FBI Washington Field (@FBIWFO) June 26, 2020
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Comments
The kid should be kicked out of his frat and his school. I’m betting he’ll get interviewed by msnbc and a book deal instead.
History shows us the same pattern time and again. First there is unrest by a vocal few. Next come the attempts to destroy statues and other monuments to the past and is then followed by widespread violence. Lastly comes the killing.
And to think that this is an election year. I worry about how this year finishes for I see the unrest growing until it is out of control and culminating with the election. Should the Democrats win the election, I fear their backlash towards conservatives and their values. Should Trump win, then I cannot see how many on the Left will accept those results of the election. Interesting times indeed.
Beat them senseless.
Beat them senseless, when they no longer present an immediate danger, and have now been charged and/or arraigned?
When I read your comment, it already had 3 up-votes, and no down-votes. Does anyone here ever stop to think about the impression you’re creating (of conservatives), or are you really the pack of hate-mongers that the Left accuses you of being?
Play stupid gaames, win stupid prizes.
moonmoth,
You seem to be arguing that the absence of downvote implies agreement with the comments. That is not a logically sound argument.
Firstly, you haven’t demonstrated that everyone who frequents this site has even read the main post, much less scrolled through the comments.
Second, even if you could demonstrate that you would need to demonstrate a requirement for up/down votes. There isn’t one.
Finally, you would need to demonstrate that the comment you disapprove of indicates that the person posting it is proof that he, and we by implication, are showing ourselves to be a
‘Pack of hate mongers’. You have not.
Most people who frequent this site are of a independent bent to put it charitably; others might say stubborn and unyielding. We are people who believe that our shared inheritance of western culture it’s laws, norms and most importantly it’s aspirational values and ideals are not only worth preserving but worth fighting for.
We don’t in general, subscribe to the misguided views of the current ‘woke fad’. We believe in telling the truth, not to intentionally hurt feelings but because the truth is important to maintaining a sense of proportion.
We are, most of anyway, the voters who were ignored by pollsters and politicians for decades who decided to vote for PDJT not for his personal virtue but because he was a complete outsider to DC and was reviled by the elites.
Commuting here to this site and calling us names isn’t going to change our minds or shame us into changing our views. The only way to do that is by reason, logic, facts and evidence.
This may be hard for you to understand so let me clarify the situation. We don’t subscribe to your rules and your worldview, in fact we reject them. If you actually want to debate the issues of the day then marshal your evidence and come into our arena of ideas prepared to be offended.
If you can’t or won’t that’s ok. We will know why and we know who you are and what you represent; a person too insecure in themselves and their ability to do more than call us names instead of confidently stating their case.
We hate criminal thugs. We’re such bad people.
Here we go, down the slide of cultural rot. Their end game is to provoke law-abiding taxpayers into retaliation and Katie, bar the door! When it happens (and it will) the level of pearl-clutching by the media will go off the charts.
I hope someone has a good answer to end this. I feel as if we are being held hostage by our freedoms. The only way that I see out of this is by breaking a few eggs to make a good old Western Omelet.
Let them clutch.
The newsies want the blood for the clicks. Cursed gouls.
I hope someone has a good answer to end this.
Helicopters.
scooterjay,
IMO the best course is for the DoJ to continue social media surveillance, use camera footage to identify and arrest. No plea bargaining take them to trial with all the pain and expense that entails.
As individuals are charged and questioned DoJ develops a clearer picture of the organization involved, even if it is only a local cell. Then using that information expand the surveillance with warrants for those under suspicion.
With this information DoJ can potentially use RICO as a lever against the financial backers and surrogates.
That’s not to say defending the monuments physically isn’t worthwhile, it is. However, if federal charges for these attempts become the norm then that will have a deterrent effect.
Frankly, unless you are ready for a very nasty civil war I would recommend using minimal force. Remember that most of these protesters are peaceful. The rioters and looters are clearly not, but they are using the crowd to hide in.
A violent ‘Kent State’ type moment from PDJT is what these folks want in order to make a political statement. We should work to deny that opportunity.
CommoChief,
Thank you for the response. I’m of the “hang on, don’t respond” camp but honestly, I know people on the right are itching for a fight and that is exactly what these people are doing…..and it will be used to bludgeon us into submission if/when it happens. Yes, another “Kent State” is around the corner and the media is salivating at the prospect. It will take confronting those that support and cheer on this behavior to end it. Let’s hope the DOJ isn’t too far gone for your scenario to pan out. Expect far worse if DJT wins a second term. I’ve got a twofold purpose for voting for conservatives and Trump. I really dug the Trump economy and I want to see what level of insanity these people rise to.
Quite possibly, but I don’t think it’s going to go that way if they do. They’re pushing people into corners without exits.
That said, if things boog, we lose too.
The difference is that when Authorized Journalists (TM) bleated after Kent State, the government reversed itself in deference. Boog bois will welcome the bleating as confirmation they are over the target, and double down.
The peaceful
Protests are over…
gonzotx,
I don’t think we have reached that point yet where we declare all protests are violent mobs assembled unlawfully that must be disbursed with lethal force.
That point is much further down the line, IMO.
“Mostly peaceful” means everyone is not yet rioting OR at some point the rioters were not rioting.
Like when the democrats steal the election and widespread protests erupt?
We’re still talking about “peaceful protestors” who are in the process of destroying six- and seven-figure public and private property, right? Just making sure.
henrybowman,
Yes we are because there are still some people peacefully protesting. There are also mobs of anarchists using violence and intimidation to destroy monuments, burn business and threaten the law abiding.
These are different actors and should be treated differently.
At some point the anarchists will face the consequences of their actions. That may be through law enforcement or if the local political powers hamstring law enforcement to preclude action, then it may be from an armed citizenry acting to mutually protect each other, their property and their livelihood.
Rest assured that the day of reckoning will arrive, sooner or later. One way or another. The anarchist mobs don’t seem to understand that by refusing to allow Locke (rule of law) they are forcing Hobbs (rule of violence).
I, and I suspect many of us, are perfectly happy to let the anarchists make the choice. We will be insisting that they live with the consequences of that choice. For good or ill.
A student at George Washington University. I keep advocating for canceling all student loan programs so that many of the colleges and universities spawning these evil brats will go bankrupt.
May their sentences include hard labor. Liberals just hate hard labor.
They wanted to topple the statue of the first general to integrate troops and pay troops equal wages regardless of race.
Woke indeed!
Unfortunately, they’ll likely get a slap on the wrist at worst. The justice dept. can recommend throwing the book at them, but even if they’re found guilty, they’ll be sentenced by liberal DC circuit judges.
Hopefully just the announcement that they’ve been charged with federal crimes will have a deterrent affect, but the fact that at least one was ROR’d doesn’t portend the stern penalties that would be necessary to effectively deter.
that criminal record has teeth
Watching them climb up on the statue….oh, to have several balloons filled with motor oil and STP. At the right moment, having the anarchists find their footing drenched in lubricant where the next step could be the express to hard ground.
Released and not jailed makes the judge suspect as to “loyalty” to the issues at hand. It is DC…
Since when does a federal felony merit release on OR? The judge will give him no jail time if he’s even convicted. Will a DC jury convict? Doubtful
The Magistrate who released him is…
Black
Female
Former Merrick Garland Clerk
Draw your own conclusions
Soros, Obama, clinton, biden, kerry and pelosi loot the nation, and the best Barr can do is trot out these 4 idiots?
Barr failed us, either by his cluelessness, or intentionally.
Re the softies worried about another Kent State, will anyone deny that If Lenin had been executed rather than exiled and Hitler shot dead during his 1923 attempted putsch instead
of comfortable prison time, the world would have been a much better place?
Thugs astounded to discover vandalism is actually still an arrestable defense. After Seattle and Minneapolis, they thought the rules had changed.
When protestors cross the line which includes acts of sedition and/or disrupting the lives of other innocent people, blocking their movement, violent acts, or stopping them from accomplishing their jobs or purpose, blocking their speech, and/or unnecessarily interfering with the activities of their environment, or smear tactics, then they are violating their Constitutional rights, 1st amendment rights, breaking existing laws, and need to be brought to justice. Protesting has its limits and place. These protests are not spontaneous and are organized activities by outside domestic terrorist groups. Many are paid by George Soros, BLM, Antifa, and related extreme liberal groups ( Obama). Those who incite and/or fund riots/looting/arson (George Soros) need to be arrested for being an accomplice and/or sedition. They need to account and pay for the damage they create including costs created by obfuscation. Rioters and looters/arsonists should be placed on notice that they can/will be shot! Likewise any rioter/looter/arsonist arrested who lives outside of the immediate area does not have a “dog in the fight” and deserves an additional citation for being a paid rioter/looter and face felony charges. It is a federal crime to cross state lines or to use interstate facilities to incite or participate in violent rioting. Those rioters/arsonists arrested need to have a criminal/outstanding warrant background check, students need to be expelled, and all face loss of any government subsistence. Unmasking and disarming protestors of weapons should be enforced and Mayors, governors, government officials allowing out of control riots or preventing the police from doing their jobs should be arrested and held accountable.
I hate the probable fact that the real issue is we have a segment of our society that feels destroying other people’s lives when they face adversity is justified.
These are the inevitable consequences when a nation forgets who and what it is and when some of its citizens reject the values that built and sustained it. But tearing things down, including history, does not help others rise. No life is improved, no family stabilized.
“Out of many, one” is our national motto. We seem to be practicing it today about as much as the unofficial one, “In God we trust.”
Cutting him loose will really teach this little commie bastard a lesson, huh?