Last Updated on February 17, 2022
As the Department of Justice continues to hide the identity of the officer who shot and killed Ashli Babbitt, the Biden administration has arrested a journalist who recorded her murder.
Ashli Babbitt, the unarmed election integrity protestor and USAF veteran, was gunned down by a Capitol Police officer on January 6th, during the protests at the US Capitol in Washington DC. On Wednesday, the Department of Justice announced that they would not pursue charges against the officer responsible, claiming that there was “insufficient evidence” to determine whether her civil rights had been violated.
Video footage of Babbitt’s killing was seen around the world, documenting the tragic incident, and one journalist who filmed the “clearest” footage was Samuel Montoya, a video journalist from Texas. Montoya, however, was arrested by federal agents on Wednesday morning, and charged with four counts, including “interfering with government business,” and “disorderly and disruptive conduct in a Capitol Building.”
According to the FBI arrest warrant affidavit, Montoya had repeatedly “described himself to others inside the Capitol Building as a ‘reporter’ or ‘journalist’ as he attempts to get through crowds,” but because “no one by that name has Congressional press credentials as an individual or via any other organizations,” he couldn’t apparently count as a journalist, despite documenting much of the day’s events, including Babbitt’s killing, for Infowars, a major media outlet.
Fox News’s Tucker Carlson discussed Montoya’s arrest on his show Wednesday night, noting that his footage proves that Babbitt did not pose a threat to any officers at the time of her death. “We’re grateful we have that tape. If we didn’t, the New York Times would be telling us that Ashli was beating people to death with a fire extinguisher when she was killed,” Carlson said.
https://twitter.com/columbiabugle/status/1382509645118337027
Carlson blasted the decision to base whether somebody is a journalist or not based purely on what the US Congress’s credentialing office says. “Did Samuel Montoya have strong personal political views? Apparently he did, but you may have noticed that’s not so unusual in journalism right now,” Carlson argued. “If this happened in Ukraine, what are the chances that NBC News would describe Samuel Montoya as a ‘dissident journalist’, and then describe Ashli Babbitt as an ‘unarmed, pro-democracy demonstrator’? The chances are roughly 100%, and this is America, and they’re not saying that.”
National File reported Wednesday that the lawyers representing the family of Ashli Babbitt are pledging to continue their legal fight for justice. Terry Roberts, the family’s attorney, said in a statement that they “strongly disagree with the U.S. Attorney’s decision.” Roberts declared that they are not “dissuaded from our goal of ultimately vindicating Ashli Babbitt’s constitutional rights in the civil arena,” insinuating a civil case against the officer or the federal government may be forthcoming.
PRESS RELEASE: Terry Roberts, attorney for Ashli Babbitt's family issues a response to United States Attorney for District of Columbia. pic.twitter.com/2tSUACGcS8
— Justice For Ashli Babbitt (@ForAshli) April 14, 2021
