The FBI is still on the search for hundreds of insurrectionists who participated in breaking into the Capitol on January 6. This week, the feds made a new arrest in a former Republican New York state assembly candidate along with his brother.
WUSA9 reported on Wednesday that the FBI had arrested Gregory Purdy, a former Republican candidate for the New York state assembly. The feds have also arrested Purdy’s brother Matthew Purdy as well as another defendant, Robert Turner, whose arrests warrants were approved by a federal judge this month. All three of them are charged with civil disorder, obstruction, and assault, as well as resisting or impeding police, along with four misdemeanor counts.
According to court documents, Purdy traveled to Washington with his family for the January 6 “Stop the Steal” rally. Prosecutors say that Purdy was among those that led the mob against the Capitol police officers and law enforcement officers that responded to the insurrection hours later. In the affidavit, Purdy said that he believed that it was his job to “uphold the Constitution and do a f****** rebellion.”
Purdy also bragged about the progress he made against the police officers on his social media.
Purdy is not the only politician who participated in the Capitol insurrection back in January. Former West Virginia state Rep. Derrick Evans resigned shortly after he was elected for his involvement upon getting arrested. Other sitting members of Congress such as Rep. Mo Brooks and Rep. Andy Biggs have fueled the false election claims and reportedly helped the twice-impeached former president plan the rally that preceded the insurrection.
Hundreds of insurrectionists have already been arrested since the riots. Many have already been tried and sentenced for their involvement. One particulate insurrectionist, Robert Gieswein, known for being a member of the Three Percenters militia group, is seeking a pretrial release. Gieswein cited that it is unhealthy to be “stuck in a bubble” with other fellow insurrectionists who share the same beliefs as him.
Gieswein is accused of assaulting police officers at the Capitol during the insurrection. In a letter to DC federal judge Emmett Sullivan, Gieswein cited an article by Vice about the “patriot wing” of the DC jail, where he is detained along with his fellow insurrectionists.
“I am not an expert in anything, but I do know it’s not healthy to spend every day in here like it’s Groundhog’s Day, with people with the same viewpoint, in the same situation, because we are all portrayed by much of the media as one type of person,” Gieswein wrote. “It is natural in this environment for the conversation to turn to January 6, and for us to look to each other for strength.”