Woof - a Year Probation and They're Still Saying Ray Epps Wasn't a Fed?

AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

‘Scuse me as I readjust my conspiracy hat here. The back strap’s gotten so stretched it was starting to slip, and I definitely need the thing snugged down to digest the rest of this bit of news.

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And, yes, the Daily Mail seems to be caught in a bit of an epic understatement when they tentatively posit about the severity of Mr. Epps’ sentence.

Ray Epps, the January 6 protestor who was famously caught on video instructing people to go into the Capitol building, has been sentenced to one year of probation.

His sentence will also include a $500 restitution payment, and 100 hours of community service.

Epps’ sentence seems to be comparatively light in relation to those received by other January 6 defendants, who have on average received several years in prison as punishment.

Gosh, I don’t know why anyone thought the big man with the big mouth who seemed to be everywhere exhorting people to go to the capitol and do questionable things was a federal plant. Even though the Trump supporters around him the night before and near the capitol all seemed to eye him with suspicion for the actions he was suggesting, if they weren’t directly calling him out, and warning others to stay clear of him.

FED FED FED

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The Associated Press had a story on the Epps sentence.

It’s rather muted in detail but wholly awash in sympathy for Epps as a victim of “right-wing” conspiracies.

A man targeted by right-wing conspiracy theories about the U.S. Capitol riot was sentenced on Tuesday to a year of probation for joining the Jan. 6, 2021, attack by a mob of fellow Donald Trump supporters.

Ray Epps, a former Arizona resident who was driven into hiding by death threats, pleaded guilty in September to a misdemeanor charge. He received no jail time, and there were no restrictions placed on his travel during his probation, but he will have to serve 100 hours of community service.

He appeared remotely by video conference and wasn’t in the Washington, D.C., courtroom when Chief Judge James Boasberg sentenced him. Prosecutors had recommended a six-month term of imprisonment for Epps.

And notice the verbiage in those few sentences. Epps was targeted by right-wing conspiracies – I guess by pure happenstance, huh? Epps was sentenced “for JOINING the attack.” Not at all for actions it seems like a million and one different videos and stills have documented him doing.

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But there’s also something funny that Jason Nelson noticed about the AP’s tweets and shifting word play. You’ll see in the tweet above and in the story itself that the AP refers to:

… his Capitol riot role…

January 6 is a “riot” in the AP style book now when discussing Ray Epps.

It’s so odd how J6 becomes an “insurrection” when talking about other folks.

The AP makes sure to let readers know the judge in Epps’ J6 RIOT sentencing was very sympathetic to the poor, misunderstood, mistreated defendant. Isn’t that the sweetest thing? And that the riot actually was a little insurrectiony, but carried out by Trump supporters…not the confused, victimized, and easily led Ray Epps.

Tugs at your heart.

…Epps told the judge that he now knows that he never should have believed the lies about a stolen election that Trump and his allies told and that Fox News broadcast.

“I have learned that truth is not always found in the places that I used to trust,” said Epps, who asked for mercy before learning his sentence.

The judge noted that many conspiracy theorists still refuse to believe that the Capitol riot was an insurrection carried out by Trump supporters. The judge said he hopes that the threats against Epps and his wife subside so they can move on with their lives.

“You were hounded out of your home,” the judge said. “You were hounded out of your town.”

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Conspiracy types knew the fix was in when they were showing up in backwoods addresses to arrest people they’d found using only cell data or facial recognition software, but the one guy whose face was everywhere was nowhere to be found?

And even when folks tracked him down themselves, the only 3 letter agency going after him was…”CBS”? For another run at victimhood.

I guess it’s not Ray’s fault he’s tall, photogenic, and impressionable.

And totally a fed.

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Ed Morrissey 10:00 PM | November 21, 2024
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