Blaze News investigative writer Steve Baker — who's been reporting on January 6 — handcuffed, charged

UPDATE: 4:45 p.m. ET: Here's a clip of Baker commenting on his ordeal after he was released Friday:

UPDATE: 1:56 p.m. ET: Baker has been released:

UPDATE: 1:16 p.m. ET: Investigative journalist Lara Logan had the following to say about Baker's treatment Friday:

UPDATE: 1:05 p.m. ET: What happened to Baker got the attention of Donald Trump, Jr. as well:

UPDATE: 12:51 p.m. ET: Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy weighed in on Baker's arrest and the state of freedom of the press:

UPDATE: 12:37 p.m. ET:BlazeTV contributor Jill Savage noted that she exited the courtroom with Baker who "was able to wear his dress clothes but had shackles on his wrists and ankles. He is expected to be released today. His next hearing is set in DC for March 14th."

Original story below

Blaze News investigative journalist Steve Baker — who for years has been searching for the truth about Jan. 6, 2021, and believes the U.S. government has been targeting him for it — on Friday was charged with four misdemeanors related to his Jan. 6 coverage at the U.S. Capitol after turning himself in to the FBI in Dallas.

The charges are:

• Knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority
• Disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds
• Disorderly conduct in a capitol building
• Parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a capitol building

Image source: Blaze News

Baker learned of the charges for the first time Friday and earlier this week told Blaze News that the powers that be wouldn't tell his attorney about the charges because they believed Baker will post them on social media.

Baker's Dallas attorney, James Lee Bright, added to Blaze News that withholding the nature of the charges against his client was a "really unusual" move.

Bright told Blaze News that he's "disturbed" about what's happening with his client, especially given that Baker has been "in full compliance" all this time. Bright also said the federal government "three-plus years later going after people who were legitimate functioning journalists that day" appears designed to have an "absolute chilling effect."

Baker added that when he asked his other attorney, William Shipley, why the federal government is treating him like this, Shipley replied, "You know why. You've been poking them in the eye for three years."

What's the background?

Earlier this week, Baker said the FBI instructed him to self-surrender Friday morning, and Baker did just that.

While Baker said the agency told him to show up at the field office in "shorts and sandals" — which he said typically means authorities want to make it easier to prep an individual for a "humiliation" perp walk routine — Baker, dignified as ever, arrived in a suit and tie.

Later he was placed in handcuffs, walked by a pair of agents to a vehicle, and transported to a courthouse.

Blaze Media editor in chief Matthew Peterson — who accompanied Baker to the FBI field office — posted the following reaction: "Tough to watch. Totally unnecessary. There was no reason to take him into custody and have U.S. marshals transport him to the courthouse. We expect and hope to see him on the other side of this in a few hours."

Glenn Beck, co-founder of Blaze Media, wrote in a Friday morning op-ed that Baker's First Amendment battle is ours, too: "When the United States government can come after individuals, that's when you know our republic is crumbling. I've always said that if they can go after Donald Trump, they will go after people like you and me. And now they are. But Steve Baker is not deterred, and neither are we."

Beck on Thursday asked Baker how he was holding up. Here's how Baker responded:

What else?

Baker announced in December that the FBI said the U.S. Department of Justice would be charging him for his Jan. 6 reporting — but two days later, he noted that the FBI said his self-surrender was postponed until after Christmas.

It's been a waiting game ever since.

Attorneys representing Baker in January told Blaze News that the Justice Department might be orchestrating a "retaliation" against Baker over his Jan. 6 reporting.

"Steve’s actions on January 6 have been known to the Department of Justice for 3 years," Baker's attorneys said in a January news release. "But it is only now — after Steve has broken two major stories greatly embarrassing to the DOJ — that he is possibly being targeted for arrest and possibly felony prosecution. Any action taken to put him in handcuffs, hold him in custody, and have him transported to court by federal law enforcement will be nothing other than retaliation for his recent reporting."

Baker discussed his legal saga in a pair of October commentary pieces for Blaze News (here and here), detailing the ins and outs of the federal investigation he's been under following his independent journalistic work on Jan. 6, which began before he joined Blaze News.

What has been uncovered as a result of Baker's investigations?

Baker's first Jan. 6 analysis for Blaze News came last October following countless hours in a House subcommittee office looking at frame after frame of Jan. 6 closed-circuit video — and it had him wondering: did Capitol Police Special Agent David Lazarus perjure himself in the Oath Keepers trial?

Soon after, the slow pace of getting an unrestricted look at everything recorded on video prompted Blaze Media editor in chief Matthew Peterson's appeal to House Speaker Mike Johnson to release all the videos. On Nov. 17, Johnson did just that.

Baker's investigative efforts also resulted in two additional analyses, both focusing on Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn: "January 6 and the N-word that wasn't" and "Harry Dunn's account of January 6 does not add up. At all."

In December, Baker alleged that he uncovered major irregularities involving Dunn, the Capitol Police, the press, and U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland).

In January, Baker asserted that newly released U.S. Capitol closed-circuit TV video clips from Jan. 6 show Lazarus gave false testimony in the Oath Keepers trial.

Proof of Perjury | The Truth About January 6youtu.be

Also in January, Baker and others were asking what the U.S. government has to hide in regard to the pipe bomb found on Jan. 6 at the Democratic National Committee headquarters. Baker in February wrote another analysis titled "Capitol Police diverted all CCTV cameras away from DNC pipe bomb investigation — except one."

Baker penned his latest analysis last week, asking why Kamala Harris was at the DNC and not the Capitol on Jan. 6.

This story has been updated.

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