News/Commentary

Before harsh J-6 sentence, Trump-appointed judge tells ‘Proud Boy,’ he broke ‘our tradition of peacefully transferring power’

September 1, 2023 | | Print Article

Proud Boy Joe Biggs became on Thursday the recipient of the second-longest prison sentence surrounding the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, after a Donald Trump-appointed federal judge gave him 17 years behind bars for, among other charges, seditious conspiracy.

But, before handing down his sentence, Judge Timothy Kelly had a few choice words for Biggs that will likely be seen as a slap in the face to the man who appointed him to the court.

Kelly was nominated by former President Trump for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in June 2017 and confirmed by the then-Republican-controlled Senate in September 2017 by a 94-2 vote, according to Ballotpedia.

As Biggs waited to hear his fate, Kelly let his thoughts on Jan. 6 be known.

The judge agreed that the terrorism enhancement applied to the protester “overstates” his conduct.

“It’s not my job to label you a terrorist, and my sentence today won’t do that, no matter what it is,” he told Biggs, according to NBC News.

“What happened on Jan. 6 harmed an important American custom that helps support the rule of law and the Constitution,” Kelly continued. “That day broke our tradition of peacefully transferring power, which is among the most precious things that we had as Americans.”

“Notice I said ‘had,'” the judge added. “We don’t have it anymore.”

As BizPac Review reported, Judge Kelly’s sentence is nearly half of the 33 years the prosecutors were seeking.

Only Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, who was previously given an 18-year sentence for his involvement in the events of Jan. 6, received more time.

Biggs, a U.S. Army veteran and former reporter for Infowars, was tried along with fellow Proud Boys Enrique Tarrio, Ethan Nordean and Zachary Rehl, who were all also found guilty of seditious conspiracy.

In their Aug. 17 sentencing memo, prosecutors wrote, “The evidence at trial demonstrated that Biggs was a vocal leader and influential proponent of the group’s shift toward political violence.”

“Biggs employed his military experience to direct and control large groups of men under his command,” the memo continued. “More than perhaps any other, Biggs appreciated the tactical advantage that his force had that day, and he understood the significance of his actions against his own government.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason McCullough argued that the Proud Boys’ “aim” to “intimidate and terrify elected officials, law enforcement, and the rest of the country that they didn’t agree with, and make them heel” is “no different” than the “bombing of a building,” according to Adam Klasfeld, who covered the sentencing for The Messenger.

In his courtroom address, Biggs told Kelly that he was “done with” politics, Klasfeld reported in real-time on X.

“I definitely don’t want to be a person affiliated with any more groups, unless it’s my daughter’s PTA,” Biggs said.

According to Klasfeld, “Biggs’ voice cracks with emotion as he says his daughter was molested by her grandfather.”

“I want to be there for my daughter,” Biggs said.

“As for Jan. 6, Biggs says: ‘That was my last time ever going out with the Proud Boys,'” Klasfeld reported.


Following the sentencing, many on X were quick to point out the hypocrisy of the Department of Justice.

“Infowars reporter Joe Biggs was given 17 yrs in prison for protesting on J6,” wrote one user. “While you’re chewing on that, remember that Hunter Biden filmed himself smoking crack with underage sex slaves & just returned from a taxpayer funded vacation to Ireland.”

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Melissa Fine
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