A writer for a conservative media outlet, Steve Baker, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to joining the assault on the U.S. Capitol nearly four years ago. The federal judge did not pause his case until after President Donald Trump took office. Baker, who has written articles about the assault, made his guilty plea on the day his trial without a jury was to begin. Judge Christopher Cooper is set to sentence him on March 6, acknowledging that the case might not reach the punishment stage.
Baker, 64, was arrested in March on four misdemeanor charges, including trespassing and disorderly conduct. He had requested to postpone all deadlines and hearings in his case until after Trump’s inauguration. However, the judge denied the request. Baker covered his trial from a courtroom reserved for reporters.
After the Capitol siege, Baker began writing for Blaze News. He pleaded guilty "to avoid the embarrassing exercise of a trial," while maintaining that he did nothing wrong on January 6. Baker was working as a freelance journalist that day and later sold videos of the riot to The New York Times and HBO.
Baker joined the mob at the Capitol, according to a sworn statement from an FBI agent. In a video uploaded to YouTube on January 6, he referred to Pelosi with a sexist expletive. More than 1,500 people have been charged with offenses related to the Capitol riot, with over 1,000 rioters sentenced, some to as much as 22 years in prison.
Cooper stated that the January 6 charges have been determined by facts and evidence, not by unfounded opinions. Baker and his lawyers accused the Department of Justice of selectively prosecuting him for his political beliefs. Baker claims to be "very confident that I am at the top of the list" if Trump grants pardons.
