(FiveNation.com)- Brandon Straka, the social media star who founded the “Walk Away” movement for former liberals joining the Republican Party, was sentenced on Monday to three months of house arrest after he pled guilty to a disorderly conduct charge stemming from the January 6 protests at the United States Capitol in 2021.
Straka, who left his job as a New York City hairstylist to become an outspoke pro-Trump conservative, pled guilty to the charges back in October. Straka was could on video shouting “go, go, go” and “take it, take it!” to rioters as they scuffled with Capitol police officers. Straka appeared to be encouraging people to take the shield from the police officer, according to prosecutors.
Straka’s legal team argued that he did not realize the severity of his actions on the day, but Judge Dabney Friedrich didn’t believe it.
“It’s very hard to draw that conclusion, looking at the video footage and particularly his comments at the time, and immediately thereafter,” the judge said in her summary, pointing to how Straka told rioters to “hold the line” when a police officer was being attacked.
Straka was a fixture of the MAGA right from the 2018 midterm elections, but his future in right-wing politics hangs in the balance.
While many who attended the January 6 protest were handed jumped-up charges, Straka’s comments encouraging protesters to take a shield from a police officer will likely rub many conservatives the wrong way.
