US Department of Justice notices another journalist, Steve Baker, to expect criminal charges for covering news

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – November 22, 2021

Independent Journalist to be Prosecuted for Coverage of January 6th Events

Steve Baker, well-known on various social media platforms as The Pragmatic Constitutionalist, is facing criminal charges for his non-violent, non-participatory coverage of the events in DC January 6th. Immediately following the events that day, Mr. Baker released several videos and long-form blogs to his tens-of-thousands of followers about what he witnessed. Nine and half months later he was contacted by the FBI with a request for a voluntary “interview.” Because of Baker’s long-established reputation as a political writer and journalist, the FBI had to rec eive special permission from the US Attorney General’s office to conduct the interview.

The transcripts show the FBI agents conducting that interview verbally “thanked” Baker for “not” participating in violence or property destruction that day, as is consistent with the thousands of hours of video they have reviewed. Baker only videoed events as they unfolded — from the rally at The Ellipse to the US Capitol steps, and eventually inside the Capitol Building. Baker’s videos have been used by such diverse media outlets as WUSA in DC, the New York Times, and Newsmax TV. His many stories written about the events of January 6th have been read by hundreds of thousands of people.

The FBI insists upon searching Mr. Baker’s premises and electronic devices. The stated purpose is to obtain all raw video footage of January 6th, however, Mr. Baker is an active journalist investigating other questionable government activities, including certain agencies’ involvement leading up to and on the day of January 6th. The FBI will also obtain this information by default — information they’re not entitled to or in any way related to this case. This is an egregious violation of Mr. Baker’s right to privacy and may be a tactic designed to discourage and suppress Mr. Baker’s First Amendment rights as a citizen and journalist.

Unaffiliated with any political party, Baker wore no Trump paraphernalia and carried no flags on January 6th. He participated in no acts of violence, engaged in no property damage, did no taunting of law enforcement officers, did not breach any police lines or barricades, did not engage in the activity of “parading” inside the Capitol Building, and did not enter the building until after the Capitol Police and Metro DC Police were ordered to “stand down” and allow the public’s entry. He’d informed his readers, in advance, of his intention to cover the rally in DC, then as the day and riotous events unfolded, he simply followed the historic event as it developed. As any good journalist would do.

To reach Steve Baker for an interview about this developing story, he can be contacted directly at:

919-272-5231
[email protected]

To review his lengthy firsthand accounting and analysis of the events of January, please visit these links:

https://thepragmaticconstitutionalist.com/2021/01/what-i-saw-on-january-6th-in-washington-dc/
https://thepragmaticconstitutionalist.com/2021/02/who-was-up-the-chain-on-january-6th/