Senator Sean Ryan Urges WNY US Attorney to Take Action Against Those Involved in Violent Insurrection at the Capitol

SENATOR SEAN RYAN URGES WNY US ATTORNEY TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST THOSE INVOLVED IN VIOLENT INSURRECTION AT THE CAPITOL

Media Outlets in WNY Have Identified Local Rioters Who Participated in The Violent Insurrection At The Capitol on January 6th – Lack of Action By The WNY US Attorney Stands In Stark Contrast To Swift Action To Prosecute Buffalo City Hall Fire Suspect Last Spring

BUFFALO – Today, January 11, 2021, New York State Senator Sean Ryan urged the United States Attorney for Western New York, James P. Kennedy, Jr., to take action against persons who have been identified as participating in the violent insurrection last week at the U.S. Capitol. Local media outlets such as the Buffalo News and WIVB have identified far-right activists who traveled to Washington D.C. to participate in the insurrection, and admitted to engaging in illegal activity, yet the U.S. Attorney for WNY has yet to charge anyone in WNY who helped to desecrate the U.S. Capitol. The lack of action from the U.S. Attorney stands in stark contrast to the incident that occurred in Buffalo on May 30, 2020, when a Buffalo man lit a laundry basket on fire and threw it through at window of Buffalo City Hall. Just two days later, the man was charged with maliciously damaging or destroying, or attempting to damage or destroy, by means of a fire or an explosive, a building used in or affecting interstate commerce. Ryan called out the U.S. Attorney for his blatant hypocrisy.

Senator Sean Ryan said “It seems we have two systems of justice in America. It’s difficult to ignore the fact that when a young man of color caused damaged to Buffalo City Hall, he was swiftly prosecuted, with both state and federal charges, but when a mob of violent rioters - the vast majority of whom were white - attacked the U.S. Capitol, federal prosecutors did not show the same sense of urgency. When the City Hall incident happened last spring, U.S. Attorney Kennedy said his office would bring to justice those engaged in lawlessness and criminality. I would hope this statement applies to the violent insurrectionists who attacked our Capitol, stole government property, and viciously beat and killed police officers. What is taking so long?

The suspect in the Buffalo City Hall incident was quickly found because of his posts on social media. The insurrectionists have posted endless content on social media and bragged about their actions to local media outlets. How is the media finding these people before the United States Attorney? When a mob invaded the U.S. Capitol, fueled by lies about the 2020 election, it struck at the heart of our Democracy. The full force of law was put on Buffalo protestors, but not on Washington D.C. rioters. It’s time for U.S. Attorney Kennedy to do his job and project our Constitution and our Democracy.”

Other United States Attorneys across the country have begun to bring charges against those involved in the violent insurrection on January 6th. Charges that have been filed include theft of government property, trespassing, entering restricted federal property, violent entry, and disorderly conduct. At least 1 Capitol Police officer has died as a result of injuries sustained during the insurrection, and several other officers who are injured remain hospitalized.

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