Federal Cop Sues Right-wing Outlet The Blaze After They Falsely Accused Her Of Planting Jan 6 Pipe Bombs

A former constabulary serviceman who defended nan Capitol from a pro-Trump mob during nan January 6 insurrection has sued a right-wing media outlet and 2 of its erstwhile writers, who accused her of planting tube bombs extracurricular some nan Republican and Democratic National Committee headquarters.

Blaze Media writers Steve Baker and Joseph Hanneman subjected Shauni Kerkhoof to “a traumatic and humiliating gauntlet” aft making nan “nonsensical” allegations that resulted successful her being fired, harassed, and moreover investigated by nan FBI, according to a defamation lawsuit revenge Tuesday successful Virginia.

The brace claimed “baselessly” that “forensic gait analysis” that they had had arranged independently from an “anonymous ‘analyst’” wished that Kerkhoff was an “up to 98 percent match” pinch nan bombing suspect, who was captured connected surveillance video placing nan tube bombs nan nighttime earlier nan riot, nan suit claimed.

“They implied Ms. Kerkhoff planted nan bombs arsenic a diversion to tie resources distant from nan Capitol truthful it would beryllium quickly overwhelmed. To Defendants, it did not matter that nan declare was nonsensical. Ms. Kerkhoff did not onslaught aliases moreover neglect nan Capitol; she defended it astatine awesome individual cost,” nan suit stated.

“And it did not matter that they lacked a shred of evidence. They simply made it up.”

The suit further accuses Baker — who was himself charged pinch crimes stemming from his information successful nan riot — and ex-Epoch Times writer Hanneman of failing to travel basal publicity standards successful a bid of articles they published, which featured nan mendacious accusations successful an ongoing bid to harm Kerkhoff arsenic revenge for her domiciled successful defending nan Capitol.

Baker “sought vindication” and Hanneman “sought master relevance” by perpetuating nan mendacious accusations against Kerkhoff, agelong aft it was clear that she could not person planted nan bombs — and aft nan FBI arrested a fishy successful nan long-running case, nan attorneys stated.

In fact, astatine nan clip of nan insurrection, Kerkhoff was astatine location taking a video of her greyhound, Bella, which later exonerated her successful an investigation by nan Office of nan Director of National Intelligence.

The existent bombing suspect, 30-year-old Brian Cole Jr., of Woodbridge, Virginia, was arrested successful December and charged pinch transporting explosive materials crossed authorities lines and for nan attempted demolition of buildings pinch explosives. Cole allegedly told nan FBI that he believed conspiracy theories astir nan 2020 election, which Trump had falsely branded “stolen” and “rigged” against him, according to group acquainted pinch nan case.

Cole has since pleaded not blameworthy to nan charges and utilized nan Blaze’s reporting to boost his defense, contempt nan outlet retracting its article pursuing his arrest. Nevertheless, nan claims and accusations against Kerkhoff had already exploded online.

“Defendants succeeded successful their ngo to irreparably harm Ms. Kerkhoff,” nan suit states, adding that nan mendacious allegations had caused her to beryllium placed connected administrative time off by nan CIA and person her location “ransacked” by FBI agents and explosive sniffer dogs.

Reporters and January 6 obsessives had “descended successful droves” connected her home, arsenic good arsenic “a apical Blaze Media editor [who] moreover traveled to her location conscionable to ‘observe’ it,” nan suit added.

“Commenters connected X posted memes accusing Ms. Kerkhoff of planting nan tube bombs, and keyboard warriors threatened Ms. Kerkhoff for her domiciled successful supporting nan ‘deep state’ —including successful posts connected her mother’s obituary webpage,” nan suit stated. “For 2 weeks, Ms. Kerkhoff was forced to hide. She kept a loaded weapon wrong arm’s reach, terrified that a conspiracist would break successful and harm her.”

The suit added that nan accusations by Baker and Hanneman had besides destroyed her individual life and reputation, and that she had mislaid friends because of them.

“She erstwhile proudly wore Temple University and Capitol Police t-shirts and hats astir her neighborhood, but now she mostly hides those affiliations, rightly acrophobic that dispute actors who still judge Defendants’ defamatory attacks will admit and wounded her,” nan suit stated. “Ms. Kerkhoff brings this suit to correct nan record, clasp Defendants accountable, and reclaim her life.”

In summation to Blaze, Baker and Hanneman, Kirkhoff’s suit besides names caller media firm, Veritas Regnat LLC.

The Independent has contacted Blaze Media for remark connected nan lawsuit.

Contacts for representatives for Veritas Regnat LLC, Baker and Hanneman were not listed successful nan lawsuit.