Brad Zaun Calls For Arrest Of Those Detaining Violent Jan. 6 Insurrectionists

Iowa Sen. Brad Zaun (R-Urbandale) has introduced legislation to defend Jan. 6 insurrectionists, including a specific rioter named in the bill that beat police officers with a baseball bat. Zaun wants officials involved with detaining Jan. 6 Capitol rioters to be investigated and arrested by the federal government and for the Iowa Senate to formally condemn those same officials. 

As president pro tempore, Zaun is the second-highest-ranking Republican in the Iowa Senate. He was one of six Republican state senators that introduced Senate Resolution 8 last Wednesday, which accuses officials connected to the Washington, DC-based DC Department of Corrections of violating federal law and the US Constitution for how they’ve detained insurrectionists.

Other sponsors include Sens. Sandy Salmon of Janesville, Cherielynn Westrich of Ottumwa, Tim Kraayenbrink of Fort Dodge, Dennis Guth of Klemme, and Kevin Alons of Salix. Salmon.

In the resolution, Zaun and his co-sponsors say the incarcerated insurrectionists are subject to conditions paramount to “living in a third-world country” and that many of them are requesting to be transferred to Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

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Congressman Robert Garcia (D-California), who visited the DC jail, said the alleged conditions being described by some Republicans and that are outlined in the resolution are untrue.

The Iowa senators also list specific people involved with Jan. 6 who they believe are victims of DC’s criminal justice system. So who are some of these people Iowa senators are willing to stick their neck out for?

Christopher Worrell

US Department of Justice/screenshot

Christopher Worrell is a Proud Boy member from East Naples, Florida, who is facing 19 charges for his role in the Jan. 6 riot. The Proud Boys are a far right-wing group that often engages in street violence over political issues and the Southern Poverty Law Center considers it a hate group. 

Worrell was caught on camera spraying pepper spray gel at Capitol police officers during outside clashes between officers and rioters, according to federal court documents.

The Naples Daily News reports that “a video aired during the June 9 hearing of the U.S. House Select Committee, one of a number that have been aired, appeared to show Worrell and others accused of storming the building, attacking police officers, breaking building windows and wreaking other damage at the Capitol.”

Jake Lang

Us Department of Justice/screenshots

Edward Jacob “Jake” Lang of Newburg, New York, was indicted on 11 federal charges for his role on Jan. 6.

According to the Daily Voice, “it is alleged that Lang punched and kicked officers on Jan. 6 and beat them with a baseball bat and riot shield during the most heated moments of the riot.”

Lang suggested using guns as a follow-up to Jan. 6, according to federal court documents.

“Guns…. That’s it. One word,” court documents state. “The First Amendment didn’t work, we pull out the second.”

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Zach Rehl

FILE – Proud Boys members Zachary Rehl, left, and Ethan Nordean, right, walk toward the U.S. Capitol in Washington, in support of President Donald Trump, Jan. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

Zach Rehl of Philadelphia was the president of the city’s Proud Boys chapter and he was also named explicitly in Zaun’s resolution. 

According to the York Daily Record, Rehl and four other Proud Boys have been charged with seditious conspiracy, a serious federal charge that’s less than treason but carries a maximum of 20 years in jail. Those men also face a number of other charges for their roles on Jan. 6. 

Federal court documents indicate Rehl was one of the leaders of the riot and he and other Proud Boys leaders “directed, mobilized and led members of the crowd onto the Capitol grounds and into the Capitol, leading to dismantling of metal barricades, destruction of property, breaching of the Capitol building, and assaults on law enforcement.”

Response to SR 8

Zaun has not commented publicly about the resolution or why he and his colleagues are vouching for those specific inmates. Zaun’s website has not been updated since 2020, he’s not active on social media, and he declined Iowa Capital Dispatch’s request for comment.  

Starting Line also sought comment from the Washington, DC, press office about the resolution and allegations of unfair treatment.

In a statement, Iowa Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls (D-Coralville) denounced the resolution and his colleagues who attached their name to it. 

“By introducing Senate Resolution 8, Brad Zaun and Iowa Senate Republicans are siding with domestic terrorists and extremist MAGA mobs over the law enforcement officials who defended the United States Capitol from a violent insurrection, Wahls said.

“This resolution is an affront to American democracy and basic decency. SR8 defends Proud Boys militia leaders by name. SR8 stands up for a Jan. 6 insurrectionist accused of beating a police officer with a bat. And, to top it all off, these Republican Senators are asking the Iowa Senate to condemn and arrest police and corrections officers rather than the insurrectionists who attacked our Capitol.”

by Ty Rushing
03/28/23

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