Jan 6 Rioter Threatens McCarthy
A recent arrest of a Capitol rioter has brought to light concerning threats made towards House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C. filed a court document outlining the comments made by 37-year-old Taylor Taranto on YouTube. Taranto, previously charged for his involvement in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, had been under FBI surveillance due to his online activities.
According to the court document, on June 28, 2023, Taranto began a live stream on YouTube where he directed ominous statements towards McCarthy, allegedly stating, “Coming at you McCarthy. Can’t stop what’s coming. Nothing can stop what’s coming.” The exact nature of these statements remains unclear. This revelation follows Taranto’s recent arrest near the residence of former President Barack Obama in Washington, D.C.
law enforcement authorities had previously informed Newsweek that Taranto faced charges of being a “Fugitive from Justice” based on an arrest warrant. The suspect was apprehended on Kalorama Road, with the assistance of Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers and federal law enforcement partners. During the arrest, Taranto was found to be in possession of a machete, two firearms, and 400 rounds of ammunition, as reported by the Associated Press.
The court document further revealed that on June 28, Taranto made various comments during the live stream, expressing his intention to detonate his vehicle at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). He mentioned having a detonator, embarking on a “one-way mission,” and asserted that the vehicle was self-driving, allowing him to be at a safe distance when it exploded.
Following Taranto’s arrest, MPD informed Newsweek that they had requested their Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Team to conduct a sweep of the suspect’s van in the vicinity of the arrest. Authorities confirmed that there was no active threat to the community at that time.
According to prosecutors, Taranto took to Truth Social on June 29 to claim he was outside Obama’s residence. He used his own Truth Social account to repost the address and made a statement on Telegram, declaring, “We got these losers surrounded! See you in hell, Podesta’s and Obama’s.” The term “Podesta” likely refers to John Podesta, former White House counselor and current senior adviser to the White House Office on Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation.
Taranto faced charges related to the Capitol riot after law enforcement officials obtained videos showing his entry into the building on January 6. The videos depicted him wearing a dark jacket and baseball cap while carrying a black cane with a pointed handle. Prosecutors also noted that Taranto continued to post about his involvement in the January 6 riots on social media, including a video of himself inside the Capitol building.
