FBI agents arrested Michigan Republican gubernatorial candidate Ryan Kelley on misdemeanor charges related to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
The arrest and search unfolding at Kelley's home in Allendale adds more uncertainty to a chaotic race for governor that has seen several Republican candidates blocked from the ballot for submitting fraudulent nominating petition signatures.
Kelley, 40, is expected to make an initial appearance later Thursday in federal court in Grand Rapids.
A spokeswoman for Kelley’s campaign didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday morning.
The arrest comes 17 months after Kelley traveled to Washington, D.C., for the Jan. 6, 2021, protests that preceded an attack on the U.S. Capitol.
In June 2021, the Michigan Democratic Party promoted video footage that appeared to show Kelley shouting “Come on, let’s go! This is it! This is– this is war, baby!” as he moved toward the Capitol building.
The arrest and search unfolded hours ahead of members of a House select committee starting long-awaited televised hearings on the Jan. 6 riot.
The American Patriot Council has alleged that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, three Democrats, are felons. Kelley has also called for their arrests.
"Gretchen Whitmer, Dana Nessel and Jocelyn Benson are felons and should be arrested and put in prison," Kelley said in a past video on the group's website.
In January, he told a crowd in Livingston County to unplug voting machines from the wall if "you see something you don't like happening with the machine."
In response, Benson said tampering with ballot machines is illegal.
In January 2022, Benson, the state's top elections officials, said she had referred Kelley's comments about unplugging voting machines to Attorney General Dana Nessel.
Kelley, a real estate broker from Allendale and founder of the American Patriot Council, filed paperwork to launch his committee to run for governor in late January 2021.
He is one of five GOP candidates remaining in the race for the party’s nomination for governor.
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