Steve Baker, a reporter who covered the protests at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, held a press conference on Thursday in Dallas to discuss the ongoing threat of prosecution from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Baker and his attorneys detailed the ongoing saga in a statement prior to the press conference, which The Dallas Express attended, revealing that he has been under investigation by the DOJ since he covered the events at the Capitol.
Attorneys stated that Baker was present at the Capitol on January 6, “capturing the events of the day on video and taking notes for later reporting.”
The statement further claims that Baker was informed in July 2021 that he was under investigation due to his presence at the Capitol, with the DOJ telling him in November 2021 that he could be charged “within the week.”
Despite the claims made by the DOJ that Baker could soon be charged, he said he has yet to receive an official indictment from the department.
“For more than 30 months, it has been said to me by representatives from the Department of Justice that I am under investigation, and twice, I have been told that an indictment charging me with crimes would be filed within a matter of days,” explained Baker in the statement.
Thursday’s press conference included multiple comments made by Baker’s attorneys, as Ed Tarpley said that everyone in the team is “honored to stand here with him today and forward into the future and to serve him in whatever we can in defending the freedom of speech and freedom of the press in this country.”
“But we are here today, and this is about what kind of country we want to have. Whether or not we will have a country where the DOJ has been weaponized against the citizens, against independent journalists like Steve Baker,” said Tarpley.
As The Dallas Express has reported, the DOJ and FBI have both been accused of evolving into politicized agencies that persecute those of differing beliefs through governmental overreach, particularly when it comes to January 6 protesters.
“This is all about defending the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the freedom of speech, the freedom of the press, the freedom of assembly, the freedom to redress a petition to your government, the freedom of religion. That’s all contained in the First Amendment.”
Brad Dyer, another of Baker’s attorneys, said investigative journalists who hold those in power accountable are the “watchdogs of our democracy, shining a light on corruption, injustices, and abuses of power.”
“As we celebrate the power of the press, we must also address the concerning trend of diverting resources towards cases that are not imminent threats. The event of January 6 undoubtedly deserves some kind of inquiry, some kind of investigation; however, the emphasis placed on these cases came at the expense of other pressing issues,” said Dyer.
“This is unacceptable. The investigative journalism is not the threat to America. Corruption and lack of enforcement in areas that are killing Americans is the threat that must be addressed.”
Baker said at the conference that he does not want this saga to scare young journalists away from reporting on news that matters, explaining that he would tell young journalists, “Don’t be afraid, don’t stop.”
Although it is still unclear whether Baker will be officially indicted by the DOJ, he said that he and his team will “continue doing the work [of investigative journalism], even if the Department of Justice decides to move forward.”
“I’m not going to stop working. I’m not going to stop telling the stories that we’re telling,” he exclaimed.
Baker concluded his press conference with a message directed to the DOJ, asking the agency to drop the case.
“Let me do my job. If you really believe in justice, if you really believe in the truth, leave me alone,” he said.
