Vineyard owner convicted by judge for Capitol riot felonies — on top of his guilty pleas

A Texas winemaker who was in the January 6 mob trying to breach the door of the House Speaker’s Lobby at the moment Ashli Babbitt was shot was convicted by a judge Wednesday of multiple felonies.

Christopher Grider, 41, of Eddy, Texas, was found guilty of a total of nine charges including three felonies, the Department of Justice reported. Grider’s case was unusual in that he chose to pursue a bench trial after having entered guilty pleas to two misdemeanor charges.

Grider was among the first rioters to breach the Capitol and was pushing on the doors to the Speaker’s Lobby immediately before Babbitt was shot, the FBI stated. “Grider was observed backing away from the Speaker’s Lobby door as other individuals were screaming, “gun,” according to the DOJ.

After Babbitt was shot, its report stated, “police ordered rioters to move away from the scene. Grider remained and could be seen leaning over the railing to get a better glimpse of the woman bleeding on the floor. Grider was holding his phone over the stairway appearing to capture a video or pictures of the woman.”

Prior to the shooting, Grider “watched members of Congress and staff evacuate on the other side (of the door to the Speaker’s Lobby). He gave (a black Kevlar) helmet to another rioter, knocking on it apparently to demonstrate its hardness, and pushed on the door. The rioter proceeded to use the helmet to break the windows in the door.”

Before that, Grider had “found an electric utility box and pressed buttons as he yelled “Turn the power off!” He then proceeded to the Crypt, where he was part of another group of rioters who pushed through a police line. After taking a picture of a map of the Capitol, and exclaiming, “We gotta get into the Chamber!” Grider proceeded to the hallway outside of the House Chamber, where he waved more rioters in.”

Grider and his wife own Kissing Tree Vineyards in central Texas. Early after his arrest his case drew attention when – as reported by Raw Story -- he argued that he simply got caught up in the mob before finding himself inside the Capitol with a "Don't Tread On Me" flag tied around his neck.

His federal district judge at the time -- best known now as U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson – was not impressed.

"Make no mistake, Mr. Grider, you did participate,” Brown Jackson told him. "You did have a role in one of the most egregious assaults on our democracy in the history of this country."

U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly convicted Grider Wednesday of civil disorder, obstruction of an official proceeding, destruction of government property, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and an act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.

The crimes for which Grider was convicted carry sentences totaling 40 years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for May 23, 2023.