Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio praised Rep. Jim Jordan and blasted the Department of Justice during a jailhouse call with supporters and journalists.
The jailed militant echoed the themes of Jordan's congressional hearings into the supposed "weaponization" of government institutions and urged the Ohio Republican to call some Jan. 6 defendants to testify about their experiences with federal prosecutors, reported Politico.
Tarrio spoke as he awaited a verdict on seditious conspiracy charge regarding the Captiol riot.
He did not comment specifically on his four-month trial, admitting that might interfere with jury deliberations, but complained the Justice Department was "overcharging" Capitol rioters and criminalizing support for Donald Trump to “manipulate the 2024 election.”
His attorneys used their closing arguments to blame Trump for the Jan. 6 attack, and while Tarrio praised their work he would not say whether he agrees the former president was at fault for the violent insurrection.
Tarrio declined to take the stand two weeks ago during the trial, saying that he didn't want prosecutors to bring up violent or vulgar statements he had made over the years, which he described as "locker room" banter.
“It’s simple fun,” he said.
