RADIOMarch 04, 2024

Blaze Media Journalist Describes 'HUMILIATING' Treatment by FBI During Arrest

The FBI has temporarily released Blaze Media investigative journalist Steve Baker after arresting him for his reporting at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Now, Steve joins Glenn with the details of how the FBI treated him. Steve describes feeling "humiliated" and "overwhelmed" by the FBI's tactics, which included shackles around his wrists, legs, and waist. And he also tells Glenn that, although he was booked on misdemeanors, he was put in a cage with a meth dealer. Steve's attorney, James Lee Bright, also joins to make the case that this is NOT normal.. Out of the roughly 60 journalists who were at the Capitol on Jan. 6, Bright says that only 6 or 7 have been charged and "all of those have been right-of-center media."

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: Steve Baker is with us.

He's the investigative journalist for TheBlaze. He's TheBlaze media correspondent. He's in today with his attorney. Because on Friday, he was arrested by the FBI.

If you happened to miss that podcast. It's kind of a don't miss. It's Friday's podcast.

James Lee Bright is his attorney, and he is with us, now. Welcome back.

JAMES: Hey, good to be back, Glenn.

GLENN: So I heard you say, the very first thing out, asked how you feel.

And you said, humiliated. Why?

JAMES: I thought I was mentally and emotionally prepared for this, because I've followed too many of these cases to not have been. I've seen too many of these guys, even misdemeanor defendants, even misdemeanor independent journalists. Marched before a magistrate in leg chains and the orange jumpsuit. So I thought I was ready for it, until they put the leg chains on.

And it -- I mean -- I've never even been fingerprinted for anything in my whole life.

And to actually, in the moment that it was happening, it was overwhelming.

And then on top of being chained, at your -- at your waist and your legs, then they put you in a cage with a meth dealer.

For -- and -- and, of course, Lee can speak to this better than I can. But the process of putting a non-violent misdemeanor defendant, who has been utterly and totally cooperative since the very first phone call, from the FBI, over two and a half years ago, it could have been just an order to appear. I could have walked in with Lee. Both of us with our jackets and ties on.

We could have sat in the gallery. They call us up. Stand for it. Just like they did for a felony defendant that day. But I am guarded by US marshals with leg chains on.

GLENN: So how many misdemeanors, Lee, have you -- have you done, where they're in -- leg chains?

How many times did you see this?

JAMES: In a case like this, almost never. I have clients right now, that are charged with felony drug cases, that we are negotiating with the DOJ for voluntary turn-ins. There's an active warrant with one, that I was speaking with this morning. And the DOJ is working with us, to do a voluntary turn-in to a magistrate. We'll do a same-day hearing. She'll process through pre-trial services. Will be out, no leg chains. Nothing. This is determined by the DOJ in Washington. They had us turn Steve in to the FBI at their headquarters, 7:00 a.m.

Walking through, processed him. Put him in leg chains, waist chain.

Handcuffs to his waist. And then took him directly to the marshals down at the Capitol Building here in Dallas.

GLENN: I mean, I don't remember anybody in leg chains and irons, for BLM, setting cities on fire.

JAMES: No. In fact, most of those were just catch-and-release, if they bothered to catch at all.

In fact, most of them had their cases dismissed. And then many of them had been awarded cash payouts from the government, because they were unfairly arrested, or prosecuted. Because obviously, we had to understand what their frustrations and, you know, what made them burn a building down.

GLENN: So I was really encouraged by -- by the op-ed that came out from Jonathan Turley. This weekend.

JAMES: Yeah.

GLENN: He makes the point that you, you know, might be an activist journalism. Or a journalist activist. You know, whatever this new thing is that they're doing.

BAKER: Right. Right.

GLENN: Because you have an opinion. And Stu and I were talking about it earlier this morning. Yes, you have an opinion. I have an opinion.

But that doesn't mean that you are finding the story you want to find.

You could still have an opinion on things. But as long as you're honest enough to say, I'm going in. And I don't know what's going to happen.

I have an idea of what could happen. But I'm going to tell the truth, no matter which side it falls on.

Is that who you are?

JAMES: Well, see, that's the thing that obviously not only the charging documents themselves. Because the charging documents are what they call the statement of fact. They are specifically put together for the purpose of constructing a narrative for prosecution.

GLENN: Okay.

JAMES: Out of context comments.

More importantly, and this is the key, Glenn.

And look, I'll tell you what. I'll let -- let me let an NBC. The court reporter. The guy who does every one of the cases, J6 cases for NBC.

He's there every day. His name is Ryan Riley.

And he tweeted out yesterday. He said, if it wasn't for Steve's language on January 6th, before he entered the Capitol. And then after that evening, this case almost certainly wouldn't have been brought.

GLENN: Okay. So let's -- wow, that's interesting here in America.

Let me go through the actual charges. And let's take them one by one. Can we do that. Here are the charges.

JAMES: You want me to read them?

GLENN: Yes, please.

JAMES: Okay. So these are the charges listed in the criminal complaint.

That's not the formal filing of the charge. That would either be an information, of misdemeanors, or indictment on felonies.

But this is the criminal complaint, that issued the arrest warrant, with the supporting affidavit and statement of facts contained.

And Steve is right. It is written. With the intent to create a language narrative. There's no question. So of the four charges that Steve has been charged with, 18 USC 752 A1. That's knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds, without lawful authority.

That's the one that carries up to a one year in jail penalty, minimum of six months.

18 USC 1752 A2. Disorderly, and disruptive conduct in a restrictive building or ground.

40 USC 5104e2d. Disorderly conduct, in a Capitol Building.

And then 40 USC 5104E2G. Parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.

GLENN: Okay. So the -- I don't know.

I'm sure you know this now. I don't know when you found out.

But the Speaker of the House released 5,000 hours, of videotape.

Much of it is centering around you.

And showing that you weren't parading or picketing or being disorderly at all.

JAMES: Ever. Not at all.

GLENN: So, how they make that charge?

JAMES: That's going to be fascinating to see.

BAKER: You know, this is -- this is -- and, again, I don't want to get into being the legal expert or even trying. I did stay at a Holiday Inn express last night. But the point being, they always -- because I followed so many of these trials. They always overcharge. That's not just J6. And that's to scare you into a quick plea deal. They get their -- you know, their notch in their belt. And their points towards whatever their next career advancement goals are. And that's essentially what's happening here.

Technically, yes. I went in the building. Okay. So if that is a crime, then it is a crime.

But --

GLENN: Hang on. If that's a crime. Then the crime has to be punished equally.

So the New York Times, the Washington Post.

Every single journalist would have to be charged with that crime, right?

JAMES: I think Steve and I were talking earlier. And I think we estimated that roughly 60 journalists went into the rotunda. Went into the Capitol building that day. Six to seven have been charged now. Out of 60, rough.

All of those have been right of center media. All of them.

GLENN: So you -- you are being made -- let me see if I can find it.

From NBC. You're made into a total clown, by NBC.

BAKER: The same guy whose tweet I just read.

GLENN: Correct. Correct. And he -- he says that, you are just a -- you're in a cover band. You weren't a journalist, at the time.

I don't know who defines journalists now.

BAKER: He refused to call me a journalist. Instead, he said, now I'm a writer for TheBlaze website.

That was his only way of getting around having to acquiesce to what I was doing that day.

GLENN: Correct.

JAMES: I apologize. I got to know Ryan a little bit, when we were in trial, back in the fall of '22 for three months for the Oath Keeper's trial. I always found him to be a really reasonable fellow. I liked some of his work. But I agree, the article that he wrote, regarding Steve.

GLENN: Was a hatchet job.

JAMES: It was. It was petty. It was completely unnecessary. I thought it was really poor reporting. And it was done, not unlike the complaint. Not unlike what we're talking when we see the language. It was done to establish a narrative, solely to disparage Steve.

GLENN: So how do you -- first of all, how do you combat the journalist thing?

With him going in, that's a six-month sentence. And he has said, well, yes.

Technically, I did. I did violate that. So how do you defend that?

JAMES: Number one, I'm not the only attorney on this case. We have about five of us, that are volunteering on this.

And we are volunteering because we got to know Steve during trials in DC. Great reporting.

Always loved spending time with him. He was one of the few conservatives in the press pool there.

One of the other attorneys --

GLENN: No. He's a musician. A musician and Libertarian writer.

Who was a frequent presence at the federal courthouse in Washington, DC, during the Oath Keeper's seditious conspiracy trial. What were you doing, just hanging out there all the time?

BAKER: Well, the worst thing that I was doing, about half of my reporting was on the press pool.

They didn't like that. Because I always sat in the back of the room, so I could watch them and see what was on -- what they were doing. See what they were doing. See which games they were playing during the important testimonies.

To see who was prewriting their stories. And then just hanging out in the hallway, talking. Because that's what they do.

And they're really good at it. They can pre-write two or three stories in a day. And as soon as the rulings, or the motions are filed, fill in the blanks, and boom, submit, submit, submit.

And then get out. And then more importantly, I was able to show on certain very significant testimonies, how the comparison of how the various journalists withheld information.

Because see, we all know, it is -- it is -- it's not that they lie, it's the lie of omission.

It's when you're only covering the governments case-in-chief.

And their witnesses. And then all of a sudden, they get out, and go for coffee break during the cross-examination. How can you tell the truth about what happened on that trial?

THE GLENN BECK PODCAST

Why Your Actions Matter More Than Words in the Eyes of God

Glenn Beck and Eric Metaxas expose the spiritual crisis gripping America’s churches — a moment they compare to Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s warning before World War II. As the culture descends into moral confusion, too many Christians retreat into silence, claiming faith while refusing to act. Together, they argue that true belief demands courage — that “faith without works is dead” — and warn that neutrality in the face of evil is itself a form of complicity.

Watch the FULL Interview HERE

Is Socialism replacing the American dream?

The American Dream used to mean freedom and the chance to build your own life through hard work, faith, and independence. But today, it’s been replaced by comfort, consumption, and debt. Glenn Beck breaks down how America traded liberty for lifestyle, why socialism is gaining ground, and what it will take to reclaim the real American Dream before it disappears for good.

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: I don't know if you saw the visualizing the American dream, Stu.

You know, what the American dream actually is, is that you can forge your own way.

You can -- you know, you can have a scrap of land, and grow your own food if up.

You can, you know, go to school. Not go to school.

You can find a job. If you're qualified for it, you have an equal chance of getting it, you know, based on merit.

But the percentage of Americans who say the American dream is retirement is 86 percent. Health care, 86 percent. Owning a home, 85. Raising two kids, 78. Owning a car, 72. Vacations, 71. Pets, 66. A wedding, 55 percent. That's the American dream, I can get married.

The American dream, if that's what you think, they've now estimated, the cost per household over the cost -- over the lifetime, retirement is $1.6 million. Owning a home now, 30-year mortgage, 20 percent you want to, is $957,594. Owning a car, buying and finance to begin with new cars every ten years is now $900,000 over your lifetime. Raising two kids to 18, plus four years of public college, $876,092. Two kids. Health care, over your lifetime, spending from ages 22 to 85, $414,000. Vacations, annual vacation from '22 to '85, $180,000. One dog and one cat for 11 to 13 years is $40,000!

That's more expensive than a wedding. The engagement ring, the ceremony, and the reception is now estimated to be $38,200.

There's a reason socialism is doing well. You look at that, and you're like, wow. I mean, if that's the American dream. And for a lot of people, that is the American dream!

That's not what the American dream is supposed to be, but, you know, once -- you know, once Woodrow Wilson and FDR got a hold of us and they started advertising, it became stuff instead of freedom. It became stuff. And, you know, when there's a new report out. Let me see if I have that.

There's a new report out now that shows, first time home buyers made up just 21 percent of the home purchases. That's the lowest on record.

The typical age of repeat buyers hit an all-time high of '62. The median downtowns, reaching 23 percent.

The highest since 2023.

And also, where is it?

The last one is -- the median age for first time home buyers, in 1981, it was 29 years old.

I'm sorry. Yeah. Twenty-nine years old. In 2021, it was 33 years old.

What is it this year?

Median age, first time homeowner, forty.

You're 40 before you can buy any kind of home. That puts these things that people want, dream about, out of reach, until you're 40?

You know, 29 is one thing. But if you're not seeing -- you're not seeing your life really kind of settling down until you're 40, I -- I can understand why you're like, you know what, this system doesn't work.

Because you've never seen it work. It's betrayed you.

Or so you've been sold. It's betrayed you.

And everything is being pushed out of your reach. And when you're young, the one thing you're not is patient.

And at 40, I can see why people are not, you know, yeah. Well, socialism is neat because capitalism isn't working. How would you respond to that?

STU: I mean, it's more lengthy than we have time for. But I would say that the response to, you know, you thinking that you want a home is not to embrace an ideology that murders 100 million people.

That's not -- that's not a good answer to the problem that you think you have.

GLENN: But they're not learning that anywhere.

They're not -- that is our responsibility! To teach those things. Because they're not learning it anywhere.

Glenn Beck Warns of 3 Economic Outcomes That Could Change EVERYTHING | Ep 467

Socialism is spreading fast among America’s youth, and the shocking election of Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani for mayor in New York City marks a major cultural and economic shift. Glenn exposes how runaway debt, record home prices, AI job disruption, and the collapsing stake in capitalism have led many Millennials and members of Gen Z to embrace socialism and communism. He reveals the three possible economic futures for 2026: two that are disastrous and one that could change everything if the Trump administration’s global financial overhaul succeeds. Plus, Justin Haskins, president of the Heartland Institute, joins to reveal some terrifying truths about why young Americans are embracing socialism from a poll he conducted with Rasmussen Reports.

Glenn Beck warns: We're already in World War III

"The world doesn't understand yet. We're already in World War III," Glenn Beck warns. "That foe is not China. That foe is militant Islam." Glenn explains the battle we're currently facing and what's to come if we don't wake up soon...

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: From New Jersey, it's Brian. Hello, Brian.

CALLER: Hello!

GLENN: Hey.

CALLER: Yeah. Thanks for taking the calls today.

GLENN: Sure.

CALLER: Yeah. I'm worried that we are headed towards another French Revolution-style because we have entire generations. Or actually people just not being heard by their representatives.

GLENN: Hmm.

CALLER: And it's not just here. It's around the world.

GLENN: Uh-huh.

I -- actually, I had scheduled for this time, I'll just do it some other time. Talking about what's happening in -- in England.

I think England is headed for a Civil War. And -- and it's very close.

I mean, you can't put 4,000 people. 4,000 people, in jail, or try them for hate crimes. And speech crimes.

You can't -- you can't do it. In England!

You can't do that in one year. And expect people to just put up with it!

You can't -- you know, we're -- we're -- America doesn't understand yet.

The world doesn't understand.

We're in World War III. We're already in World War III.

I don't know when it becomes a hot war. Or even a war that we on our side recognize. But we are in World War III. And that -- that foe is not China.

That foe is militant Islam, period. And, you know, when we have a situation to where people are -- when the government is just like, no. It's not a problem.

It's not a problem. You know. You've got illegals all over.

It's not a problem.

It's not a problem.

It is a problem. Don't tell me what -- what the problems are not!

Because we're the ones living it!

You're the experts, who keep telling us, no. It's going to work out fine.

And it doesn't work out fine. And it just gets worse and worse.

Oh. We can spend this money. No. It looks like we can't spend this money. Oh, we can afford this. No. It looks like we can't afford this.

You know, if we do this with Ukraine, it will work out fine. No, it didn't, did it? These endless wars, all of this stuff, don't tell me what the problem is. Listen to the people and start talking to the people. Honestly, this is the reason why I'm doing this today. I -- I need to hear from you.

I need to know what's on your mind, so I stay focused and -- and clear on what America is saying.

Because I don't think -- look, you know, me taking phone calls is -- is not a true representation of anything, but it does give me a sense of -- of where you are, as an audience. Maybe not as America, but as an audience. And there are lots of things that concern me. But I want to hear it from you.
But I think you're right! We're headed for real, real trouble. All you need is real economic trouble.

You start getting real, true economic trouble. 1930s kind of depression stuff. And we're in Civil War.

Dan, Oregon. Welcome!

CALLER: Hello, Glenn. How are you?

GLENN: I'm great!

CALLER: Yeah. Good. It's been a long time.

I guess it's been over ten years, since I've had a chance to talk with you. I was one of your first insiders. I was listening to you, since you were in Florida.

GLENN: Wow. Wow.

CALLER: So it's been a long -- yeah. It has been. And I can't say I've enjoyed all of it.
(laughter)

GLENN: Neither have I!

STU: I can't say that either, I'll be honest with you.

CALLER: You know, you were talking on yesterday's show, reminiscing with Stu about how you guys started. And I remember those old shows. And, you know, at the end of the -- the fusion of entertainment and enlightenment.

STU: Hmm.

GLENN: Right.

CALLER: And there was a lot more entertainment. I remember I laughed a lot.

GLENN: Oh, yeah. I know. I know. Those days are long dead.
(laughter)

STU: There's nothing to laugh about now.

CALLER: Yeah. I -- I'm 78. I still work 40 hours a week. I love my job.

GLENN: Good for you.

CALLER: Been married for 55 years. I have seven kids.

GLENN: Good for you.

CALLER: I've got a daughter -- I've got a daughter who is in her 40s. And she has severe TDS. She -- we don't -- I mean, we're not cutting each other off. She hasn't done that at all. We're still very close as a family. But she was down visiting the other day, and got into a conversation with my wife. And I wasn't in the room. But Kathy said it was just like listening to one of those young people out on the street that was being interviewed by the news media. And she was -- and she was in tears about it. My wife and my daughter both.

And, I mean, I love her, and I continue to support her. She's a single woman, not by choice. She just never found the right guy.

GLENN: Yeah.

CALLER: And I really think that's part of the problem. Because she started reading -- back when Trump was first running, she started reading all of this stuff about him being misogynistic and all of this stuff.

GLENN: Yeah. Yeah.

CALLER: And it's just gotten worse. I -- I'm at a loss. I really am. Because I -- like, I see the country doing better. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. But I still feel like that at least right now, we're doing better as a whole. But what do we do about -- what do we do about our kids about -- she went to Portland State University for the last two --

GLENN: Oh, jeez, for the love of --

CALLER: Well, yeah. For the last two years, she went to -- she went to a little college in Idaho called Ricks for the first two years, and Utah State.

GLENN: Oh, yeah.

CALLER: And then she served a mission for our church in Brazil and came home, but then she went to Portland State University. And it just seems to have gone downhill from there.

GLENN: Yeah. Yeah. So, Dan, I think you are suffering from the same thing that almost all parents are suffering from. If you're not suffering from this, then, I mean, God bless you. You know, get on your knees and thank God. Because you are a lucky, lucky family. Everybody has in their family. I have it in my family.

And you have to ask yourself, what is your goal?

My -- what is your goal with your daughter? Your real goal?

CALLER: My real goal is for us to be united eternally. That's my goal. That's my goal as a father and has been to teach her --

GLENN: And how -- and how is that going to happen with politics?

CALLER: We just stay together as a family regardless of what politics does.

GLENN: That's exactly right. Exactly right.

I think we're in a place now where as parents, you can ask your kids, but it has to be honest. It cannot be trying to win. It has to be honest. How did you get there?

I mean, I remember. You know, we've talked about this before. And you didn't believe that before. What has changed?

Can you help me with that?

I would like to see what you're reading, or what that was.

And just ask questions. But they have to be honest. They can't be, you know, because I'm setting you up. Because I want to change your mind.

But keep a dialogue open with them. And just love them!

Just love them!

Because if you do anything else, you're going to drive them away. And then they're really lost. So just love them.

CALLER: Oh, I know that. Glenn, when she was young -- when she was young, I considered her one of the elect. And the Scripture says, that in the last days, even the elect are going to be deceived. And that's what I'm seeing. But everything you've said, I -- I am doing. I'm doing it that way. Because I know --

GLENN: Okay. Good. Then you didn't need to -- I appreciate it. I'm so glad you called me. But you didn't need to -- my advice, you already have it down. You're a very wise man.