Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Local Trump Supporters at Capitol Riots, Part of 'Traitor' Graham Confrontation
David Website Replacement
By David Taub, Senior Reporter
Published 4 years ago on
January 8, 2021

Share

Outspoken Central Valley supporters of Donald Trump were in — or near — the riot that resulted in the deadly breach of the U.S. Capitol building this week.

Clovis real estate agent Ben Martin told GV Wire℠ that he was actually inside the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday during the riots — although he didn’t intend to enter the building.

Jason Phillips of Fresno captured a video of people confronting Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) in the Washington National airport terminal on Friday.

On Wednesday, Phillips posted a photo on Facebook of himself at the Capitol building. The caption accompanying the photo said, “It’s time to take our country back!”

Photo of Jason Phillips
Jason Phillips at the Capitol riots on Wednesday, Jan. 6. 2021. (Facebook/Jason Phillips)

Watch: Trump Supporters Confront Sen. Graham

Video from Facebook/Jason Phillips

Group Confronts Graham

There are several video versions of a group confronting Graham, calling him a traitor. On Wednesday, the senior South Carolina senator — a Trump ally — said that Trump lost the election and he voted to affirm Joe Biden’s election as president.

Phillips had a running conversation with Graham, asking him about his loyalty. Police escorted Graham away.

Martin appears in the background of the video, chanting at Graham.

Watch: Another View of Protesters Confronting Sen. Graham

Video from Facebook/Oreo Express

Martin Explains Being in the Capitol During Riot

Martin hosts a Facebook podcast dubbed “The Real POV.” The Realtor was among about 50 people in northeast Fresno who on Saturday protested the requirement to wear a mask amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the protest, the Trader Joe’s on Friant Road closed early that day.

Martin’s description of Wednesday’s events in Washington, D.C. illustrates the Great American Divide and how the voicing of unsubstantiated facts and disinformation has shaped this divide.

Martin said that he was in Washington to support the president, that he tried to act as a peacemaker in the Capitol melee, and that Antifa was to blame for the building’s breach and vandalism. Some Republican lawmakers and conservative pundits have echoed that claim.

However, there is no evidence that anti-fascist activists were involved in the pro-Trump Capitol riots, FBI Assistant Director Steven D’Antuono said on a call with reporters Friday.

D’Antuono also said that the FBI would cast a wide net to arrest those who engaged in criminal activity. Martin has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

“We are far from done. The rioting and destruction we saw will not be tolerated by the FBI … We will continue to investigate all allegations of criminal activity,” said D’Antuono. “Just because you’ve left the D.C. region, you can still expect a knock on the door if we find out that you were part of the criminal activity at the Capitol.”

In addition to Trump supporters, others present included Q-Anon conspiracy theorists, the far-right Proud Boys, the anti-government Oath Keepers, whose members are former law enforcement officials and military veterans, and various white supremacist groups.

Still, Martin insisted that much of the protest was peaceful, ruined only by some “bad apples.”

Rioters break into the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday (Ben Martin)

Acting as a Peacemaker

Martin says there were no barriers along the perimeter of the Capitol, on what he believed to be the north side. He went up toward the side of the building when he saw the unrest happening.

“There were people trying to break into the building and I was trying to calm everyone down and to get it to be a little bit peaceful and say, ‘Hey, guys, you know, we can be here and we don’t need to act out,’ ” Martin said. “There were some inciters who were throwing like — Trumpers don’t throw rocks at buildings. Trumpers don’t try to break windows or break doors.”

Martin says “other groups” were the ones breaking in. He attempted to put himself physically between the mob and the police.

“I was trying to negotiate with both sides to de-escalate the issue,” Martin said. “I was literally in the middle of the front door when the herd behind me — there were thousands of them. All this weight of people starts moving you in a direction, I couldn’t control the direction of anything at that point,” Martin said.

Once inside, Martin said that he continued to urge people to leave. He believed he was about 10 to 15 feet inside the building before peacefully walking out, avoiding the pepper spray.

“This is way too out of control. I’m one person and I can’t help anymore,” Martin said.

He remained on the outside watching and recording the events. Later, Martin posted a video in which he criticized D.C. police for enforcing a 6 p.m. curfew and not letting him and others exit the hotel.

“This is what communism gets you!” Martin said. “This is not OK. Do we live in communist China?”

‘A Healthy Exercise’

Martin said what happened at the Capitol may have been a good thing.

“To some degree, I think it was a healthy exercise because I think the government needs to know that the people who stood up, (are fed up about) the lack of representation,” Martin said.

When informed that this was the first breach of the Capitol since the War of 1812, Martin said “Wow! They made history, didn’t they?”

Doesn’t Agree with Anti-Semitic Protesters

Several videos and photographs captured rioters with anti-Semitic messages on t-shirts. Martin said that didn’t see any of that, but disagrees with such sentiment.

My personal belief is that there’s only one race, the human race. So anyone who says anything racial I don’t side with or anything anti-Semitic,” Martin said.

Not Worried About Business

Martin’s business is The Benjamin Martin Real Estate Team.

He said that he’s not concerned about alienating customers or driving away potential customers.

“I have always advertised to conservatives. So left-leaning people have never worked with me. I’m not worried about it. I didn’t break any laws. I didn’t do anything wrong. I was there practicing my First Amendment right,” Martin said.

He says his company has been getting “a lot of hate mail” and phone calls.

“I’m OK with that because I don’t want to work with people who don’t think like I do. I really like the way that I set my business up. I get to work with like-minded people,” Martin said.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

World’s Largest Almond Processor Will Shutter Sacramento Plant. 600 Workers Impacted

DON'T MISS

Trump Eyes Major Funding Cuts for California, Including All Public Universities

DON'T MISS

Farming Regulation Costs Rise 1,300% Since 2006: Cal Poly

DON'T MISS

Southern California Air Regulators Weigh a Plan to Phase Out Gas Furnaces and Water Heaters

DON'T MISS

US Supreme Court Allows DOGE Broad Access to Social Security Data

DON'T MISS

Doctors Were Preparing to Remove Their Organs. Then They Woke Up.

DON'T MISS

Abrego Garcia Is Returned to US From El Salvador

DON'T MISS

Proud Boys Convicted in Jan. 6 Attack Sue Government on Claims of ‘Political Persecution’

DON'T MISS

FDA’s AI Assistant ‘Elsa’ Fails Its First Day on the Job

DON'T MISS

Documentary Series Goes Inside Trump’s Bubble

UP NEXT

FDA’s AI Assistant ‘Elsa’ Fails Its First Day on the Job

UP NEXT

Tulare County Gang Member Convicted of Trying to a Murder Police Officer

UP NEXT

Feds Indict SoCal Hospice CEO for Medicare Fraud in Fresno and Kern Counties

UP NEXT

Fresno Downtown Parking Costs Taxpayers an Extra $4 Million

UP NEXT

8 Ways Musk and Trump Could Inflict Pain on Each Other

UP NEXT

Sunday’s Life Jacket Giveaway Promotes Safety on Fresno Area Waters

UP NEXT

D-Day Veterans Return to Normandy to Mark 81st Anniversary of Landings

UP NEXT

Lambda Legal, a Nonprofit Supporting LGBTQ+ Rights, Exceeded Fundraising Goal by $105M

UP NEXT

This Pop-Up Nightclub Is a Place of ‘Pure Happiness’ for Merced’s Disabled Adults

UP NEXT

Fresno State’s Ag College Is Growing. A New Corporate Sponsor Will Help Them

David Taub,
Senior Reporter
Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email

Southern California Air Regulators Weigh a Plan to Phase Out Gas Furnaces and Water Heaters

2 hours ago

US Supreme Court Allows DOGE Broad Access to Social Security Data

2 hours ago

Doctors Were Preparing to Remove Their Organs. Then They Woke Up.

2 hours ago

Abrego Garcia Is Returned to US From El Salvador

2 hours ago

Proud Boys Convicted in Jan. 6 Attack Sue Government on Claims of ‘Political Persecution’

3 hours ago

FDA’s AI Assistant ‘Elsa’ Fails Its First Day on the Job

3 hours ago

Documentary Series Goes Inside Trump’s Bubble

3 hours ago

Tulare County Gang Member Convicted of Trying to a Murder Police Officer

3 hours ago

Newsom Promises Funding to Jump-Start ‘Science of Reading’

4 hours ago

Feds Indict SoCal Hospice CEO for Medicare Fraud in Fresno and Kern Counties

4 hours ago

World’s Largest Almond Processor Will Shutter Sacramento Plant. 600 Workers Impacted

The world’s largest almond processor, Blue Diamond Growers, says it will close its Sacramento processing plant this year The almond co...

28 minutes ago

28 minutes ago

World’s Largest Almond Processor Will Shutter Sacramento Plant. 600 Workers Impacted

2 hours ago

Trump Eyes Major Funding Cuts for California, Including All Public Universities

2 hours ago

Farming Regulation Costs Rise 1,300% Since 2006: Cal Poly

3 hours ago

Southern California Air Regulators Weigh a Plan to Phase Out Gas Furnaces and Water Heaters

3 hours ago

US Supreme Court Allows DOGE Broad Access to Social Security Data

3 hours ago

Doctors Were Preparing to Remove Their Organs. Then They Woke Up.

3 hours ago

Abrego Garcia Is Returned to US From El Salvador

4 hours ago

Proud Boys Convicted in Jan. 6 Attack Sue Government on Claims of ‘Political Persecution’

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend