American Desires
Jeramiah Caplinger was your common American earlier than January 6. He had humble beginnings, got here out of your common household, and was comparatively apolitical. Like many within the trendy United States, he endured hardship but persevered. At one level turning into homeless, it was below President Trump’s economic system that Jeramiah was in a position to quickly enhance his station in life. He had work, a house, and have become a father with a household of 4. Jeramiah pulled himself up by the bootstraps and lived the American dream. He labored tirelessly in automotive vegetation to offer a future for his household.
TIM: I’d prefer to share with the general public your motivations for going to DC on January 6, however I’d additionally such as you to speak about who you actually are. What ought to folks find out about you as an American?
JERAMIAH: I’m actually only a common man. Beforehand, I used to be by no means actually a political particular person. I simply targeted on, , my life because it was, slowly constructing it up. For a very long time, I used to be homeless. I couldn’t truly get steady housing and get issues so as. I used to be ultimately in a position to flip it throughout. And all of that was below Trump, as a result of my life enormously improved below Trump. Issues received cheaper below Trump. Issues received higher below Trump. I used to be in a position to, in a single 12 months, I used to be in a position to go from being homeless to on the brink of buy a home. I used to be proud to say that I received my home earlier than my daughter was born. I had her room arrange, diapers, wipes for a whole 12 months, all the pieces.
After which COVID occurred, after which my girlfriend misplaced the chance to even have her child bathe. I had by no means been political earlier than. I knew nothing actually about it. All I knew is everybody screaming about Trump is dangerous and Trump is that this and Trump is that. However out on the bottom, it’s like, issues are getting higher. Gasoline is affordable. I’m making some huge cash. I used to be in a position to afford a automobile. I used to be fairly over the moon about that. Then the pandemic hits, after which I get known as from work saying, “Hey, you possibly can’t come into work. The whole lot’s getting shut down.” And it was the weirdest factor I’ve ever had been advised.
***Please assist Jeramiah right here.***
January 6, Ray Epps & Trump’s Speech
Jeramiah was annoyed by the identical issues as tens of millions of different Individuals. He was skeptical of the 2020 election, distraught over the Covid lockdowns, and believed that his nation was headed within the incorrect route. When he heard there can be a gathering in Washington, DC for President Trump’s election challenges he made positive to point out up.
JERAMIAH: Trump some time later tweets out about an occasion on January 6. It’s like, I noticed that tweet and it’s like, “Properly, why not?” I used to be like, okay, I’ve by no means been to DC earlier than. Trump’s nonetheless president. It’s a possibility to see him. I’ll get to see the Washington Monument, the Ellipse and all this different stuff. I’ll go. So I began making my preparations. I rented a car, took break day of labor as a result of I had the PTO time, made positive my girlfriend and youngsters had been all set. I began at like 1pm on January fifth. I drove 8 hours straight from Michigan all the way in which to DC. I received there about 9:30pm, someplace round then.
And the ironic factor about it’s after I was there, that piece of sh*t Ray-f*cking-Epps was there screaming folks wanted to enter the Capitol! I used to be actually proper there when he was screaming that. He’s sitting there saying, “Everybody wants to enter the Capitol.” Everybody’s sitting there telling him, “No.” I’m simply sitting there behind him, everybody’s sitting there speaking in regards to the election, “Cease the steal”, and this man over right here is simply screaming. Clearly, I didn’t know he was Ray Epps on the time, however all I see is that this dude, this tall older man with a pink hat on, speaking about we have to go into the Capitol.
Then the subsequent day, awakened round 8 o’clock, 7:30. January sixth. I began driving towards the Ellipse to seek out someplace to park and go hear the speeches. I’m seeing South Vietnam flags, every kind of various Trump flags, American flags, the Betsy Ross. Don’t Tread on Me flags, all that good things. I’m seeing An Enchantment to Heaven flags, among the state flags from Texas, Michigan, Ohio. A bunch of stuff. Speak about actual variety! I walked round to seek out a great place to hearken to the speech however not bump shoulders with folks as a result of everybody’s attempting to cram in to see Trump.
As I’m strolling, right here’s this Ray Epps man once more! He’s sitting there asking folks with bullhorns to bullhorn folks to go towards the Capitol constructing. It’s like, the speeches haven’t even began but, what are you speaking about? He’s like, “I simply need you guys to make use of that bullhorn. I’m attempting to get folks to go towards the Capitol constructing.” Yeah, okay, no matter. I ended up strolling nearer to the Ellipse. I ended up breaking off to go take a look at the Washington Monument. I’d by no means seen it earlier than. I wished to get an excellent take a look at it. Then I sat there after which watched all of the speeches from starting to finish. As Trump was on the brink of converse, I moved myself as shut to listen to as I may. Folks had been already leaving when Trump began speaking about how we’re going to “peacefully and patriotically” march right down to the Capitol.
***Please assist Jeramiah right here.***
Climbing the Capitol
Jeramiah would keep for Trump’s speech and arrive lengthy after Ray Epps and others initiated the preliminary breaches of the Capitol grounds perimeter. He grew to become considerably well-known for being recorded climbing up the aspect of a staircase main in the direction of the Capitol constructing. Most may discover it humorous, however the authorities and media portrayed it as an assault on democracy.
JERAMIAH: We’re gonna march right down to the Capitol. It’s like, yeah, I really feel one thing in my bones. I’m simply so excited. I’m simply over the moon for it. So [Trump] concludes his speech. I ended up going with an enormous crowd of those that had been marching with an enormous American flag. Like a extremely, actually massive one. Like, it took 100 folks to carry up. And I received my American flag, my Trump flag, serving to to prop it up. I used to be sitting there marching down. And by the point I received right down to the Capitol constructing, there was already an ocean of individuals on the garden and going up. I requested like 4 to 6 folks, “What’s going on?” And I saved getting advised the identical factor. “Didn’t you hear? Capitol police are letting folks in. Go that approach.” I used to be like, “Okay.”
JERAMIAH: And there’s already an unlimited quantity of individuals. There’s so many individuals on the steps. In my thoughts, it’s like, “Properly, I don’t need to be trapped shoulder to shoulder like a sardine. I don’t need to comply with a crowd.” My mistake was, I used to be like, “Properly, I’ll climb the wall.” There was already a bunch of different folks doing it. So I had a lapse in judgment and climbed the wall. Oops.
TIM: , it’s humorous. The feds had my roommate put on a wire to get me to incriminate myself. And one of many issues he mentioned was, “Had been you a kind of psychopaths climbing the partitions?” I used to be like, “No. That’s pointless.” I didn’t even know folks had been doing that till I noticed the video on the information or no matter. They tried to make it seem to be it was some warfare scene. Folks had been scaling the partitions of a medieval metropolis or one thing.
JERAMIAH: They’re appearing like that is the Greeks mounting the partitions of Troy.
TIM: Hah!
Jeramiah entered the Capitol constructing like hundreds of others. He had seen cops standing again outdoors the constructing, and he had heard repeatedly that the Capitol was open to the general public.
Jeramiah entered the Capitol by way of the Senate Wing Doorways, which had been kicked open from the within earlier than he confirmed up. I personally entered minutes earlier than Jeramiah. Instantly behind Jeramiah was our fellow January 6 defendant Kash Kelly, who was held with me for over a 12 months within the DC Gulag over misdemeanors.
TIM: Let’s choose up from once you grew to become Spider-Man. Heh, alright, so you bought as much as the highest after which what?
JERAMIAH: I received up there and I already see there’s a bunch of individuals going into the Capitol constructing and I begin strolling out towards the realm that they’re going into the open doorways. I look to my left and- I don’t care what these paperwork say. I don’t care what the feds should say. Once I look to my left, I see cops with their gear on not doing something. And after I look to my proper, I see all the identical issues. I don’t care what these feds should say with regards to when it got here to that time. Anytime I sat there and tried to inform them that, it’s like, , it’s a must to signal it as they acknowledged it or there is no such thing as a deal and they’ll throw the ebook at you. That’s one thing that basically received below my pores and skin.
TIM: No, you’re proper. I do know precisely the place these cops had been.
As an apart, Jeramiah signed a plea deal and, for people who aren’t conscious, when defendants signal a plea deal they have to log out on a deceptive Assertion of Details type, agreeing to the DOJ’s distorted model of occasions. Having watched many hours of video myself, I can verify what he mentioned about cops standing round each to the left and proper of the unique Capitol breach website on the western aspect of the constructing. Loads of video confirms this, and it’s not unreasonable the suppose the common protestor who wandered into the realm thought the realm was open to the general public. Like most of us caught up in January 6, the DOJ’s prosecutors by no means present exculpatory proof that corroborates the defendant’s perspective. Many take plea offers as a consequence of that truth alone, understanding they’ll by no means get a good shot at defending themselves.
***Please assist Jeramiah right here.***
Jeramiah wandered by way of the Capitol constructing searching for a listing. Most of us there that day truly had no thought the place we had been going or what to do. Not understanding the place to go, he adopted the group. Jeramiah witnessed a person spray a hearth extinguisher, which took his breath away. Jeramiah made his approach to the Capitol Crypt upstairs to the Capitol Rotunda. After wandering by way of the constructing, he made his approach outdoors. From this level on rumors of a girl getting shot started circulating. Alerts of an “revolt” on the Capitol had been everywhere in the information. Jeramiah left DC and returned dwelling to his household anticipating to renew a standard American life. That wouldn’t be the case.
Ratted on and Raided
Jeramiah by no means broke something on the Capitol, didn’t steal something, and by no means fought with legislation enforcement. He peacefully walked by way of the Capitol earlier than leaving. That didn’t cease him from getting turned in to the FBI and prosecuted. To at the present time Jeramiah can’t say who the official witnesses towards him had been. Two informants, Witness 1 and Witness 2, haven’t been revealed to him. He was by no means in a position to face his accusers or those that recognized him to the federal government. I’m advised that one defunct account on Twitter known as “Michigan Tea” began tagging the FBI and Ryan Riley in pictures of Jeramiah as a type of dry snitching. One Michigan information web page, mLive, ran a hitpiece on Jeramiah to painting him as radicalized and unhinged within the wake of January 6.
JERAMIAH: I simply stopped fascinated by it and simply received on daily. Then, three months and in the future later in April, at 7 a.m., I’ve the FBI, DHS, Michigan State Police, and another folks replenish the entire block in entrance of my home, pounding on my door, with AR-15’s and blast shields. They’re screaming at me to return outdoors. I’m like, “The place’s your warrant?” They simply saved screaming at me to return out. They grabbed me by my arm, pulled me out of the home, they banged my head on the blast defend, then they began strolling in, and on the time, my youngest daughter’s not even one but. And so they’re sitting there having AR-15’s pointed at my girlfriend with my daughter in her arms.
They’re sitting there going by way of my pockets. I don’t even have my glasses on. They by no means confirmed me a warrant or something. They simply took me right down to the Michigan State Police Workplace the place two FBI brokers tried to speak to me and interrogate me. They pushed a chunk of paper to me and mentioned, “Learn this out loud.” And the paper says, principally, ‘I consent to speak to you.’ So I mentioned the alternative. “I don’t consent to speak to you folks.“ And so they simply gave me this look. Then they mentioned, “Are you hungry?” after protecting me detained with out meals all morning. They gave me a Pop-Tart.
They then took me downtown to Detroit. I sat there till about 3:30 within the afternoon after I lastly received launched. Once I lastly get launched within the afternoon, I’ve no pockets, no cellphone, nothing. Once they took my sneakers, they took the laces out of them. After which it’s identical to, “Oh, it’s a must to depart. We’ve got COVID coverage. You’ll be able to’t keep right here. It’s important to depart. Get out.” So I needed to stroll all the way in which dwelling. And I didn’t get dwelling till about 9:30 at evening, strolling from downtown Detroit to Taylor, Michigan.
Sentencing and Struggling
#IAmKeithLee & #IAmKennyLee created ‘Operation Occupy the Capitol’ and had been inciting folks to all rush the east traces directly. They went within the Capitol however haven’t been arrested. The federal government has used their flyer towards different defendants. pic.twitter.com/4O21dkQXaL
— (@FreeStateWill) February 7, 2024
Bizarrely, the authorities’s sentencing memorandums insinuate that Jeramiah was responsible of pre-planning January 6 due to a social media submit promoting “Operation Occupy The Capitol”. The precise organizers behind this viral submit, Keith Lee and Kenny Lee, had been by no means charged for January 6, not like Jeramiah.
A 12 months into the political inquisition towards him, Jeramiah pled responsible to 40 USC 5104(d) aka… climbing on Capitol grounds, which is one way or the other a criminal offense. He was sentenced to 35 days jail, 2 years of probation, over $500 in monetary penalties, and 60 hours of group service. His choose additionally mandated he take a substance abuse program when he legally possessed a medical marijuana card.
Once I started my interview with Jeramiah I requested him how issues had been. He mentioned, “Simply attempting to outlive and make ends meet.”
***Please assist Jeramiah right here.***
JERAMIAH: Probation officer had no points with me. The therapist woman gave me a stellar evaluate, they usually all mentioned they’re I’m good. I used to be like, “Nice, now I’m off probation.” However then my job unexpectedly laid me off. And it’s been months now, and I’m struggling attempting to scrape up something I can.
My unemployment simply received denied and I don’t know why. I’d been working all 12 months. They are saying I’m ineligible. I imply, the one good factor is the truth that I’m now not on probation. It’s simply been tense as a result of the regime, costs, and all the pieces over the past 4 years have actually introduced us to the breaking level now. My days in federal jail put us behind and put us in a gap. My girlfriend’s been a stay-at-home mother however lately received a part-time job to attempt to assist out due to how dangerous all the pieces’s been. I instantly went again to work after jail.
We had been attempting to get the cash to catch again up on payments, attempting to make somewhat security web, attempting to get all the pieces balanced. After which… I ended up getting laid off due to the silly strike that was occurring between Stellantis, GM, Ford, and the UAW. Needed to job hop for some time. So, it’s simply been… It’s been chaotic. As an alternative of with the ability to have a pleasant, regular security web all the pieces’s simply been blowing up in my face quickly. These final three months have truly been actually, actually dangerous.
Everybody needs somebody who can work over a sure time, I’m restricted as a result of I’ve to go to high school. I am going to high school at evening. I simply received my mortgage caught again up after three months. The mortgage is paid, however now all the pieces else is beginning to fall behind. And I’ve no prospects for the rest. I’m actually, actually, actually beginning to lose my thoughts over it.
I’ve gotten to know Jeramiah after leaving jail. He’s a good-hearted man who was handled unfairly. He’s a household man who’s lived the American dream earlier than and wishes to stay it once more. He’s not asking for a handout, however he may use a handup. Jeramiah is a hard-working man who’s searching for work whereas persevering with an schooling that may assist present for his youngsters. When you have it in your coronary heart, I ask you to contemplate supporting Jeramiah and the Caplinger household.
***Please assist Jeramiah right here.***
I’d humbly ask for any assist potential. A easy greenback can be useful. I’m not good at asking for assist, so this was very laborious for me to convey myself to do… Thanks for taking the time to contemplate this. God Bless All who donate and those that donate prayers, all of it helps.
All of us must climb for the American dream once more…
