Department of Justice drops felony charge against #WalkAway founder Brandon Straka

Straka is a prominent activist who led a group called the #WalkAway campaign. Over 500,000 supporters joined the social media channels for an organization whose unifying message was liberals being fed up with the Democrat Party in DC.

Once it became known that Straka was in Washington on Jan. 6, Facebook deplatformed Straka's #WalkAway group (but he still has a personal page).

As reported by The Washington Post, Brandon Straka entered a plea deal:

"Straka pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in prison. Prosecutors dropped a felony count of impeding police during civil disorder. In a plea agreement, Straka promised to cooperate by turning over social media and other evidence and to participate in a law enforcement interview."

(Brandon Straka's plea agreement can be found here.)

Brandon Straka was arrested in Nebraska on Jan. 25. The initial affidavit by the FBI describes in detail how the feds were tipped off on Jan. 11 and within two weeks had investigated Straka's social media feeds.

The central point of interest for federal authorities was a one-hour video where Straka personally dissected the events of the day of the Capitol riot. Namely that he learned about both the report of then-Vice President Mike Pence choosing not to object to current President Joe Biden's certification, as well as a crowd of Trump supporters entering the Capitol building, on his way to the event itself.

Nowhere in the affidavit does it indicate that Straka himself went into the Capitol building. "The video ended with STRAKA still in the area at the top of the steps near the entrance to the U.S. Capitol but not having entered the building," it reads.

The closest thing to conflict mentioned is that he recorded himself in front of an entrance, alleging that he egged on rioters to take a police officer's shield away.

Other various social media posts and online comments made by Straka were also highlighted in the unfolding case against him.

Judge Dabney L. Friedrich of Washington’s District Court set the sentencing for Straka to take place on Dec. 17. Straka’s situation is in contrast to former Olympic swimmer Klete Keller, who last month pleaded guilty to obstruction of an official proceeding for being inside the Capitol building.