“Ryan Kelly, 40, of Allendale, Michigan, was arrested this morning on charges of violating the Capitol violation on January 6, 2021. He was arrested in Allendale. Mr. Kelly will appear this afternoon in the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Michigan, “said Bill Miller, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia.
The FBI field office in Detroit confirmed Kelly’s arrest and said his home was searched Thursday morning.
“I can confirm that FBI agents from the Grand Rapids office have carried out an arrest and search warrant at Mr. Kelly’s residence in Allendale, Michigan. At the moment, I cannot give any information about the nature of the charges against Mr. Kelly, although I expect further information to come, “said Mara Schneider, a public affairs officer at the FBI’s Detroit office.
CNN turned to Kelly’s campaign.
In 2020, Kelly, a real estate broker, began holding rallies against Covid’s blockade and mandates in Michigan, according to his website. He said he had led rallies against Covid’s restrictions in the state capital, Lansing and Grand Rapids.
The gubernatorial candidate added that he “guarded a statue of the Civil War in his hometown of Allendale” during protests in the summer of 2020.
A crowded field of Republicans is struggling to face Democratic Gov. Gothen Whitmer in what will be one of the most closely watched campaigns in the country this fall.
Kelly’s arrest adds another twist to the now chaotic Republican primary battle. This comes after the Michigan Court of Appeals earlier this month rejected efforts by two Republican gubernatorial candidates to put their names in the primary vote in August.
The candidates, businessman Perry Johnson and financial adviser Michael Markie, have filed lawsuits after the Michigan campaign board came to a standstill last month, upholding a U.S. election bureau ruling that five gubernatorial candidates did not have enough valid signatures to qualify for voting.
The unanimous court rulings marked a major hurdle for the affected candidates, including former Detroit police chief James Craig, who filed lawsuits in a bid to revive his campaigns. Kelly was not among the candidates affected by the signature issue.
The problem with the signatures sparked the race for governor of Michigan, just two months before the August primary.
This story has been updated with additional information.
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