Former GOP House candidate facing federal charges over Capitol riot

Federal officials have charged former Republican House candidate Gabriel Garcia with entering a restricted building, disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds and other charges after the Capitol insurrection earlier this month.

Officials say Garcia — who is also a member of the right-wing militant group the Proud Boys — filmed himself inside the Capitol and posted videos to social media.

“In addition to his facial features matching those of the individual in the Facebook videos referenced above, Garcia’s date of birth is identical to the one provided by Facebook for the owner of the account,” reads a federal document explaining the basis of those charges. Garcia appeared in court Tuesday.

Garcia mounted an unsuccessful challenge to Republican Rep. Daniel Perez last August in Miami-Dade County’s House District 116. A political action committee with ties to former House Speaker José Oliva released attack ads hammering Perez during that contest. Oliva said he sent money to that PAC, Citizens for Ethical and Effective Leadership, to go after Miami-Dade mayoral candidate Alex Penelas, not Perez. But Oliva declined to say whether he supported the attacks on Perez which would have benefited Garcia.

Now, Garcia is facing federal charges.

“We just went ahead and stormed the Capitol. It’s about to get ugly,” Garcia said in one video posted to Facebook. Those videos also depict Garcia calling U.S. Capitol police “f—ing traitors” and appeared to call out for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat.

Garcia has defended his Proud Boys membership in the past.

“I’m upset we were called a hate group when you have antifa beating up on elderly people coming out of Trump rallies, burning down police cars,” he told the Miami Herald’s David Smiley. “You’ll never see any of us do that.”

Five people died during the Capitol riot, including a Capitol police officer. A second Capitol police officer committed suicide following the attack, though it’s unclear what caused that officer to take his life.

D.C. Metropolitan police officers arrested Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio ahead of the Jan. 6 riot. Officials had issued a warrant for his arrest after attackers targeted a Washington church in December. Tarrio also faces weapons charges.