Chattanooga Times Free Press

FBI: Texan charged in riot tweeted ‘Assassinat­e’ Ocasio-Cortez

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DALLAS — A 34-year-old Texas man has been arrested for allegedly taking part in the storming of the U.S. Capitol this month and posting violent threats, including a call to assassinat­e Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.

Garret Miller, who is from the Dallas suburb of Richardson, was arrested Friday after being named in a five-count federal complaint.

Authoritie­s allege that Miller posted photos and videos on his social media accounts that show him inside the Capitol during the Jan. 6 storming of the building by supporters of then-President Donald Trump. They also say he called for violence in online posts, including a tweet that simply read “Assassinat­e AOC,” a reference to the liberal Ocasio-Cortez.

In another tweet, Miller posted: “They are right next time we bring the guns,” an FBI agent wrote in an affidavit.

Miller also threatened a U.S. Capitol police officer during an exchange on Instagram, writing he planned to “hug his neck with a nice rope,” the affidavit states.

After posting a photo on Facebook showing him inside the Capitol, Miller responded to a comment on the picture with: “just want to incriminat­e myself a little lol,” according to an FBI affidavit.

Ocasio-Cortez on Friday posted Miller’s charging documents on Twitter and then tweeted: “On one hand you have to laugh, and on the other know that the reason they were this brazen is because they thought they were going to succeed.”

Miller’s attorney, Clint Broden, said in an email to The Associated Press that Miller regrets the actions he took “in a misguided effort to show his support for former President Trump.”

Miller is scheduled for a detention hearing on Monday.

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