Abortion: Capitol Police arrest 17 Congress members at Supreme ...

WASHINGTON — A Tuesday abortion rights demonstration at the Supreme Court resulted in the arrest of 35 people, including 17 members of Congress, according to a statement released by the U.S. Capitol Police.

The protest is the latest of several staged around the nation's Capitol since June, when Supreme Court justices overturned Roe v. Wade, the decades-old ruling establishing a constitutional right to abortion.

Capitol Police arrested demonstrators for blocking traffic on First Street, NE in Washington after giving "our standard three warnings," according to the statement. The Supreme Court is located on First Street.

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A total of 35 people were arrested for "crowding, obstructing or incommoding." That includes 17 Members of Congress, police said.

Capitol Police did not provide the names of those arrested. When asked for comment, USCP referred USA TODAY to its original statement posted on Twitter.

"We encourage the press to reach out to a Member’s office for any comments about a Member of Congress," USCP said in an email.

Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., assistant speaker of the House, posted a picture of her being escorted by a Capitol Police officer away from the protest on her Twitter account.

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More:Democrats' two abortion-rights bills seek to avoid 'a country of forced birth'

"The extremist Republicans are determined to take us back in time and take away our rights," Clark wrote in the post. "They can arrest me, but we won’t allow them to arrest freedom."

Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., was also arrested, according to a statement posted to her Twitter account.

"There is no democracy if women do not have control over their own bodies and decisions about their own health, including reproductive care," Maloney said in the statement.

She claimed Republicans' goal is to institute a national ban on abortion. "We will not let them win. We will be back," Maloney said.

Staff members for Rep. Alma Adams, D-N.C., tweeted from Adams account that she had been arrested at the demonstration.

Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., posted a picture with members of the "Squad" — progressive, female members of the House including Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn.; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.; Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass.; and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. — at the protest. Bush wrote that the Supreme Court "will not stop us."

"Even though they arrested us, we won’t stop our organizing, agitating, and legislating for justice. We got us," she added. Bush was detained by officers, according to Washington-based reporter, Raquel Martin. The Missouri congresswoman retweeted Martin's post to her account.

Omar posted a video of her arrest to Twitter and wrote she was arrested "while participating in a civil disobedience action with my fellow Members of Congress outside the Supreme Court."

Ocasio-Cortez retweeted Axios reporter Andrew Solender's tweet about her arrest to her account. Pressley also posted a video of her and Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Penn., being escorted by a USCP officer.

Evan Brandt, reporter for MercuryX in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, said Dean will pay a $50 fine.

Rep. Andy Levin, D-Mich., was also taken into custody, according to HuffPost.

Reach out to Chelsey Cox on Twitter at @therealco.

Breonna Taylor protest: Kentucky High School Teacher of the Year ...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The 2020 Kentucky High School Teacher of the Year was arrested this weekend protesting the death of Breonna Taylor in downtown Louisville.

Matt Kaufmann, who teaches in Jefferson County Public Schools, was booked Sunday night on an unspecified misdemeanor charge, according to the Department of Corrections booking log.

An arrest citation was not immediately available.

"(Kaufmann) was arrested this evening for protesting and standing up for #BreonnaTaylor and for Black Lives in Louisville," local activist Hannah Drake wrote on Facebook.

"No way he was not peaceful," she said. "He is physically okay but a little roughed up."

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Police arrested at least 40 people during Sunday's protests demanding justice after the police shooting that left 26-year-old Taylor, an unarmed black woman, dead in March.

"JCPS supports the right of our employees to peacefully protest," Renee Murphy, a spokeswoman for JCPS, said.

Kaufmann was named Kentucky's top high school teacher last spring for his work teaching English at Marion C. Moore High School.

"Matt exemplifies inclusivity," his then principal, Rob Fulk, said at the time. "I have witnessed firsthand the exceptional environment he creates among his students, one that promotes a strong sense of social justice, togetherness, and uniqueness."

An outspoken advocate for public education, Kaufmann also ran for state Senate in 2018. He lost in the primary.

This story may be updated.

Reach Olivia Krauth at okrauth@courierjournal.com or 502-582-4471, and on Twitter at @oliviakrauth. Support strong local journalism by subscribing: courier-journal.com/subscribe.

Abortion reaction updates: Man detained, released at Phoenix protest

Arizona Republic

Corrections & Clarifications: A previous version of this article gave the wrong location for the Arizona state Capitol. The Capitol is located at Washington Street and 17th Avenue in Phoenix.

The U.S. Supreme Court's Friday ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization overturned Roe v. Wade and allows states to set their own course on abortion laws.

How this will impact Arizonans is yet to be determined.

The state has two laws on the books banning abortion, one that's from 158 years ago and another brand new one. It is unclear which ban will prevail. Experts told The Arizona Republic that we can expect an immediate challenge to the state's anti-abortion laws, as well as a direct or implied threat of prosecution for abortion providers.

Uncertainty over the future of abortion rights in the state is pushing many to organize across the U.S.

Follow coverage of the reaction to the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade by Republic reporters here.

11:30 a.m. Sunday: 4 arrested, several detained after protesters push down fencing

Four people were arrested Saturday night and several others were detained by state police after protesters pulled down temporary fencing around the Arizona Capitol.

Saturday marked the second day in which thousands of people gathered near the Arizona Capitol complex as a result of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

According to Bart Graves, a spokesperson for the Department of Public Safety, four people were arrested on suspicion of rioting and disorderly conduct.

Legal observers also attended the protests and were among the numerous people who were detained by state police.

Russel Facente, 37, attended the protests as a legal observer with Central Arizona chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, a nonprofit that provides legal assistance.

"The purpose of legal observers is to essentially monitor police activity because cops lie," Facente said. "Cops will create false narratives, overcharge people, arrest indiscriminately."

He, along with others who were detained, was taken to a DPS staging area behind the Capitol complex.

"We were put against a fence and told 'You're all under arrest for trespassing and disorderly conduct," Facente said. "It went beyond a pat-down. They took belongings out of our pockets, took our backpacks and put them into evidence and kept us cuffed."

Facente says he and three other legal observers were processed and photographed and were later released from custody between 1-1:30 a.m. on Sunday.

9:30 p.m. Saturday: Man detained, released at Phoenix protest

Hundreds of people continued to gather at the Arizona Capitol on Saturday night to protest the U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.

Protesters marched around the premises of the Capitol building, which was fenced off early Saturday following a separate protest that drew thousands of people to the area Friday night.

“Having an abortion affects nobody besides the person having the abortion,” said Suzy Olson, who was at the protest.

“My cat has more reproductive rights than me,” said Olson. “My cat got neutered and they asked me ‘if your cat happens to get pregnant, would you like to terminate the pregnancy?’”

Demonstrators also sat on 17th Avenue in front of the Capitol.

People chanted, “Keep your rosaries off my ovaries,” “Her body, her choice,” “My body, my choice,” “Pro-life is a lie, you don’t care if people die” and “Off my body, keep your hands.”

Groups of protesters wore all black and protective goggles in case of tear-gas deployment from law enforcement.

One man, who was wearing a mask and black clothes, was detained by troopers with the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The man had on a medic vest and a few bags. Troopers searched his bag for any potential weapons. He was then released after only medical supplies was found.

Drones operated by DPS also hovered over the demonstration.

It remains unclear who organized the event.

The Phoenix branch of Radical Women and Arizona Planned Parenthood helped to organize Friday’s protest, but neither organization says it was involved in putting Saturday’s demonstration together. Radical Women issued a statement cautioning attendees to be careful.

Andrew Feldman, a spokesperson for AZPP, told The Arizona Republic that the group was not involved in organizing Saturday night’s event and was unsure who was.

8:40 p.m. Saturday: Hundreds march in downtown Phoenix for abortion rights

Hundreds gathered at the Arizona Capitol complex surrounding the fencing that had been put up earlier Saturday.

Crews were out Saturday morning and afternoon putting up fences around complex buildings after protesters reportedly vandalized several memorials in the area. Saturday night, protesters could be seen demonstrating along the fence perimeter.

Demonstrators continuously marched rather than assembled in one location. There were no apparent lead organizers or speakers.

The Phoenix branch of Radical Women helped to organize Friday’s protest. The group issued a statement on Saturday cautioning attendees to be careful, as it was unclear who was organizing Saturday night’s protest.

“We do not have an event planned for tonight,” the statement said. “We do not know who posted the event shared on the Bans Off Our Bodies website for tonight. None of the local groups we are in touch with know about this event.”

Radical Women cautioned anybody who attends to be prepared for “more police escalation and more involvement from the state police.”

7:15 p.m. Saturday: Second night of protests for abortion rights in Phoenix

Another protest is planned to be held at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Arizona Capitol Complex following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Roe v. Wade ruling Friday morning.

The court's decision ended the constitutional right to an abortion and triggered protests across the U.S.

As of Friday morning, demonstrators had already gathered outside the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C. By the evening, thousands had gathered in downtown Phoenix before the event was declared to be an unlawful assembly by the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

At approximately 8:30 p.m., a bloc of protesters gathered outside the Arizona Senate building and chanted, “We won’t go back!” to a handful of onlookers inside.

When demonstrators began hitting the glass walls and doors of the building, SWAT officers deployed tear gas to disperse the crowd. One protester was seen breaking a window before others yelled at him to stop.

Minutes later, law enforcement officials declared an unlawful assembly.

Senate members could be seen taking refuge in the Senate lobby as a cloud of tear gas hung in the air.

Hours earlier, several thousand demonstrators had marched through downtown Phoenix for the Women's March in front of the Arizona Capitol. The Party for Socialism and Liberation and the Phoenix branch of Radical Women also had planned to be protesting.

No arrests or injuries were reported, according to DPS officials.

— Lillian Boyd

1:30 p.m. Saturday: 'We're still going to be fighting as hard as ever'

Hundreds gathered in front of the Arizona State Capitol to celebrate the repeal of Roe v. Wade and demand more efforts from state lawmakers in protecting the unborn.

Supports for the repeal held signs that read "protection at conception," "pro-life feminist" and "We are the post-Roe generation."

Jordyn Brittain, the regional coordinator of Students for Life in Arizona, said the organization had been preparing for today's event for months.

"We knew that whether it was a win or a lose for the pro-life movement yesterday, we wanted to show that we're still going to be fighting as hard as ever to protect life from conception," Brittain said.

A crowd of about 50 counter-protestors also showed up at the northeast corner of the State Capitol, by the House of Representatives building.

Rhys Brown, a counter-protestor, said both demonstrations happened at the same time by coincidence, and that he was surprised to see the celebration for Roe's overturning taking place.

Brown said the Supreme Court decision was "unjustifiable" and that he showed up in support of women choosing whether they want an abortion or not.

A brief clash occurred between protesters from both rallies.

Demonstrators in favor of abortion rights started chanting "my body, my choice" as two anti-abortion demonstrators walked through the crowd, waiting to cross the sidewalk.

The anti-abortion demonstrators started filming the crowd with their phones as they said "you're killing babies, stop killing babies."

The protests dissolved at about 1:15 p.m.

— Laura Daniella Sepulveda

11 a.m. Saturday:

'Life is Louder' rally to take place in Phoenix in support of Roe v. Wade reversal

A pro-life rally is expected to take place at the Arizona State Capitol building Saturday morning in support of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade.

The event will be organized by Students for Life Action, a national anti-abortion youth organization, as part of a national mobilization to celebrate "a post-Roe America," according to a statement from the organization.

"Life is Louder" rallies are expected to take place in about 32 states including Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Alabama, Colorado and California, among others.

Events were expected to be held at each state's capitol building at 11 a.m. local time, according to the organization's website.

According to a statement from the organization, the demonstrations are meant to celebrate the end of what pro-life activists say was an "egregiously" wrong decision taken in favor of Roe about 5 decades ago.

Efforts from the organization will now focus on law-making at the state level to protect lives, according to the statement.

"Our nation's most egregious sin, one that cost more than 63 million innocent lives, has finally been righted. It's time to celebrate and buckle down to do more work," the organization stated.

— Laura Daniella Sepulveda

10:45 p.m. Friday: One window broke at state building

After the protesters had largely dispersed in downtown Phoenix, one person broke a window at the state Department of Agriculture building on Adams Street, while others booed the person for doing so.

Clouds of tear gas lingered heavily in the courtyard between the Arizona Senate and House of Representatives buildings, preventing anyone from entering the area.

Samantha McClintock, 26, and Ryan Wullf, 31, both of Phoenix, arrived late to the Roe protest and were in the crowd that was hit with tear gas. They said a crowd had gathered between the House and Senate buildings and some protesters were banging on the glass doors and windows of the Senate. They didn't know the Legislature was in session at the time.

By 9:30 p.m., crowds had left the area after police declared it an unlawful assembly.

Neither Phoenix Police Department nor Arizona Department of Public Safety has responded to requests for comment. It is unclear whether police arrested anyone in connection to the protest.

Protests in Flagstaff and Tucson remained mostly peaceful. No incidents with law enforcement were reported in Flagstaff. In Tucson, police blocked off traffic from protesters demonstrating downtown. No arrests were reported.

9:30 p.m. Friday: Unlawful assembly at downtown Phoenix rally

At approximately 8:30 p.m., a bloc of protesters gathered outside the Arizona Senate building and chanted, “We won’t go back!” to a handful of onlookers inside.

When demonstrators began hitting the glass walls and doors of the building, SWAT officers deployed tear gas to disperse the crowd. One protester was seen breaking a window before others yelled at him to stop.

Minutes later, law enforcement officials declared an unlawful assembly.

House members could be seen taking refuge in the House lobby as a cloud of tear gas hung in the air.

Hours earlier, several thousand demonstrators had marched through downtown Phoenix for the Women's March in front of the Arizona Capitol. The Party for Socialism and Liberation and the Phoenix branch of Radical Women also had planned to be protesting.

— Perry Vandell and Ray Stern

8:40 p.m.: Senate calls recess, cites security threat

Senate President Karen Fann abruptly called a recess to Senate work and evacuated lawmakers and staff to the Senate basement after protesters attending a rally after the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade pounded on Senate windows and doors.

"We have a security threat outside," Fann said, trying to hurry along a handful of public-school supporters who had unfurled a banner expressing their disgust with the Senate's approval of universal vouchers.

People soon returned to the Senate floor, including guests who had been seated in the Senate's gallery to watch the voucher vote.

— Mary Jo Pitzl

8 p.m. Friday: 'It’s very murky water': Traffic blocked at downtown Tucson protest

About 1,000 demonstrators gathered in downtown Tucson, pouring onto Congress Street and blocking traffic.

“We do not know what abortion future looks like in Arizona. It’s very murky water,” Amy Fitch-Heacock said. “As of today, all abortion care in the state of Arizona has ceased pending legal ramifications.”

Fitch-Heacock is one of the organizers of the Tucson Women’s March and the founder of Arizonans for Reproductive Freedom. She added that she believes this will become a “worst-case scenario very soon.”

“I fight because I know what happens to women who are denied abortion care … I fight because I know what happens to single mothers who raise children alone abandoned by the men who promised to show up,” Fitch-Heacock said.

She asked people to sign petitions to enshrine abortion rights into the Arizona State Constitution.

“We are going to keep on fighting because the people who took our rights today are counting on us being too tired to fight back.”

At about 8 p.m., law enforcement officials began blocking traffic near the federal courthouse.

Vera Antranik, one of the thousands of people who attended the Phoenix protest, described the overturning of Roe v. Wade as a blatant attack on health care and women’s rights.

“You’re not able to make decisions about your own body,” Antranik said. “I don’t think that crusty old men in the Supreme Court should have any say when they don’t understand what it’s like to go through that.”

Antranik asserted that those claiming to be “pro-life” care more about an unborn fetus than a child’s well-being after they’re born and referenced the 19 elementary school children who were massacred in Uvalde, Texas.

— Sarah Lapidus

7:30 p.m. Friday: Thousands march in downtown Phoenix to protest

Several thousand demonstrators marched through downtown Phoenix. A Women's March protest was planned for 7 p.m. in front of the Arizona Capitol. The Party for Socialism and Liberation and the Phoenix branch of Radical Women also planned to protest at the same place and time.

In Tucson, the Women's March chapter of the city drew nearly 300 demonstrators to the Evo A. DeConcini Federal Courthouse.

“We need to show up in solidarity, and we need to show up at that ballot box,” said Faith Ramon with Arizona Center for Empowerment.

About 5 miles east, about 50 people gathered at Reid Park, including Corinn Cooper with Arizonans for Reproductive Freedom.

“I've been fighting for women's rights for 50 years,” Cooper said. “I did not expect to see rights granted by the Constitution removed from women, and I, frankly, worry that this damage won't be undone in my lifetime."

At the Flagstaff protest, petitions and voter registration forms were passed around the crowd with organizers encouraging people to translate their unhappiness into tangible change in the ballot box. One petition hopes to present voters this fall with a ballot initiative for the right to an abortion to be codified in the Arizona Constitution.

Crowds began to disperse after 6:30 p.m. after a march. No incidents with law enforcement were reported.

— Sarah Lapidus, Sam Burdette, Perry Vandell and Lacey Latch

7 p.m. Friday: 'Even though it was expected, it's still profoundly disturbing'

The dark monsoon clouds rolling in overhead did not deter more than 100 people who gathered on the south lawn of Flagstaff City Hall. Impassioned protesters lined one of the cities' main thoroughfares with signs and bullhorns campaigning for reproductive rights.

"Even though it was expected, it's still profoundly disturbing," Debra Block, one of the rally's organizers, said of the court's decision.

Block, like many of her counterparts in the long fight for reproductive rights, has been at this for decades.

She went to her first abortion rally in Detroit in the early 1970s. Years later, Block is now a mother fighting for her rights as well as her child's.

"I should be done with this and I'm not," Block said.

About half an hour after the rally began, the group began a march through town and around the courthouse before returning to City Hall and blocking traffic along historic Route 66 until being directed back onto the grass by police.

Cassidy Griffith and Charlotte Willin, two Northern Arizona University student, came to the rally to show support for what they say is a healthcare issue.

"I believe abortion is health care," Willin said. "I'm a public health major and I believe it's a right that people should be able to have an abortion if they would like one."

"It is health care," Griffith agreed. "I plan to be an OB/GYN, and I am going to fight until my dying days for them to have this right because it is their right no matter what and no one should stay in their way."

"My grandma grew up in the '60s doing this, my mom grew up doing this and now I'm doing it," Griffith said. "You know, three generations of women fighting for our rights to have bodily autonomy."

— Lacey Latch

6:45 p.m. Friday: 'I will always fight for them'

About 70 demonstrators gathered on either side of Congress Street in front of the Evo A. DeConcini Federal Courthouse ahead of the rally scheduled for 7 p.m.

Amy Fitch-Heacock is one of the organizers of the Tucson Women’s March and the founder of Arizonans for Reproductive Freedom. She says people in rural areas already struggled to gain access to health care and abortion before today’s court decision.

“We have abortion providers mostly in the cities. Rural health care across the United States has always been a challenge,” Fitch-Heacock said. “Here in Arizona even though we don’t have an existing law that went into effect today, our abortion providers stopped providing abortions in anticipation of the legal challenges.”

Fitch-Heacock says she is a reproductive rights advocate because she knows what it’s like to not have access to abortion.

“This is not going to impact people who are in the Supreme Court. This isn’t going to impact the people who are in Congress, this will impact people who are already at a disadvantage,” Fitch-Heacock said. “I will always fight for them and for myself.”

1 p.m. Friday: Protests planned for Phoenix, Tucson

Women's March chapters in Phoenix and Tucson have planned protests in their respective cities on Friday night, and they are expected to be the largest in the State.

Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision Friday morning, ending a constitutional right to an abortion, protests are expected to occur across the U.S.

As of Friday morning, demonstrators have already gathered outside the Supreme Court building in Washington, DC.

In Phoenix, a Women's March protest is planned for 7 p.m. in front of the Arizona State Capitol. The Party for Socialism and Liberation and the Phoenix branch of Radical Women will also be protesting at the same place and time.

In Tucson, the Women's March chapter of the city will host a protest at 7 p.m. in front of the U.S. District Court in downtown Tucson.

— Sam Burdette and Sarah Lapidus

Breonna Taylor protests: NFAC plans to hold armed march in ...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Black militia is planning to hold an armed march in Louisville on Saturday to demand justice for Breonna Taylor, according to a video from the leader of the group.

John Fitzgerald "Jay" Johnson, the self-proclaimed grand master and founder of the NFAC, which stands for the Not F***ing Around Coalition, said in a video posted on Sunday that those wishing to march must come in a specific uniform: black boots, black pants, black button-down shirt and black mask. He added that members must come with several types of guns.

"Understand the seriousness of this situation," said Johnson, who goes by the name The Real Grandmaster Jay. "Breonna Taylor was murdered in her home. ... We gotta go in on this one."

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In a video published Monday, Johnson said that the group will meet at noon Saturday at Central High School, 1130 W. Chestnut St. But on Tuesday afternoon, Louisville Metro Police spokeswoman Jessie Halladay said the NFAC will change locations so that it is not on school property.

Unlawful possession of a weapon on school property is a felony in Kentucky. Halladay said she did not have any additional information to share about the rally location.

Johnson met electronically with Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron and Louisville Metro Council President David James on Monday, according to James, who added that he organized the meeting.

Cameron is investigating the killing of Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman who was unarmed in her South End apartment when Louisville police fatally shot her March 13. Cameron spokeswoman Elizabeth Kuhn confirmed the phone call took place.

"The conversation was productive," Kuhn wrote in an email. "Attorney General Cameron discussed his continued commitment to moving forward with our office’s independent and thorough investigation into the death of Ms. Taylor."

The militia made waves July 4 when roughly 1,000 members of the group marched in Stone Mountain, Georgia, where there is a mountainside carving of three Confederate leaders: Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis and Stonewall Jackson. Authorities said the event was peaceful, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, but the group's presence caused a stir on social media.

Protesters have taken to the streets of Louisville for 55 days to demand justice for Taylor, who was shot as police served a "no-knock" search warrant as a part of a narcotics investigation. No drugs were found in the apartment.

Court records show that police obtained a warrant with a no-knock provision for Taylor's apartment signed by Circuit Judge Mary Shaw. Even so, officials have said that plainclothes officers knocked and announced their presence before breaking in Taylor’s door with a battering ram.

Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, who was also in the apartment, fired one shot in response, hitting Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly in the thigh. Mattingly and Officers Brett Hankison and Myles Cosgrove returned fire, striking Taylor five times.

She died in her hallway.

FACT CHECK: Debunking 7 widely shared rumors in the Breonna Taylor police shooting

More:Breonna Taylor was briefly alive after police shot her. But no one tried to treat her

Like many of the protesters, Johnson, the leader of the NFAC, is demanding that the three officers involved in the shooting be fired by Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and criminally charged by Cameron. One of the officers in the shooting, Hankison, was fired last month and is in the process of appealing the termination.

In a call last week organized by local activist Lebron Seay, Johnson told David James, D-6th District, and Louisville Chief of Community Building Vincent James that 5,000 to 6,000 people from his group will hold an armed march in Louisville if there is not progress made in Taylor's case.

"I would be so remiss not to tell you that there are a lot of people nationwide that are ready to descend on your city to extract justice if you cannot give us some type of guarantee that something is coming soon," Johnson said.

David James said during the call that the investigation has taken so long due to Fischer's "piss-poor leadership," as the city did not turn over the police's investigative to Attorney General Cameron until a few weeks ago.

In an interview with The Courier Journal, David James said he had not spoken with Johnson before and joined the call to "help answer any questions" and to make sure Johnson "was aware of whatever the facts were."

David James also said that the "lack of transparency" of Fischer's administration has led to a distortion of facts and that he was asked to join the call after the Louisville mayor refused to do so.

Jean Porter, a spokeswoman for Fischer, told The Courier Journal on Tuesday that the mayor was not invited to the call with Johnson.

Opinion:Kentucky AG Daniel Cameron can't submit to outside pressure in Taylor case

David James said he is "not a big fan of people carrying weapons while they're protesting or marching through the city, no matter who they are." However, he added that the group consists of "law-abiding citizens following the rules and laws of the state of Kentucky" and that they have the right to protest.

The Metro Council president added that he is more worried about people reacting to the NFAC and that there may "be one person that does one stupid thing, and then we have a problem."

Louisville Metro Police spokesman Dwight Mitchell said the department is aware of Johnson's video announcing the NFAC's intentions to come to Louisville and the department has attempted to reach out to the group's organizers "to understand what their plans are."

"We have had several protests posted over the past several weeks, some of which have occurred and some which have not," Mitchell said. "We will take the appropriate steps to prepare for whatever may occur."

Mitchell declined to comment further on whether the department has successfully reached Johnson and what steps the department is taking to ensure the march is safe.

According to Porter, Louisville police have been in contact with Johnson about tentative plans for the march and "their shared goal for a peaceful event."

When asked during a Tuesday press briefing if the state would send police to the armed march in Louisville, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said his administration has not received a request to get involved.

"Any time a request comes in, we'll have to look at the danger that's out there for life and safety of folks," Behsear said. "But at the time, we have not received any official request for assistance."

Contact Ben Tobin at bjtobin@gannett.com and 502-377-5675 or follow on Twitter @TobinBen. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: subscribe.courier-journal.com.

Three Percenters plan response to NFAC march in Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A far-right militia group is calling for members to come to Louisville on Saturday in response to a planned armed march by the NFAC (Not F***ing Around Coalition), a Black militia.

In a Facebook video posted on Tuesday, a user named Michael Malinconico said the Three Percenters militia will have "boots on the ground to assist and security on this situation."

"We are asking for an all call-out ... to assist in countering NFAC," Malinconico said.

And in the Facebook group Kentucky Security Force III%, the page shared a video on Wednesday from the national III% Security Force group of a man criticizing the NFAC. Above the shared video, the post reads, "See you Saturday."

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It's unclear what the Kentucky Three Percenters plan to do on Saturday or how many people will arrive in Louisville. Patsy Bush, the state secretary of the Kentucky 3 Percenters, declined to comment, saying "I'm not at liberty to speak about it at this point."

The Three Percenter posts come after John Fitzgerald "Jay" Johnson, the self-proclaimed grand master and founder of the NFAC, announced in a video posted on Sunday that the group plans to gather in an armed formation Saturday to demand justice for Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman who was fatally shot by police.

"Understand the seriousness of this situation," said Johnson, who goes by the name The Real Grandmaster Jay. "Breonna Taylor was murdered in her home. ... We gotta go in on this one."

The militia made waves July 4 when roughly 1,000 members marched in Stone Mountain, Georgia, where there is a mountainside carving of Confederate leaders Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis and Stonewall Jackson. Authorities said the event was peaceful, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

More:Did Three Percenters back Beshear effigy at rally? What to know about the Kentucky group

Johnson told Louisville city leaders in a phone call last week that he conservatively estimates 5,000 to 6,000 members of the NFAC will show up in Louisville. The formation was originally set to meet at Central High School at noon, but police have confirmed that it will no longer be held there due to a restriction against weapons on school property.

According to Louisville Metro Police spokeswoman Jessie Halladay, the group will meet at Baxter Square Park at Jefferson Street and 11th and 12th streets at noon. The group will then march downtown to Jefferson Square Park, Halladay said.

Johnson met electronically with Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron and Louisville Metro Council President David James on Monday, Cameron's spokeswoman Elizabeth Kuhn told The Courier Journal.

Cameron is investigating the killing of Taylor, who was unarmed in her South End apartment when Louisville police shot her before 1 a.m. March 13.

"The conversation was productive," Kuhn wrote in an email. "Attorney General Cameron discussed his continued commitment to moving forward with our office’s independent and thorough investigation into the death of Ms. Taylor."

In an interview with The Courier Journal on Tuesday, Councilman James said he is "not a big fan of people carrying weapons while they're protesting or marching through the city, no matter who they are." He added that the group has marched peacefully previously, and that he is more worried about counterprotesters and "one person that does one stupid thing, and then we have a problem."

The Three Percenters stirred controversy in late May when the local group's president, Terry Bush, hoisted an effigy of Gov. Andy Beshear from a tree at the Kentucky Capitol during a "Patriot Day 2nd Amendment Rally."

The militia also came to Louisville in July 2018 to hold a counterprotest against a group demonstrating against federal immigration policies.

The Three Percenters - Original Facebook page says it is a "national organization made up of patriotic citizens who love their country, their freedoms, and their liberty. We are committed to standing against and exposing corruption and injustice."

On Politics:Black women are fed up, and want more than justice for Breonna Taylor

USA TODAY has previously reported that members of the group were involved in the violent protests following a deadly neo-Nazi rally in 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the national group issued a stand-down order in response to it. The Washington Post also reported the group took steps to disassociate itself from the racism at the rally.

Johnson, the leader of the NFAC, did not respond to a request for comment Thursday morning on the Three Percenters' plans.

In response to the demonstrations, Louisville police will heighten its presence in Jefferson Square Park and block off several roads downtown starting at 8 a.m. Saturday.

LMPD Maj. Aubrey Gregory said during a press briefing Thursday afternoon that the department is trying to provide safety for any group that is downtown Saturday.

Gregory said he has heard from counterprotester groups as far as Kansas, including the Mississippi Militia and Kentucky Militia on top of several Three Percenters groups, but he did not have an estimate on how many people may show up. He added that several groups who had initially expressed interest now say they will not come.

To separate groups, Gregory said police will create what he calls a "no-go zone" on Fifth Street, keeping opposing demonstrators divided with bike racks.

Meanwhile,when asked during a Tuesday press briefing if the state would send police to the NFAC gathering in Louisville, Beshear said his administration has not received a request to get involved.

On Thursday, Gregory said he has been keeping other agencies in the loop but has not asked for any additional assistance.

LMPD plans for demonstrations

Maintain a visible police presence in the area of Jefferson Square Park.

Secure two areas, using bike rack barriers, to keep opposing protesters separated. Fifth Street will serve as the buffer zone between those two areas.

Prohibit parking at all parking meters on the streets surrounding Jefferson Square Park (Jefferson, Sixth and Liberty streets)

Close the following roads, starting at 8 a.m. Jefferson Street between Fourth and Seventh streets. Liberty Street between Fifth and Seventh streets. Fifth Street between Market Street and Muhammad Ali. Sixth Street between Market and Liberty streets.

Contact Ben Tobin at bjtobin@gannett.com and 502-377-5675 or follow on Twitter @TobinBen. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: subscribe.courier-journal.com.

Voter photo ID bill passes legislature, head to Gov. Andy Beshear

An amended bill requiring voters to present photo identification to vote is heading to the governor's desk for his signature or veto.

Kentucky voters are currently required to present identification to vote unless they are recognized by a poll worker, but Senate Bill 2, passed by both chambers of the legislature, would require government-issued identification with the voter's photograph.

The bill's Republican backers say the measure is needed to prevent in-person voter fraud and ensure public confidence in elections, though Democratic opponents countered it would create an unnecessary barrier to voting, noting there have been zero confirmed incidents of voter impersonation in Kentucky.

Both chambers passed different versions of the bill earlier in the session by a nearly party-line vote, with a conference committee creating a new version of the bill Thursday before the House and Senate passed it that evening.

A copy of the amended bill passed by both chambers had not been publicly posted by Thursday evening.

If Gov. Andy Beshear signs the bill into law, voters would be required to have a photo ID by this November's general election.

Looking back:Amended Kentucky bill to require photo voter ID would go into effect this year

Beshear previously said he would not support any bill that makes it more difficult for Kentuckians to vote but was waiting to see what version of the bill passed. Even if he vetoes the bill, it likely would be overridden by the Republican-dominated General Assembly.

Noting that Kentucky's primary election already has been pushed back to June over concerns about the coronavirus, the ACLU of Kentucky issued a statement condemning the passage of SB 2 as further endangering the same populations most vulnerable to the pandemic.

"Thousands of people who do not meet the newly mandated identification requirements will have to choose between exposing themselves to COVID-19 to obtain identification, or being forced to sit on the sidelines on Election Day," stated Corey Shapiro, the legal director for ACLU-KY.

Read this:Stressing medical care needs in pandemic, lawmakers OK $35M U of L Jewish Hospital loan

Also:Beshear rips into Senate budget proposal as Kentucky lawmakers hit pause on session

"It is unconscionable for politicians to move this legislation at a time when Kentuckians are not allowed in the Capitol and are losing their jobs, their small businesses, access to childcare and more."

The ACLU of Kentucky previously indicated it may file a lawsuit to block the enforcement of the law unless it delayed implementation until after this year's general election.

Reach reporter Joe Sonka at jsonka@courierjournal.com or 502-582-4472 and follow him on Twitter at @joesonka. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courierjournal.com/subscribe.

DC riot arrests: What we know about the Kentucky people charged

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A convicted meth manufacturer who was sentenced to a decade in prison.

An election-conspiracy leader who protested outside U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell's house.

A 23-year-old University of Kentucky student who posted from the U.S. Capitol riot, "can't wait to tell my grandkids I was here."

All three are among the 20 defendants with Kentucky ties who have been charged with a variety of federal crimes in the Jan. 6 riot in Washington, ranging from trespassing to assaulting an officer.

The defendants initially appeared before federal judges in their home districts, but the cases have been transferred to the D.C. Circuit for prosecution, with some Kentuckians receiving their sentences in late 2021. Other cases remain pending in 2022.

Here’s what we know about the defendants:

Reva Vincent

Reva Vincent, of Brownsville, was charged in February 2022 with parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.

Federal prosecutors said Vincent recorded herself entering the Capitol and remaining inside the Rotunda during the riot, yelling things, "stop the steal" and "this is our house!"

Vincent has accepted a plea deal and is scheduled to receive her sentence during an Aug. 2, 2022, hearing in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.

Relate:Kentucky woman who took video selfie inside US Capitol takes plea deal in Jan. 6 riot case

Shelly Stallings

Shelly Stallings, 42, of Morganfield, was arrested Feb. 16 in Owensboro and charged with various offenses in connection with the Capitol riot, including assaulting officers and civil disorder.

Stallings and three other defendants, including her husband, Peter Schwartz, were accused of "spraying a chemical irritant, pepper spray, at a line of police officers attempting to secure the area of the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol Building," the Department of Justice said.

Following her arrest, it was not immediately clear if Stallings had an attorney who could comment on her behalf, with details on her next court appearance not yet available.

Related:Kentucky woman used pepper spray on officers during Jan. 6 Capitol riot, feds say

Joseph Irwin

Joseph Irwin of Cecilia, Kentucky, was arrested and charged Aug. 17 with unlawful entry and disorderly conduct in a restricted building and disorderly conduct and parading/demonstrating in the Capitol building, the FBI's Louisville office said.

Irwin, a former deputy with the Hardin County Sheriff's Office, was initially identified in photos at the Capitol by a tipster. His identity was confirmed by former coworkers, Hardin County Sheriff John Ward and Lt. Taylor Miller, as well as through photos on his wife's Facebook page.

Irwin told Miller he was on his way to "meet up with friends at a march." Security footage showed him entering the Capitol building at 2:43 p.m. on Jan. 6, court records show.

He was released on a personal recognizance bond and ordered to "continue preexisting mental health treatment" and not possess any firearms or weapons while awaiting his next appearance in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.

Related:Kentuckian arrested in connection with Jan. 6 insurrection was formerly a sheriff's deputy

Irwin is represented by a public defender and must also notify the Western District of Kentucky if he intends to travel outside of the court's jurisdiction, according to court records.

A memorandum about the production of discovery indicates the defense will have access to the "vast majority" of potentially relevant material by the end of January. A status conference was held Jan. 4, and the next is set for March 24.

Robert Lynn Bauer

Update:Robert Bauer was sentenced to 45 days in jail during an Oct. 13 hearing

Robert Lynn Bauer, 43, of Cave City, was initially charged with entering restricted grounds and picketing on Capitol grounds.

But court records show two additional charges were added Jan. 22: entering grounds with the intent of impeding government business and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

Bauer admitted he attended the Donald Trump rally during which five people were killed and hundreds more injured with his wife, Jenny, and his cousin from Virginia, Edward Hemenway, who also was charged.

He told the FBI his wife went back to the hotel room while he and Hemenway entered the Capitol. She was not charged.

Photos of Bauer and Hemenway inside various parts of the Capitol building were obtained by the FBI.

Bauer first appeared Jan. 15 before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Brent Brennenstuhl, based in Bowling Green, by video conference while in FBI custody, and then before Washington, D.C., U.S. Magistrate Judge Robin M. Meriweather on Jan. 19.

He has pleaded guilty to his charges and has a sentencing hearing set for Oct. 13, with federal prosecutors recommending both Bauer and his cousin serve 30 days in jail and pay $500 in restitution, according to court documents.

Court records show Bauer was released on a $25,000 unsecured bond. He’s required to report weekly to pretrial services and is prohibited from attending any state or federal Capitol grounds; participating in public protests or rallies; going to Washington, except for court and meetings with an attorney; possessing a firearm or weapon; and breaking any other laws.

'It's your house now':Kentucky man and cousin face charges in US Capitol riot

He’s also required to notify pretrial services if he plans to travel outside Kentucky and get court approval to leave the country. Court records show he has not obtained an attorney and is scheduled to appear before Meriweather on Tuesday.

Bauer’s criminal history includes drug convictions in Barren, Cumberland and Warren counties in Kentucky.

In 2007, he was convicted of manufacturing methamphetamines, first-degree possession of meth, unlawful possession of meth, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a prescription controlled substance not in its original container in Barren County.

The same year, he was convicted of unlawful possession of meth, first-degree possession of a controlled substance and manufacturing meth in Cumberland County, according to court records.

Bauer was sentenced to a total of 10 years. He was paroled in November 2008 and completed his supervision in August 2013, according to the Kentucky Department of Corrections.

In 2005, he was found guilty of shoplifting in Barren County, and in 2004 spent 30 days in jail following a DUI in Warren County.

Top stories:How Mexican drug cartels are using TikTok to entice young people into organized crime

Damon Michael Beckley

Damon Michael Beckley, a 52-year-old Cub Run resident, was charged with entering restricted grounds and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

He appears in video taken inside the Capitol posted online by another protester.

About 23 minutes into the video, Beckley, wearing a "Trump" beanie, a black cap and tan hood, can be seen standing with at least 100 angry protesters in Statuary Hall. They stood before five officers who were trying to block off the hallway leading to the chamber.

Later that day, Beckley also gave a viral interview from the Capitol building during the riot, saying he wouldn't put up with "tyrannical rule."

The week before the riots, the Louisville protester is seen on video speaking outside McConnell's Louisville home Jan. 2.

He was there with a group he founded, D.C. Under Siege, to protest McConnell accepting the 2020 presidential election results, despite there being no evidence of widespread voter fraud.

Read more about the allegations against Beckley.

In a Jan. 27 email filed in the Western District of Kentucky, Beckley asked the court to change his plea from not guilty to no contest, meaning he does not admit nor deny responsibility but agrees to accept punishment.

He also notified the court he would be representing himself and asked that his travel restrictions associated with the conditions of his release be lifted.

The case has been transferred to the D.C. circuit, though an email response to Beckley from Western District U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Brent Brennenstuhl indicated his email and the response would be forwarded to the court clerk in Washington, since Kentucky no longer has jurisdiction.

His case remains pending in 2022.

Beckley in his notice asked the court to "spare the public additional time lost" on his "poor behavior choices" and to consider probation in lieu of incarceration.

In the event restitution is ordered, he asked to be allowed to "make good on that" through community service, noting his 34 years of experience in construction specializing in residential and commercial remodeling and job management, according to his letter.

He also asked the court to lift his travel restrictions, which require him to stay in the Western District of Kentucky except for travel to Washington, D.C., for court matters.

Beckley, who was initially held at Grayson County Detention Center, appeared at a virtual hearing Jan. 19, 2021, and in person for another hearing the following day. He was released on a $25,000 unsecured bond and is required to wear a GPS device as part of a location monitoring program.

Under the conditions of his release, he's required to report to pretrial services any interaction with law enforcement, and he's banned from protesting or going on any state or federal Capitol grounds.

Beckley's use of the internet is restricted — he's not allowed to communicate or post about matters related to the protests or the U.S. government.

Beckley said he is seeking business investment money from parties in other states — dealings that cannot be done over the internet. He also said he has construction materials and personal items in storage in Indiana and has pending civil lawsuits against individuals in other states.

Beckley also said he would send an apology letter to former Vice President Mike Pence for wrongfully implicating him as "being part of the cause of the rioting" and for his own conduct on the Capital grounds.

His phone, laptop and his daughter's new tablet confiscated by the FBI as part of the investigation contain important business contacts and files, he wrote, and asked that they be returned. Beckley also asked that the FBI help find his phone, which was apparently stolen from him in D.C. by an "attacker."

"This person (whomever it is) has the ability to post things online as if they were Mr. Beckley," he wrote, adding that the individual could make it appear as if he wasn't complying with court orders.

He also requested his First Amendment right be restored, because he and his family "have received many threats online, some severe."

He went on to say his family is being painted online by media as white supremacists and part of hate groups, "all of which couldn't be further from the truth, as he and his family are vehemently opposed to all forms of racism and other discriminations."

Upon compliance with all the court orders, he asked that his Second Amendment right to have firearms be restored.

Jefferson Circuit Court records show Beckley was charged in 2016 with second-degree assault, robbery and wanton endangerment following an incident with someone who hired him to do work on her home.

Kentucky state business records show Beckley established two LLC businesses that were dissolved after failing to file annual reports. The first, urminds’eye LLC, was established in March 2007 and dissolved in 2010 after no annual report was filed that year. Records show filed annual reports in 2008 and 2009.

A second business, Bucketjack Material Handling Systems, International LLC, was founded in 2010 and administratively dissolved when the first annual report wasn’t filed, records show.

The business address on Gleeson Avenue is the same listed on a Facebook page for the business DeckDude of Louisville.

Beckley doesn’t hold any professional licenses in Kentucky, according to a search of the state’s department of professional licensing.

At the time Beckley was charged, police alleged Beckley didn’t complete the work, so the woman hired someone else to complete the job.

But Beckley then showed up at the home and demanded his tools back.

When the woman refused and demanded a refund, police wrote, Beckley swung a board at the 74-year-old. The newly hired worker tried to intervene and was struck by Beckley with a dry-wall brace, allegedly causing a seizure.

Beckley then left with the tools belonging to the worker.

The case was dismissed in October 2017 without prejudice, meaning the charges could be brought again, after an essential witness was unavailable to testify because of health issues, according to Kristi Gray, assistant commonwealth’s attorney in Jefferson County.

Beckley then made a motion through his attorney to reject the dismissal and move forward to a jury trial, but that did not occur.

The case was dismissed with prejudice in 2018 when it became clear the witness’s circumstances hadn’t and wouldn’t change, Gray said.

Gracyn Dawn Courtright

Update:Courtright was sentenced in December 2021. Read more here.

Ex-UK student who bragged about entering Capitol on Jan. 6 sentenced to jail

A 23-year-old University of Kentucky student from West Virginia, Gracyn Dawn Courtright was charged with entering restricted grounds, entering grounds with intent to impede government business, demonstrating on Capitol grounds, disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, and theft of government property under $1,000.

The criminal complaint against Courtright says a photo published by The Washington Post appears to show her holding up her phone in a crowd that initially clashed with police in the halls of the Capitol.

The FBI determined the video she took and posted online were taken about the same time as the photo was taken, according to the affidavit.

The FBI also obtained videos and screenshots of her now-deleted Instagram and Twitter accounts showing photos of her at the Capitol, one captioned: "can't wait to tell my grandkids I was here."

The affidavit also includes photos from security footage appearing to show Courtright inside the building carrying a "Members Only" sign up a set of stairs before a law enforcement officer took it from her.

Read more about the allegations against Courtright.

A federal public defender appointed on her behalf, Rhett Johnson, declined to comment.

Courtright first appeared in the Southern District of West Virginia, where she was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond. She's required to stay within her federal district and is only allowed to travel to Washington for court-related matters and to Lexington for classes, as approved by a probation officer.

She also had to surrender her passport.

The conditions of her release require her to get medical or psychiatric treatment, participate in substance abuse therapy and counseling, and submit to drug and alcohol tests, court records show.

She's also not allowed to use alcohol or narcotics, not allowed to have a gun and must report to her probation officer all interactions with law enforcement.

The UK student graduated high school in Hurricane, West Virginia, in 2015, public records show. She's now a mathematical economics major and made the dean's list in the spring and fall of 2020.

Nearly 2,900 people had signed a change.org petition earlier this year to have Courtright expelled for attending the riots.

UK spokesman Jay Blanton said the university doesn't discuss individual disciplinary matters and Courtright remains enrolled as a student.

"But, in general, we can tell you that the student code of conduct applies both on and off campus," he said. "If the university is made aware of a student taking actions in violation of local, state or federal laws, the student code of conduct applies in that context."

Fayette County court records show Courtright was charged with two counts of fourth-degree assault with no injury and one count of fourth-degree assault with a minor injury, but all three charges were dismissed in 2018.

She's also involved in a civil action related to a car accident.

For subscribers:Impeachment committee created for Beshear petition counters recent House tradition

Chad Barrett Jones

Chad Barrett Jones, 42, of Mount Washington, was charged with assault on a federal officer with a gun, impeding law enforcement, destruction of government property, disrupting official proceedings, entering restricted grounds, entering grounds with the intent of impeding government business, disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, and engaging in violent acts on Capitol grounds.

He's accused of being part of an aggressive crowd trying to breach a barricaded door to the Speaker's Lobby — a hallway that connects to the House chambers, according to the criminal complaint.

As members of the crowd shouted at the Capitol Police officers guarding the door, Jones "forcefully struck" the door's glass panels at least 10 times with a long, wooden flagpole, according to the affidavit.

The location is the same spot where rioter Ashli Babbitt was fatally shot by Capitol Police while attempting to crawl through a broken window.

Read more about the accusations against Jones.

Jones was initially held in Oldham County Jail, but he was then released to the custody of his wife, Amanda Jones, who secured his $100,000 bond.

He's required to stay in the Western District of Kentucky, must surrender his passport and is banned from obtaining any other travel documents. He's also required to pay, if he's able, for location monitoring at the discretion of the probation officer.

Jones can't possess a gun and must report all interaction with law enforcement. He's prohibited from using social media applications and encrypted text messaging applications unless approved in advance by his probation officer.

Kentucky court records indicate Jones has no prior criminal history.

His case has a status conference set for March 10, 2022.

Michael Sparks

Michael Sparks, 43, of Elizabethtown, was charged with entering restricted grounds, entering grounds with the intent to impede government business, impeding law enforcement, disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, and demonstrating on Capital grounds.

In the days after the riots, tipsters reached out to the FBI to identify Sparks, who is seen on several videos from the event entering the building and roaming the halls while the presidential election was being certified by Congress.

Sparks was the first individual to enter the Capitol through the broken window around 2:13 p.m., according to the criminal complaint. While following a group through the Capitol, he's shown in various videos shouting and acting in a threatening manner toward a Capitol Police officer the group was confronting.

Facebook posts sent to the FBI indicate Sparks confirmed he planned to go to Washington for the rally in support of Trump and warned "a new dawn is coming. Be ready," the complaint said.

Find out more about the allegations against Sparks.

Sparks was released on an unsecured $25,000 bond. He's required to report to probation and must get permission before the officer before leaving the Western District of Kentucky, according to court records.

Records show he doesn't have any criminal convictions in Kentucky.

His case remains pending in 2022.

Jordan Revlett

UPDATE:Kentucky man going to jail for Jan. 6 riot

Jordan Revlett, 23, of Island in McLean County, was arrested in January and appeared virtually in federal court before an Owensboro the same day.

Revlett was released on a $25,000 unsecured bond. His travel is restricted to Kentucky's Western District and Washington for court matters, and he's not allowed on any state or federal capitol premises.

He's required to report to probation and isn't allowed to have a gun or participate in public rallies until his case is resolved, court records show.

Video surveillance shows Revlett entering the Capitol building at the Upper West Terrace door about 2:35 p.m. Jan. 6, according to the criminal complaint.

The FBI received tips about Revlett's involvement — screenshots of Revlett's Snapchat account indicating he was in and around the Capitol building during the time of the riots, according to the criminal complaint.

The tipster, whom the FBI interviewed, also provided a 42-second Snapchat video taken on Revlett's account that shows a chaotic, noisy scene of people climbing stairs toward a door on the Upper West Terrace.

The clip was recorded from the perspective of someone also entering the building. Once inside, shouting and chanting can be heard. A male voice near the steps yells loudly, "We're in the (expletive) White House!" while another male voice says, "Holy (expletive)."

The video switches to a first-person view of rioters and officers inside the Capitol with people chanting, "Let us through!" Then, it switches to a selfie of Revlett in a car with the caption: "Just so you guys know a capitol police officer opened the door from inside to let us in," according to the complaint.

Another image from his Snapchat account that was added from Revlett's camera roll shows a line of 10 police officers guarding a hallway next to a statue of Abraham Lincoln. The caption said, "Fyi there was no gunshots."

All the images from the Snapchat account display Revlett's name and the amount of time that passed between when the videos and images were posted and when the user viewed Revlett's posts.

Bryce Caldwell, an Owensboro attorney representing Revlett, declined to comment about the merits of the allegations, but said they were still in the early stages of the case and had many motions to file.

Caldwell said his intention is to represent his client throughout the whole case, which will be tried virtually before a federal judge in Washington.

A plea agreement hearing is set for Jan. 14, 2022, with no additional details provided in online court records.

Dalton Crase and Troy Williams

UPDATE:Judge sentences Kentucky men who entered the Capitol during Jan. 6 riot

Dalton Ray Crase, 21, and Troy Dylan Williams, 25, both of Lexington, were charged with entering a restricted building or grounds, entering restricted grounds with the intent to impede government business, disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, picketing on Capitol grounds and aiding or abetting a crime against the U.S. government.

They're the first Kentuckians who were at the Capitol charged with aiding or abetting.

Crase and Williams have a sentencing hearing scheduled for Jan. 13, 2022.

A sentencing memo that could shed more light on the punishment that prosecutors and defense attorneys will request was due Jan. 6, 2022, according to online court records.

Williams was released but required to report to probation, actively seek employment and surrender his passport. He's also banned from obtaining international travel documents and leaving the Eastern District of Kentucky except for work purposes and travel to court hearings.

He's also required to avoid all direct and indirect contact with victims or witnesses except through counsel. Williams is not allowed to have a firearm, not allowed to partake in protests or rallies and must report all interactions with law enforcement.

According to the criminal complaint against Crase and Williams, the two traveled by car to Washington with a third person, a witness not named in the complaint, and arrived at their hotel in Arlington, Virginia just after midnight on Jan. 6.

From a third party, the FBI received screen grabs of the witness' Facebook page with messages indicating he entered the U.S. Capitol building.

In an interview with the FBI, the witness admitted riding with his two friends, but said his Facebook page misrepresented his presence at the Capitol. He provided records that indicated he was temporarily hospitalized for an illness he developed on the car ride there and didn't participate in any of the events at the Capitol that day, the complaint said.

In an interview with the FBI, Crase admitted he arrived at the Washington Monument area around 11:30 a.m. and listened to the end of former U.S. President Donald Trump's speech. He met up with Williams after and walked with a large crowd toward the Capitol.

Crase said he saw barricades that had been knocked over and didn't see any police stopping folks from getting closer to the building. They both went into the building after the riots started, but Crase said he didn't take part in any violence.

Crase also said it was "dumb" for them to go in, and that it didn't register he might be breaking the law by being in the building. He said if he were ever to go in again, he would get a "pass."

In an interview with the FBI, Williams said he and Crase went inside the building after it was breached, but had no intention of going in until everyone was already inside, describing it as "herd mentality," according to the complaint. He said they both went in twice — once around 2:39 p.m. and once around 3:08, verifying it with timestamps on videos he'd taken while inside.

Williams told agents he told Crase that they would leave if people start "fighting the cops and getting crazy," according to the complaint. He also voluntarily provided photos and videos to the FBI.

When asked, Williams said he, "to a degree," felt he wasn't doing anything wrong by being inside. He said he didn't do anything wrong or inciteful inside, but did recall a conversation with two elderly men outside the Capitol who said they weren't going in because it would be a felony.

He told agents when he heard this, he thought they might be right.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that Crase's brother, Deekon Duvall, said his brother's arrest came as a complete surprise.

“It was a huge shock,” Duvall said. “He’s never done anything to harm somebody. He’s a pretty nice, humble dude.”

“At first, he was a very far distance away. He wasn’t interacting, and then he went up into the steps, and then that’s where [he took] that picture that they have posted everywhere of him with the peace sign, smiling, with the officers behind,” Duvall said.

According to Duvall, Crase grew up in Walton, Ohio. Officials confirmed that Crase attended Walton-Verona High School and graduated from there in 2018.

Duvall says his brother does not have a criminal history and has never been violent. He thinks Crase was at the Capitol to express himself and got caught up in the moment.

“Right after, he texted me, and he was like, ‘Dude I don’t know what I just did. This is not good. Don’t like, keep it on the low. I feel like I’m going to get in big, big trouble for this,’” Duvall said.

Duvall thinks the charges against his brother should be reduced or even dropped, but prosecutors believe the evidence says otherwise.

“It was just somebody who was supporting their views and made a mistake,” Duvall said. “He has no, nothing on his record. He’s perfectly clean, so they have no reason to severely punish him.”

Peter Schwartz

Peter Schwartz was arrested in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, on Feb. 4, 2021, and charged with entering restricting grounds, entering grounds with the intent to impede government business, disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, assault on a federal officer and obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder.

The affidavit does not specify Schwartz's hometown or age, but Kentucky court records indicate Schwartz is 47 years old and has an Owensboro address.

Schwartz's case has a Jan. 18, 2022, status conference, per court records.

An affidavit says the FBI National Threat Operations Center received a tip Jan. 11 from an individual "who is personally acquainted with Schwartz."

The individual said Schwartz was involved in the riot in Washington, D.C., along with supporters of now-former President Donald Trump, and that he was supposed to be at a rehabilitation facility in Owensboro on Jan. 6.

FBI:Kentucky man arrested in connection with Capitol riot tried to mace officers

The person said Schwartz is a traveling welder and convicted felon who was released from prison due to COVID-19, per the affidavit from a Federal Bureau of Investigation special agent.

It was not immediately clear why he was in Uniontown, a city about 50 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. Court records show Schwartz will be represented by federal public defender Jay Jon Finkelstein.

FBI agents identified Schwartz in an "Action 8 News" video of the riot that was posted Jan. 7 on YouTube and showed the Kentucky man on the west terrace of the Capitol building wearing a "distinctive yellow-and-blue checked shirt or jacket," according to the affidavit.

Roughly 49 minutes into the nearly 90-minute video, an arm clad in the "same distinctive yellow-and-blue check material" is seen spraying an orange substance from a black canister "directly" at a group of Capitol and Metropolitan police officers, the affidavit says.

The orange substance, believed to be mace, "lands near the face of an unidentified officer, causing him to turn his face away and step backwards" while appearing to "try to avoid inhaling the orange substance," federal agents said.

Schwartz is later seen in the video "carrying a wooden baton in the midst of the large crowd of rioters near the tunnel arch," according to the affidavit.

Another video shows a person believed to be Schwartz using a "large red canister to spray law enforcement with what appeared to be mace," the FBI said.

The Jan. 11 tip from the acquaintance of Schwartz directed FBI agents to a Facebook profile believed to belong to Schwartz.

FBI agents found a Jan. 7 post on the Facebook profile believed to belong to Schwartz that said, “All the violence from the left was terrorism. What happened yesterday was the opening of a war. I was there and whether people will acknowledge it or not we are now at war. It would be wise to be ready!”

Schwartz also wrote in the comments section on his Jan. 7 post: "I’ll tell you this … I’m shocked reading the reports of what happened yesterday. Very different than what I saw up close and personal. (We’re still spitting up gas and mace today.).”

On Jan. 18, the FBI included a picture of Schwartz on a "BOLO" poster of Capitol riot suspects that it distributed throughout the United States, per the affidavit.

Agents also interviewed an Owensboro police lieutenant who confirmed the person pictured in the FBI poster was Schwartz.

A few days later, the acquaintance who tipped off the FBI said Schwartz "still owes him money," per the affidavit.

And the individual said he knows Schwartz was at the Capitol on Jan. 6 because Schwartz told him “we were there” and posted on Facebook about driving to Washington, D.C., for the protest with “more people than voted for Biden.”

One Capitol Police officer interviewed by the FBI reported being maced multiple times on Jan. 6, including once without a gas mask. Another officer, with Metro Police, also reported being maced "multiple times" while standing guard and attempting to keep protesters out who were shoving ladders, flag poles and other items through windows.

If convicted on the federal charges, Schwartz could face more than 20 years in prison.

A status conference in his case is scheduled for Nov. 5, according to online court records.

Schwartz was sentenced in April 2020 to two years of supervised probation after he had been charged in Daviess County with third-degree terroristic threatening and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, according to court records.

Those charges stemmed from a 2019 incident in Owensboro in which a woman told police her boyfriend, Schwartz, had made "verbal threats to kill her and kill her son" while he has intoxicated, according to an arrest citation.

A warrant was put out for Schwartz's arrest in late January for a "probation violation," the state court records show. As part of his probation, Schwartz was ordered to attend treatment and not commit any further violations of the law, according to court records, which indicate any violations could result in Schwartz serving five years in prison.

Lori and Thomas Vinson

Update:Kentucky nurse and her husband avoid jail time for entering Capitol during Jan. 6 riot

The FBI announced Feb. 23 that Lori Ann Vinson and her husband, Thomas Roy Vinson, of Morganfield, were each charged federally with entering restricted grounds, entering grounds with the intent to impede government business, demonstrating on Capitol grounds and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

They appeared from FBI headquarters via Zoom before a federal judge in Owensboro. The case will later be transferred to Washington, D.C., for prosecution.

The Vinsons were each released on a $25,000 unsecured bond and are required to report to probation and notify pre-trial services when they leave the Western District of Kentucky, Indiana or Illinois for the purpose of visiting their mother-in-law.

No travel outside the continental U.S. is allowed, and neither are allowed to visit Washington D.C. unless they're there with an attorney for court matters.

Neither can possess any illegal firearms.

A sentencing hearing was scheduled for Oct. 22, according to online court records. (Read about what happened here.)

According to the criminal complaint against the Vinsons, several individuals sent Lori Vinson's Facebook posts showing her at the riots to the FBI's tipline in the days after the protests that left five dead and many more injured.

One witness said Lori Vinson claimed to be one of the first 100 people in the Capitol that day, and provided multiple screengrabs of threads where she's discussing what it was like being inside, the complaint said.

Another witness sent the FBI two photos and videos of her and her husband inside the building, as well as solo "selfies" showing her inside, according to the complaint. She claimed police let her into the building, but the witness noted that the videos show signs of forced entry, like broken glass.

Lori Vinson told the witness she and her husband walked around the Capitol for about 35 or 40 minutes but didn't steal or damage anything. The witness also saw her talking on the local news about being in the Capitol and then being fired from her nursing job for it, the complaint said.

Lori Vinson told news media that she returned to work on Jan. 8 and after her shift, was called into the back office and fired for criminal behavior at the protests.

"I felt like what I had done was justified, and so I just said I would do this all over again tomorrow, I'm sorry that you don't see my worth," she told a Nashville TV station, according to the complaint.

On a recorded call with the FBI, Lori said she and her husband were at a rally near the White House lawn and talked straight to the U.S. Capitol, up the steps and straight through the door, following a stream of people inside.

Vinson denied waiting outside for someone to break down doors or windows to get in. She said they didn't meet any resistance going in and police didn't ask them to leave, the court documents said. They also witnessed people hitting a door with Sen. Mitch McConnell's name on it with a crowd control stanchion three times, after which they decided to leave.

Thomas Vinson told law enforcement they were peacefully expressing their views to Congress, mostly chanting and talking — not damaging or stealing anything.

The couple also entered on the Rotunda level and stayed on the floor, court records show. Lori Vinson told the FBI she didn't know Congress was "in session" because she said they wouldn't have been allowed entry if it were.

She also said she didn't hear the building's alarms going off during the initial entry because of the chanting and commotion, but recently noticed upon reviewing the video.

Court records show the couple was also observed going through the 1st floor Senate Wind door, and 13 minutes later in the OAP Corridor on the 1st floor. They were also on video in the 2nd floor Rotunda.

Vinson was fired from her job as a nurse at Ascension St. Vincent in Evansville, Indiana, after they were made aware of social media posts showing her inside the Capitol during the protests. She's since made her accounts private.

"They said I admittedly participated in criminal behavior at a high-profile event," Vinson told The Courier Press in Evansville, part of the USA Today network. "It’s hurtful that they didn’t listen to my side of it. Some of those people know me and know that in a million years, I would never be involved with rioting or anything like that."

Vinson told The Press she didn't anticipate charges, though the FBI had interviewed her, because the call was quick and they told her she wouldn't hear from them again.

She said she was there to protest what she believed in and doesn't have any regrets. She said she'll always remember Jan. 6 and is proud she was there.

Clayton Ray Mullins

On social media, he was known as #slickback.

Now, the FBI has identified the Kentucky man seen in "numerous" photos and videos assaulting a police officer — while sporting slicked-back hair — during the U.S. Capitol riots on Jan. 6.

Clayton Ray Mullins, of Benton, was charged federally with assaulting police, obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, entering restricted grounds, disorderly conduct on restricted grounds, physical violence on restricted grounds and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

He initially appeared in federal court in Paducah before his case was transferred to Washington, D.C.

His remains pending in 2022.

Videos of the assault on one particular Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police officer, identified as "A.W." in the criminal complaint against Mullins, were posted on Twitter the day of the riots with the hashtag #seditionhunters trending with it.

The officer sustained bruises and bleeding from a head laceration that required two staples.

According to a police interview with A.W. about a week after the riots, the officer was posted in an archway that provided access to the Capitol building's lower west terrace between 4 and 5 p.m. He was pulled into the crowd, kicked, struck with poles and stomped on by several people, according to his interview.

A.W. said he was maced when someone grabbed his face mask, but he later recovered it. His helmet and baton were also taken off him.

During the assault, one individual prevented rioters from continuing to assault him long enough for him to get on his feet and get out of the area. He was later taken to the hospital.

One video posted on YouTube shows Mullins leaning over a handrail making multiple attempts to pull the officer's leg. Mullins finally grips A.W.'s foot and violently drags him down the stairs at the Capitol building to the lower west terrace tunnel entrance, according to the complaint.

Body-worn camera footage from multiple officers shows Mullins in a tug-of-war with another officer, identified as "B.M." in the complaint, over A.W. while he's on the ground. The assault occurred near the body of Rosanne Boyland, one of the riot fatalities, according to a redacted photograph.

The FBI was lead to Mullins' driver's license, which connected him to his 30-year bank account

Mullins, who wore a dark jacket, black gloves and light blue jeans that day, was eventually identified by police through his driver's license and a 30-year-old bank account, the employees at which were able to confirm his identity.

Kurt Peterson

Kurt Peterson, of Hodgenville, was arrested in June and charged with obstructing an official proceeding, destruction of government property, entering or remaining in restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct and other offenses.

An unsealed criminal complaint says the FBI received information Jan. 13 via its national tipline that Peterson had sent a message via Facebook Messenger :stating words to the effect that he had been in the Capitol on January 6, 2021, during the rioting and unlawful entry, and that he was close enough to where the woman was shot and killed" and "that he had offered life-saving assistance but that offer was denied."

The FBI also received information that Peterson had "previously posted on his Facebook page that Democratic lawmakers who opposed Trump were traitors and that the penalty for treason was death," the complaint says.

A search warrant executed on the Facebook account that the FBI determined was Peterson's revealed a Jan. 10 post in which he described being in the area where Ashli Babbitt was fatally shot.

"To my family and friends who are able to see this, I am writing it with a voice recognition program while driving," Peterson wrote in the post, according to the complaint. "I feel the need to keep moving and trying to keep my phone wrapped such that it can’t be traced most of the time. I was at our nation’s capital for the rally and watched the presentations at the ellipse prior to walking to the Capitol building with at least a million and a 1-1/2 to 2 million people."

"The people that were there at the ellipse were peaceable and loving and supporting our country," the post said. "The people that were at the capital were also primarily peaceful and loving our country. But when there are huge crowds and there are people that are inciting violence the crowds will many times be pulled in to this action."

Legal issue:Kentucky man jailed on 'insane' bond after telling a judge to settle things 'man to man'

"I was with 3 men who had served our country in special forces," the post continued. "All of us in our sixties. They were patriots and not an anarchists. When at the back door that we were at open and there were no police to restrain the crowd many people entered at that time. I stood at the door and told everyone that we were not there to hurt anybody or damage anything but as a show of solidarity to right the wrongs of the past election."

Peterson's post then described Babbitt getting shot and how he "asked numerous times to be allowed to render 1st aid to this woman while she was bleeding on the floor" but was not allowed to do so, according to the federal complaint.

"Sadly I do not trust many branches or people in our government particularly the federal bureau of investigation," the post concluded. "So at this time I am moving continuously and wrapping my phone in such a way that I hope it cannot be tracked. If for any reason I am not available to see you or meet with you again know that my intentions are to keep our country free of oppression by an over zealous government. God-bless you all and God-bless the United States of America!"

An FBI agent also noted in the criminal complaint that they compared the listed address and other identifying info on Peterson's Kentucky driver's license to a YouTube video that captured Babbitt getting shot in the Capitol.

"During this scene, an individual wearing a camouflage hat turned backwards with eye protection on top, and a camouflage vest over a black sweatshirt strongly resembles PETERSON," the agent wrote in the criminal complaint.

The FBI also interviewed a person who lives near Hodgenville, "is familiar with" Peterson and identified him as one of the suspects seen in the YouTube video, with the person additionally stating Peterson appeared to be out of town on Jan. 6 and returned home around Jan. 10, the complaint says.

Cell site records revealed a phone believed to belong to Peterson was being used in a geographic area that includes the Capitol building on Jan. 6, the complaint added, and another YouTube video captured a person believed to be Peterson using "wooden sticks and his fist to smash an exterior window pane of the Capitol building."

"The Architect of Capitol has determined that the cost to replace the damaged window is in excess of $2,700, including the materials, labor, and installation," the complaint says.

Peterson's case has a status conference scheduled for Feb. 2, 2022, per court records.

Michael Orangias

Update:Federal judge sentences Michael Orangias to 3 years of probation

Michael Orangias, of Louisville, was charged in March with entering restricted grounds, entering with the intent to impede government business, demonstrating on Capitol grounds and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

About a week after the attack on the Capitol, the Louisville Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives got an anonymous tip that two employees of KCC International, an HVAC company in Louisville, took a vacation day Jan. 6 to attend the rally, according to the criminal complaint against Orangias.

Authorities learned Orangias was a guest on a podcast to talk about his attendance at the protest.

In a January episode of the "Wildly Uninteresting Podcast," Orangias said the point of the rally is "To keep American good … keeping the freedom of speech there. … If we let the left continue what they're doing, they're going to keep taking more and more …"

During a phone interview with the FBI, Orangias acknowledged being at the Capitol on Jan. 6 for the Trump rally. He said he left by car with a friend from Louisville the night of Jan. 5 and arrived at 9:30 a.m.

He and his friend followed a large group onto what he described as the "patio" to the Capitol building.

At first, Orangias denied going inside. But during a second interview — an in-person chat with an FBI agent — he admitted to going into the building for about 5 to 7 minutes before going back outside, authorities said.

Videos and images from his phone he agreed to give the FBI helped identify him in U.S. Capitol police video footage, which showed that he went into the building at about 2:50 p.m. with a large crowd, panned the area with his phone and left the building at 2:55 p.m.

As part of a plea deal, Orangias could face up to six months in prison and a maximum $5,000 fine, according to court documents.

His sentencing is scheduled for March 7, 2022, online court records show.

Eric Douglas Clark

Eric Clark, of Louisville, was arrested in May and charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority as well as violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

Using video news footage of the Jan. 6 riot, law enforcement learned Clark, who was 44 at the time of his arrest, travelled from Louisville to participate in the protests, gaining entry into the U.S. Capitol, according to federal charging documents. An anonymous tip included screenshots from Clark’s Facebook page and phone text messages detailing how “ridiculously easy” it was for him to get inside.

Clark has a status conference currently scheduled for March 8, 2022.

Stephen Chase Randolph

Stephen Chase Randolph, of Harrodsburg, was charged in April with assaulting a federal officer and inflicting bodily injury, obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder and obstruction of Congress.

Randolph, who 31 at the time of his arrest, was seen on video wearing a grey Carhartt toboggan and a black jacket, violently pushing and pulling the barricades outside of the Capitol until they were pushed down on top of several law enforcement officers, the FBI said in a criminal complaint.

In the process, one officer hit her head on the stairs resulting in a loss of consciousness. The subject, later identified as Randolph, then continued to assault two other USCP officers by physically pushing, shoving, grabbing and generally resisting the officers, according to court documents.

The FBI identified Randolph by using facial recognition software and matching photos from the Capitol with photos on his girlfriend's Instagram page. That account had photos of a man wearing the same toboggan hat who was called Stephen in the captions.

Additional photos on her Facebook account led officers to a profile for Stephen Chase Randolph. Officers observed Randolph going to work on March 3, wearing what appeared to the same hat and jacket he'd worn on Jan. 6.

He later told an undercover officer that "it was f---ing fun" to be in the crowd at the Capitol, according to court documents. He admitted to seeing the female police officer fall and hit her head.

Randolph had a Dec. 14, 2021, status conference, but future hearings have yet to be scheduled, according to online court records.

Nicholas James Brockhoff

Nicholas James Brockhoff was charged in May with assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers; use of a deadly or dangerous weapon; and obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder.

Brockhoff, who was 20 at the time of his arrest, allegedly assaulted police attempting to control the crowd at the lower west terrace by spraying officers with a fire extinguisher, which caused them to disperse and impeded their efforts to control the crowd.

Related:How a Covington student and 'one of the best people' became accused Jan. 6 rioter 'green horn hoodlum'

Brockhoff was seen on video entering the Capitol through a broken window after climbing scaffolding and forcing his way into a conference room, according to the charging documents.

Body worn camera footage also recorded an exchange with him holding an MPD helmet and giving his name to officers. Although he told the FBI he just found the helmet, the FBI stated he was seen wearing the helmet in social media video.

Brockhoff's case has a status conference set for Jan. 25, 2022, per court records.

Lucas Aulbach, Emma Austin, Darcy Costello and Billy Kobin contributed to this report. Kala Kachmar is an investigative reporter. Reach her at 502-582-4469; kkachmar@courierjournal.com or @NewsQuip on Twitter.

Judge Justin Walker, McConnell protege, confirmed to Court of ...

Louisville native Judge Justin Walker was confirmed Thursday by the U.S. Senate for a seat on what is considered the nation’s second-most powerful court.

The Senate voted 51-42 for the nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

The vote continues Walker’s meteoric ascendancy in the federal court system. The former law professor at the University of Louisville is only 38 and was appointed to the federal district bench just last October.

But Walker, a graduate of St. Xavier High School and later Duke and Harvard Law School, had a power ally in Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a family friend and mentor.

The confirmation puts Walker in line for a future nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court by President Donald Trump, if he wins reelection, or a future Republican president. The appellate court in the nation’s capital has long been a springboard for future justices.

The confirmation vote went along party lines. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine was the only Republican to vote against Walker. Forty Democrats and one Independent voted against, while seven senators were absent.

Legal paper:Some U of L law professors have turned on Justin Walker

Walker will be the youngest judge on the court, according to Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond law professor who follows judicial nominations.

In a tweet, McConnell said, “We Kentuckians are sorry to lose Judge Justin Walker, but we’re very proud this brilliant and fair jurist will be serving our nation on the D.C. Circuit.”

The National Law Journal reported this month that five U of L law professors who supported Walker for U.S. District Court said he needed more seasoning before he was elevated to the higher court.

One of them, Sam Marcosson, also said Walker's order allowing to a church to hold drive-in services on Easter Sunday amid the coronavirus pandemic was “troubling” because it reached unnecessary legal conclusions and had a “tenor and a tone that I thought was over the top.” Walker wrote that Mayor Greg Fischer was trying to “criminalize Easter.”

Walker has no trial experience but had the conservative pedigree that McConnell has embraced in trying to remake the federal courts, which he has cited as his legacy.

Walker was a star in the Federalist Society and clerked for both Justice Anthony Kennedy and Judge Brett Kavanaugh when he was on the D.C. Circuit. Walker then campaigned for Kavanaugh’s nomination to the highest court when he came under fire over reports that he sexually assaulted Christine Blasey Ford when the two were in high school.

Walker gave 119 interviews to the news media and made several speeches paid for by the Federalist Society rebutting Kavanaugh critics, The New York Times has reported, and Kavanaugh attended Walker’s swearing-in ceremony last fall.

Read this:5 things to know about Walker and his backing by McConnell

Democratic opponents on the Senate Judiciary Committee portrayed Walker as a conservative ideologue and noted he said at the ceremony that “in Brett Kavanaugh’s America, we will not surrender while you wage war on our work, or our cause, or our hope, or our dream.”

Walker also said: “Although we are winning we have not won. Although we celebrate today, we cannot take for granted tomorrow — or we will lose our courts and our country to critics who call us terrifying and who describe us as deplorable.”

Democrats also said Walker had denounced the Affordable Care Act, but Walker testified he did so in his private capacity and would abide by the Supreme Court decision upholding it.

His confirmation came despite last-minute misgivings expressed by some of his former colleagues at U of L's Brandeis School of Law, who questioned his experience and judgment.

Walker was raised in Louisville by his mother, Deborah Walker, whom The Times said he once described as “a single working mom” who “made indescribable sacrifices to provide me, the first in my family to graduate from college, with the opportunities she didn’t have herself.”

But his maternal grandfather, Frank R. Metts, was a millionaire real estate developer and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet secretary under Gov. John Y. Brown Jr. Walker’s parents divorced in 1985, when he was 3.

Top headlines:Daniel Cameron won't put timetable on Breonna Taylor investigation

Walker grew up in a Democratic family but was a conservative from a young age. At 13, he wrote a letter to The Courier Journal praising the Christian Coalition and saying he had recently attended its convention.

He met McConnell when he was in high school, introduced by the husband of his grandmother after she she remarried.

In 2002, Walker interned in McConnell’s office, and after graduating from Duke two years later, he worked on the reelection campaign of President George W. Bush, and then served as a speechwriter for Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.

Walker worked at a large D.C. law firm before and after his clerkships, then moved in 2015 to Louisville, where he practiced law on his own before joining the Louisville office of Dinsmore & Shohl last year.

At U of L, he co-directed the Ordered Liberty Program at Brandeis Law School — a fellowship devoted to the study of “federalism, separation of powers, originalism, natural rights, and the common good.”

Walker is married, and he and his wife, Anne, whom he met at Duke, have one daughter. They have run a nonprofit in Louisville called Global Game Changers for children from grades K-5 that tries to “transform student outcomes and empower them to overcome apathy and feel empathy,” according to its website.

Walker was well-liked at Brandeis Law School. Last July, 16 faculty and staff of various political persuasions signed a letter submitted to the Judiciary Committee endorsing his nomination for U.S. District Court.

Some professors independently supported his elevation to the appellate court, but there was no letter sent by the faculty.

More news:DACA recipients relieved SCOTUS denies Trump bid to end protections

Andrew Wolfson: 502-582-7189; awolfson@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @adwolfson. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/andreww.

Mitch McConnell wants to end beefed-up unemployment benefits

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell is being accused by Democrats at home and across the country of turning his back on Kentucky at a critical time after he reportedly vowed to put a stop to enhanced unemployment benefits.

McConnell made clear during a conference call with House GOP members on Wednesday how the $600 weekly boost — which was provided to help those who lost their jobs because of the coronavirus — "will not be in the next bill" out of Washington.

A source familiar with the conversation on Thursday told The Courier Journal that McConnell said the Senate was, "going to have to clean up the Democrats' crazy policy that is paying people more to remain unemployed than they would earn if they went back to work."

This statement comes as 47,000 Kentuckians filed initial unemployment claims as of May 16, and more than 246,000 Kentuckians are asking for continued assistance as parts of the state economy begin to reopen.

Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, the ranking Democrat on the finance committee, told The Courier-Journal in an interview Thursday the numbers he's seen show COVID-19 has hit Kentucky with a "wrecking ball" economically.

"Mitch McConnell's comments indicate he either doesn't care or doesn't understand that unemployment insurance doesn't just protect families who've had misfortune, it's a lifeline for communities," he said.

Wyden said those benefits are more than just wage replacement but also inject demand into the market as a way to stabilize the economy. He is pushing for a bill that would link unemployment benefits to economic conditions and continue the extra $600 until a state's unemployment rate falls below 11%.

Read more:Coronavirus pandemic pushes Mitch McConnell and other Senate candidates to change tactics

Kentucky has seen nearly 800,000 people apply for unemployment benefits since mid-March, when the coronavirus first put a choke hold on the U.S. economy. Since then, the state's jobless rate has surged to a little more than 15% in April.

The Kentucky Democratic Party also pounced on McConnell's hardening position in the context of those statistics, saying it comes as the GOP leader is holding up additional financial aid for states and local governments withstanding massive budget deficits because of the contagion.

“This is what happens when you surround yourself with expensive D.C. consultants who don’t care about Kentucky," Democratic Party spokeswoman Marisa McNee said.

"First, Mitch wanted to let states go bankrupt, leading to layoffs for first responders and public health officials," she added. "Now, he wants to cut unemployment benefits for Kentuckians who are out of work through no fault of their own. Kentucky deserves better.”

Related:More than 40,000 people filed for unemployment last week in Kentucky

McConnell said during a Thursday interview with Fox News that continuing unemployment insurance is important amid the coronavirus crisis but emphasized the extra $600 benefits will end in July.

"We think that in order to create jobs, we need to incentivize people to go back to work, not encourage them to stay home," he said.

Unemployment insurance typically covers up to 45% of lost wages, but Congress took an extraordinary and bipartisan step with the CARES Act to provide 100% of lost wages for many Americans.

The thinking at the time was this was needed in order to keep people safe from the coronavirus while also stabilizing the economy, but McConnell's comments indicate how conservatives are beginning to thaw on the idea.

McConnell's office pointed to an ABC News story on Thursday about how some employers are having a hard time competing with the boosted benefits.

In it, ABC draws attention to a study showing roughly 40% of workers made less in their jobs than they would on the new unemployment, according to national data gathered by Noah Williams at the Center for Research On the Wisconsin Economy.

McConnell has reportedly told President Donald Trump any new legislation must create incentives for people to get back to work. He said previously he wants see how the previous COVID-19 relief bills, which total about $3 trillion, play out before the Senate moves on any new proposals.

Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, said earlier this week how his administration believes it has enough money in its Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund to last through the spring and at least part of the summer.

Kentucky took out a $972 million loan to cover unemployment benefits when it zeroed out its trust fund during the Great Recession of 2008-09. The state finished repaying the federal government in 2015.

But with nearly two in five Kentucky workers out of a job, the governor said he expects the state will have to take out a loan unless the federal government provides more direct assistance.

Asked Thursday if he's worried that unemployment benefits outpacing private sector wages will dampen the reopening, Beshear said he thinks plenty of people are ready to get back to work.

"I'm not for cutting the benefits they are getting at this time," he said.

McConnell has conceded, according to other reports about Wednesday's conference call, how further aid may be necessary in the coming weeks but that it must be more short-term relief.

House Democrats passed the HEROES Act last week with a $3 trillion price tag, but McConnell reportedly told the GOP House members the bill will have to go through serious changes in the Republican-controlled Senate before being considered.

Reach Phillip M. Bailey at pbailey@courier-journal.com or 502-582-4475. Follow him on Twitter at @phillipmbailey.

Louisville mayor signs ordinance banning 'conversion therapy' in city

The discredited practice of using "conversion therapy" on minors is now banned in Louisville.

Mayor Greg Fischer, with LGBTQ-rights advocates standing behind him, on Thursday signed an ordinance banning the practice against minors in the city.

"Our LGBTQ kids, they don't need to be converted or repaired," Fischer said. "They need to be loved, supported, and accepted for who they are."

"Conversion therapy" tries to change one's sexual orientation or gender identity and has been condemned by the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association.

The Louisville Metro Council passed the ordinance in mid-September. The ordinance passed committee unanimously the week prior and passed Metro Council 24 to 1. The lone "no" vote was Councilman Stuart Benson, who said he didn't think the matter was in the council's lane.

Councilman Bill Hollander, who introduced the ordinance, said, "I am confident that we will look back and be amazed that we were actually still talking about conversion therapy in 2020. I'm glad to say that Louisville helped end it by the signing of this ordinance today."

More:Louisville Metro Council votes to ban 'conversion therapy' in the city

Chris Hartman with the Fairness Campaign used the opportunity to speak up about the Breonna Taylor movement.

"There is no bigger LGBTQ-rights issue in America right now than the cry for justice for Breonna Taylor, and an end to police violence against Black and brown Americans," Hartman said.

He also condemned the charges brought against state Rep. Attica Scott and her daughter, Ashanti, after their arrest last week while attempting to reach a church right before curfew. They were arrested alongside protest leader Shameka Parish Wright, who all face felony riot charges.

"Few have done as much for our community, for LGBTQ rights locally and in Kentucky than state Rep. Scott," he said. "I'd like to take this moment, not just to call for justice for Breonna Taylor but to call on another long time, Fairness Campaign ally, Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell, to immediately drop these felony charges against Attica, Ashanti and Shameka. And that I think will further advance justice for all of us."

Also:Legislator seeks to change Kentucky's rioting law after Rep. Attica Scott's arrest

Louisville is the second Kentucky city to have banned "conversion therapy." Covington passed a similar ordinance earlier in the year.

Jacob Conway with Ban Conversion Therapy Kentucky said the passage of this ordinance in Louisville, "as the gateway to the South," will hopefully "give us the momentum we need to move forward in passing a statewide law that will ban this harmful, discredited, torturous practice."

Reach breaking news reporter Sarah Ladd at sladd@courier-journal.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ladd_sarah. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/subscribe.