Prosecutors from the Department of Justice revealed on Monday that extremist group the Proud Boys gave member Ethan Nordean “war powers” while their leader Enrique Tarrio was arrested. Nordean was the acting leader mobilizing several extremists during the Capitol insurrection on January 6.
“Following the arrest of the Proud Boys’ Chairman on January 4, 2021, Defendant [Ethan Nordean] was nominated from within to have ‘war powers’ and to take ultimate leadership of the Proud Boys’ activities on January 6, 2021,” federal prosecutors wrote in a court document Monday.
“Defendant – dressed all in black, wearing a tactical vest – and led the Proud Boys through the use of encrypted communications and military style equipment, and he led them with the specific plans to: split up into groups, attempt to break into the Capitol building from as many different points as possible, and prevent the Joint Session of Congress from Certifying the Electoral College results,” prosecutors said, arguing Nordean should remain imprisoned.
Federal prosecutors detail an intricate plan by Nordean and other Proud Boys members not just to sew chaos during the insurrection, but to overtake the Capitol building.
“Defendant and those he was leading were not present for any part of the speech, because hearing the speech was not in their plan,” prosecutors said about Nordean and his strike team. “While other persons who would later participate in the Capitol riot were watching former President Trump speak, Defendant was leading Proud Boys members on a march around the Capitol and positioning them at an entrance to the Capitol grounds that was guarded by only a handful of Capitol Police officers.”
Prosecutors recommended that Nordean stay in police custody until he faces trial for his several charges stemming from the Capitol insurrection.
