Free the Millionaires
← Back to list
Brandon Strakapardon

Jan 20, 2025

Updated Mar 2, 2026
Net worth
Unknown
Crimes
january 6
Convicted of
Misdemeanor disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds related to the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol
Original sentence
Three months' home detention, three years' probation, and a $5,000 fine (January 2022)
Time served
Completed sentence before pardon

Background

Brandon Straka is a pro-Trump political activist and media personality who founded the “WalkAway” campaign, a movement that encouraged voters to leave the Democratic Party. According to charging documents, Straka traveled to Washington, D.C., for the January 6, 2021 “Stop the Steal” rally and then moved with the crowd toward the U.S. Capitol as the joint session of Congress met to certify the 2020 presidential election results.

The Case

The Justice Department charged Straka for his conduct at the Capitol on January 6. Video and affidavit evidence described him joining the mob outside the East Rotunda doors as rioters confronted police officers guarding the entrance. According to the DOJ complaint, Straka shouted encouragement as the crowd surged, including urging others to “go, go” toward the entrance and yelling “take it, take it” as rioters tried to strip a riot shield away from an officer. He recorded and posted video of the chaos and did not attempt to help officers or discourage the crowd.

Straka ultimately pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. In January 2022, a federal judge sentenced him to three months of home detention, three years of probation, and a $5,000 fine. His actions helped swell the crowd pressing against police lines and normalized violence and intimidation against law enforcement and elected officials. By amplifying and encouraging the mob, Straka contributed to the disruption of Congress’s certification of the election and to a broader attack on democratic institutions.

The Pardon

On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed a broad proclamation granting pardons and commutations for certain January 6 offenses, including Straka’s misdemeanor conviction. Local coverage later reported Straka among the people covered by the sweeping January 6 pardon. The action erased his federal conviction even though he had already completed his sentence and drew criticism that Trump was rewarding political allies involved in an attack on the peaceful transfer of power and undermining accountability for those who helped enable the riot.

Sources