Yesterday, Metropolitan D.C. police arrested Trump cultist Taylor Taranto, a January 6 insurrectionist, near the home of former President Obama, discovering firearms and materials for making an explosive device in his van. His hometown paper in Washington state identifies him as a former Franklin Co., Washington Republican Party official. He is also the subject of a multi-million dollar civil suit from the wife of Metropolitan D.C. police officer Jeffrey Smith, who suffered a concussion on January 6 and committed suicide nine days after the coup attempt. From the linked CNN coverage:
"Taylor Taranto, who had an open warrant for his arrest related to the January 6, 2021, US Capitol attack, was arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department and federal law enforcement. He has been charged with being a fugitive from justice.
'Arresting officers requested MPD’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Team to perform a vehicle sweep of the individual’s van near the location of the arrest,' the MPD said in a statement to CNN. 'There is no active threat to the community and this incident remains under investigation.'
According to law enforcement officials, firearms and materials to make Molotov cocktails were found in Taranto’s car. There is currently no indication of a direct threat to the Obamas, law enforcement officials told CNN. [snip]
Taranto is also a defendant in a civil suit filed by the estate of former MPD officer Jeffrey Smith, who died by suicide in the days following the January 6 attack.
In court filings related to the ongoing suit, Taranto admitted to being inside the Capitol during the attack, but denied any wrongdoing.
The lawsuit alleges that Taranto aided in the attack of Smith during the Capitol riot by handing a cane or crowbar to another rioter, who allegedly used the weapon to attack Smith. Taranto’s actions contributed to Smith’s death, the lawsuit alleges.
The allegations, Taranto wrote, are 'made up.'” (our emphasis)
The lawless loser faces several charges stemming from the insurrection, and has refused to admit responsibility. According to reports, he's been camping in his van near the D.C. Jail, showing support for many of his fellow January 6 seditionists jailed inside.
He was initially identified by the cyber sleuths at Sedition Hunters in 2021, which has been successful in tracking down insurrectionists through applying facial recognition software to social media sites and passing the information to the FBI and other law enforcement. This piece of garbage needs to be put away in prison for a very long time.
(photo: Taranto with cardboard cutout of his master/ Franklin Co. WA GOP)
