DALLAS COUNTY, TX — A Texas man involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol siege made threats against police officers and lawmakers in connection with the insurrection there, according to federal charges filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.
Garret Miller, 34, of Dallas County is accused specifically of threatening New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a Twitter thread shortly after the Capitol riot.
“Assassinate AOC,” Miller is alleged to have written in response to an Ocasio-Cortez tweet that said, “Impeach,” authorities said.
Miller is also accused of threatening the Capitol Police officer who shot and killed Ashli Babbitt of California during the insurrection, in addition to making several statements on social media — both before and after Jan. 6 — implicating his involvement. He is one of more than 100 people who have been charged federally in connection with the Capitol breach, according to The Washington Post and others.
Miller was identified by the FBI first by the Ocasio-Cortez threat and then a subpoena that connected his Twitter account to his Facebook account and cell phone number, according to a federal complaint. FBI agents said Miller’s Facebook account included several posts about planned criminal activities before the insurrection.
According to the FBI, Miller posted on Jan. 2 that he was “about to drive across the country for this trump (expletive). On Monday… some crazy (expletive) going to happen this week. Dollar might collapse… civil war could start… not sure what to do in DC.”
The next day, the FBI said, Miller was going to bring with him “a grappling hook and rope and a level 3 vest.”
Surveillance images from inside the Capitol on Jan. 6 apparently show Miller carrying a pro-Trump flag and American flag inside the Rotunda, the complaint states.
A video Miller shared to Facebook on Jan. 6 pans across a crowd inside the Rotunda with the caption “From inside congress,” the FBI said.
In all, Miller has been charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted buildings or grounds without lawful authority, violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, obstructing or impeding any official proceeding, certain acts during civil disorder and threats.
Ocasio-Cortez said after the riot there were moments when she thought she was going to die, according to The Post. She said it was “not an exaggeration” to say lawmakers were “nearly assassinated” during the insurrection.
Clint Broden, Miller’s attorney, told The Post his client “regrets” the actions he took on Jan. 6.
“Mr. Miller understands that his social media post[s] reflect very ill-considered and completely inappropriate statements made in very divided times and will certainly not be repeated in the future,” Broden said in the statement. “He has always been a law-abiding citizen. He accepts full responsibility for his actions and is prepared to testify at any legal or Congressional proceeding. Most importantly, Mr. Miller recognizes the election is over and Joe Biden is President of the United States.”
