Anthime Joseph Gionet was his own worst enemy when appearing before a judge to face charges related to the January 6 attack. Also known as “Baked Alaska,” the man had agreed to a plea deal, but that all fell apart when he opened his mouth.
Gionet told the judge that he only decided to go with a plea deal, because it was possible that he might be facing a felony. It was all set up to have him take a misdemeanor and acknowledge that he “willfully and knowingly paraded, demonstrated, and picketed” on January 6 at the bastion of freedom, the U.S. Capitol Building.
As usual, Judge Emmet Sullivan asked Gionet if he pled guilty, because he believed he was guilty. Then, Baked Alaska said his attorneys told him he would be looking at a felony charge, according to NBC News:
‘I wanted to go to trial, but the prosecutors if I [went] to trial, they would put a felony on me, so I think this is probably the better route. I believe I’m innocent … but they’re saying if I go to trial they’re going to hit me with a felony.’
Judge Sullivan set Gionet’s trial date for March 2023, saying “he’ll get a fair trial,” according to The Business Insider:
‘If Mr. Gionet wants to go to trial, he’ll get a fair trial, like anyone and everyone else who has appeared before me, regardless of the charges. I’m not trying to trick you. … Don’t plead guilty to please me.’
Picked up a day after the insurrection, Gionet’s original charges before they were plea-bargained down were:
‘[E]ntering or remaining on restricted grounds without lawful authority and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.’
The hard-core conservative had a live internet blog. On it, he showed videos of how he ran toward the violence on that fateful day. He was among the first to break into Capitol as the legislators and former Vice-President Mike Pence counted the votes.
The judge has disapproved of the riot and breach in the past. He rhetorically questioned:
‘[How many] law-abiding Americans morphed into terrorists” [that day]?’
Gionet and other Donald Trump followers entered the Capitol in order to find and stop the legislators amidst chants of “hang Mike Pence.”
Thus far, nearly 300 individuals have accepted a guilty plea for their actions during the January 6 insurrection. And almost 800 people have been charged with alleged crimes related to the attempted coup.
His mother has sued House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA):
‘[She was] trying to shield her son’s communications because her son was on the family plan.’
Alternatively, Bake Alaska was involved in an assault of a Scottsdale, Arizona bartender. He served 30 days for that offense. Not only that, he allegedly destroyed a Jewish organization’s Hanukkah exhibit. Both of these events occurred in December 2020.
In 2017, Gionet went to the “Unite the Right” rally held in Charlottesville, Virginia. One protestor died during that timeframe.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ann Aloi told reporters that Baked Alaska’s plea deal would hold for 60 days.
Three White Lions is Gloria Christie’s new serialized book available in episodes on Amazon. Go to Kindle Vella and insert her name. She also writes for the liberal online newspaper The Bipartisan Report. Gloria Christie Report her newsletter for people on the go. Written in her own unique style with a twist of humor in a briefer version of Bipartisan Report. Christie’s Mueller Report Adventures In Bite-Sizes a real-life compelling spy mystery. Find her here on Facebook.