The largest American gun manufacturer has allegedly turned over the access code for a safe owned by a private citizen who participated in the January 6, 2021 riots at the Capitol, leading FBI agents to raid the man’s house.
Liberty Safe, founded in 1988 and boasting nearly $70 million in annual sales, earlier this year provided the FBI with the six-digit code to the safe of Nathan Hughes of Arkansas whose home was raided on August 30th as the Bureau searched his property for evidence that could lead to criminal prosecution as part of J6.
In a public statement, the company defended its decision and distanced itself from the FBI’s investigation.
“On August 30, 2023, Liberty Safe was contacted by the FBI requesting the access code to the safe of an individual for whom they had a warrant to search their property. Our company protocol is to provide access codes to law enforcement if a warrant grants them access to a property. After receiving the request, we received proof of the valid warrant, and only then did we provide them with an access code. Liberty Safe had no knowledge of any of the details surrounding the investigation at the time,” the company wrote.
Video posted online shows the FBI’s traditional blacked-out trucks pulling into Hughes’s driveway on the day of the raid.
WATCH:
NEW: America’s top gun safe manufacturer, Liberty Safe, gave the FBI an access code to a safe owned by someone who was present at the J6 protest.
We have officially found the Bud Light of gun safes. Enjoy going out of business, @libertysafeinc.
The situation gets even worse: On… pic.twitter.com/MY7jSlJoyK
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 6, 2023
The criminal trials of J6 participants have been heavily scrutinized for bias by law enforcement looking to make an example out of participants who in some cases had no previous criminal records. Last week, Joseph Biggs, a decorated veteran and Purple Heart recipient, was sentenced to 17 years in prison for entering the Capitol as part of the riots. Other orchestrators of the Capitol breach have been sentenced to upwards of 22 years in prison.
Participants in J6 attended demonstrations in Washington to protest Congress’ acceptance of the 2020 election results, driven in part by statements made by former President Donald Trump asking them to “peacefully” make their voices heard. Despite the Republican leader’s defense that he was discouraging civil unrest, he has been charged with election interference alongside many of the J6 protestors who are serving prison sentences or sitting in run-down jail cells awaiting trial.