DONKEY: Proud Boys Leader Gets 22 Years For Role In Jan. 6 Capitol Riot

Summary

The Breakfast Club: DONKEY – Proud Boys Leader Gets 22 Years For Role In Jan. 6 Capitol Riot

Release Date: February 25, 2025
Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts
Description: The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!

---

Introduction

In this gripping episode of The Breakfast Club, host Charlamagne Tha God delves deep into the sentencing of Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the Proud Boys, who received a 22-year prison term for his role in the January 6th Capitol Riot. The discussion is intense, unfiltered, and provides a critical analysis of the events surrounding the insurrection, law enforcement's role, and the broader implications for patriotism and accountability in America.

---

Enrique Tarrio’s Sentencing and Accountability

Timestamp: 02:46
Charlamagne kicks off the segment by announcing Enrique Tarrio as the "Donkey of the Day," highlighting Tarrio's sentencing:

Charlamagne Tha God: "Donkey of the day for Tuesday, February 25th goes to Enrique Tarrio. If you don't know the name, he is former leader of the Proud Boys. Not just the former leader of the Proud Boys, but a former leader of the Proud Boys who was sentenced to 22 years in prison because he was found guilty of helping coordinate the insurrection that happened on January 6, 2021."

Charlamagne expresses his frustration and confusion towards those he labels as "patriots," questioning their respect for law enforcement and democratic institutions:

Charlamagne Tha God: "What I don't understand about you all is do you respect law enforcement or not? [...] True patriots show their love and respect to law enforcement, and true patriots respect the Capitol building that is a worldwide symbol of democracy."

---

Analysis of January 6th and Law Enforcement

Timestamp: 02:50 - 07:26
Charlamagne critiques Enrique Tarrio’s actions and character, especially in relation to the treatment of Michael Fanon, an ex-Capitol Police officer who was assaulted during the riot. He underscores the hypocrisy of Tarrio, who received a presidential pardon, yet failed to show gratitude or restraint post-pardon:

Charlamagne Tha God: "You orchestrated a coup to overthrow the results of an election, and you are making your president, Donald J. Trump, look like a fool because he said January 6th was a day of love."

Charlamagne passionately argues that true patriotism involves upholding democratic values and supporting law enforcement, contrasting Tarrio's actions with the ideals he believes true patriots should embody:

Charlamagne Tha God: "Please remember, Enrique, you got pardoned, okay? Not exonerated if you are seen as a traitor and clown. Guess what? You earned that, okay?"

He further criticizes the lack of a coherent plan during the insurrection, reducing the actions of the Proud Boys to chaos without purpose:

Charlamagne Tha God: "If you don't have a real plan, which y'all didn't, it ends up being just a bunch of dudes standing around with nothing to do but each other."

---

Impact of the Pardon and Future Implications

Charlamagne touches upon the broader implications of political pardons, especially how they can undermine the justice system and accountability. He points out the disparity in sentencing between violent and non-violent offenders, emphasizing the importance of equitable justice:

Charlamagne Tha God: "How many nonviolent drug offenders in prison, prison right now would love to have a pardon. And instead of humbling yourself, you out here with your chest out..."

He warns of the dangers of diminishing the gravity of such actions through leniency, stressing that accountability should transcend political favors:

Charlamagne Tha God: "This isn't about politics. It's about accountability, okay? Enrique, you are the poster child for ungratefulness."

---

Concluding Remarks and Call for Accountability

In his closing remarks, Charlamagne reinforces the necessity of holding leaders accountable for their actions, regardless of their influence or connections:

Charlamagne Tha God: "You planned an attack on the Capitol. You inspired people to go to war over a lie that the election was stolen. And what makes it worse, you didn't even go get your hands dirty with them on January 6th."

He emphasizes the importance of learning from these events to prevent future insurrections and to uphold the sanctity of democratic institutions:

Charlamagne Tha God: "True patriots show their love and respect to law enforcement, and true patriots respect the Capitol building that is a worldwide symbol of democracy."

---

Key Takeaways

• Accountability: Charlamagne stresses the importance of holding leaders accountable, irrespective of political connections or pardons.

• Patriotism Defined: True patriotism, according to Charlamagne, involves respecting law enforcement and democratic institutions.

• Impact of January 6th: The insurrection is portrayed as a significant threat to democracy, highlighting the consequences of misinformation and extremist actions.

• Critique of Pardons: The episode critiques the use of political pardons as a means to shield individuals from fully facing the repercussions of their actions.

---

Notable Quotes

• Charlamagne Tha God (02:46): "You orchestrated a coup to overthrow the results of an election, and you are making your president, Donald J. Trump, look like a fool..."

• Charlamagne Tha God (07:26): "This isn't about politics. It's about accountability, okay?"

• Maria Fernanda Diaz (07:26): "You so stupid."

---

Conclusion

This episode of The Breakfast Club offers a fervent and critical examination of Enrique Tarrio's sentencing and the broader implications of the January 6th Capitol Riot. Charlamagne Tha God uses this platform to call for genuine accountability, respect for democratic institutions, and a redefinition of patriotism that aligns with upholding the rule of law and democratic values. The discussion serves as a poignant reminder of the fragile nature of democracy and the ongoing need to safeguard it against extremist threats.

Transcript

[Gabe Lehners]

What would you do if mysterious drones appeared over your hometown? I started asking questions. What do you remember happening on that night of December 16th?

[Maria Fernanda Diaz]

It actually rotated around our house, looking as if it was peering in each window of our home.

[Gabe Lehners]

I'm Gabe Lehners from Imagine I Heart Podcasts and Lehners Entertainment. Listen to Obscurum, Invasion of the Drones wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

[Maria Fernanda Diaz]

Hey y'all. I'm Maria Fernanda Diaz. When youn're Invisible is my love letter to the working class people and immigrants who shaped me. Season 2 shares stories about community and being underestimated.

[John Cameron Mitchell]

All the greatest changes have happened when a couple of people said, this sucks, let's do something about it.

[Maria Fernanda Diaz]

We get paid to serve you, but we're made out of the same things.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It's rare to have black male teachers. Sometimes I am the testament.

[Maria Fernanda Diaz]

Listen to when youn're Invisible on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[John Cameron Mitchell]

This is John Cameron Mitchell and my new fiction podcast series, Cancellation island stars Holly Hunter as Karen, a wellness influencer who launches a rehab for the recently canceled. In the future, we will all be canceled for 15 minutes, but don't worry, we'll take you from broke to woke or your money back. Cancellation Island's revolutionary rehab therapies, like bad touch football, anti racism, spin class, and mandatory ayahuasca ceremonies are designed to force the cancel to confront their worst impulses. But everything starts to fall apart when people start disappearing.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Karen, where have you brought us?

[John Cameron Mitchell]

Cancellation island, where a second chance might just be your last. Listen to Cancellation island on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or where wherever you get your podcasts.

[Damien Hirst]

Do you remember what you said the first night I came over here?

[John Cameron Mitchell]

Ow.

[Damien Hirst]

Goes lower. From Blumhouse TV, iHeart podcasts and Ember 20 comes an all new fictional comedy podcast series. Join the flighty Damien Hirst as he unravels the mystery of his vanished boyfriend. I've been spending all my time looking for answers about what happened to Santi and what's the way to find a missing person. Sleep with everyone he knew of? Obviously. Listen to the hookup on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And so we are in a state of emergency. Okay, white supremacist violence is and always has been the number one threat to our society. But I'm also very proud that my wife is white. That's a breakfast club, bitches.

[Maria Fernanda Diaz]

All right, Charlene, please tell me, why was I. Your Donkey of the Day.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yes. Donkey of the day for Tuesday, February 25th goes to Enrique Tarrio. If you don't know the name, he is former leader of the Proud Boys. Not just the former leader of the Proud Boys, but a former leader of the Proud Boys who was sentenced to 22 years in prison because he was found guilty of helping coordinate the insurrection that happened on January 6, 2021. Now, this is what I don't understand about some of you patriots, okay? And I put patriots in air quotes. What I don't understand about you all is do you respect law enforcement or not? Because if you respected law enforcement, then ex Capitol Police officer Michael Fanon wouldn't have gotten dragged into the mob that stormed the Capitol on January 6th. That police office was attempting to defend the Capitol from these domestic terrorists we call Vanilla isis. And he was dragged into the mob, beaten and tased until he suffered a heart attack. That. That don't sound like true patriotism to me, okay? True patriots show their love and respect to law enforcement, and true patriots respect the Capitol building that is a worldwide symbol of democracy. But Enrique Terrio doesn't care about any of that because he was given a second chance by Donald J. Trump. The man was pardoned by 45, 47. So he doesn't have to spend 22 years, worry about someone storming the capital of his anus. Stop to steal. Takes on a whole new meaning in a prison shower, okay? But what happens when a pardoned former leader of the Proud Boys sees an ex Capitol Police officer in the street? You would think that maybe, just maybe, Enrique would have learned something from his brief stint in prison. You would think he would reflect. You would think that Enrique would have said to himself, you know what? Law enforcement was just doing their job. We were being idiots. And I'm so grateful to have a second chance at life. So let me mind my business. But no. A potential dialogue opportunity turned into a confrontation. Let's listen. You were a coward that day. You were a coward after. Let's go home. Let's go home. You're a traitor to this country. That's why your own people turn a little failure. Run for me. Run for me. Run for me. You can say that while you're over there. Enrique, do you know you are absolutely wrong? You are absolutely wrong on January 6th. And you are absolutely wrong. And how you handled former Capitol Police officer Michael Fanon, just know, okay, that he is a member of law enforcement. Former member of law enforcement, but still a member of law enforcement, okay? He is a Member of law enforcement, a public servant who took an oath to protect and serve the Capitol. And that's exactly what he did. And y'all beat on that man for doing his job, Tased that man for doing his job and caused him to have a heart attack for doing his job. Michael Fanon, you heard in the audio just now, he used the right and exact language when talking to Enrique. You are a traitor to this country. You orchestrated a coup to overthrow the results of an election, and you are making your president, Donald J. Trump, look like a fool because he said January 6th was a day of love. He said you all were patriots. Where is the love, Enrique? Where is the respect for yourself? Where is the respect for your president and the pardon he gave you? Okay? All you did with this stunt was make him look crazy for even pardoning you in the first place. People right now who think you should be in prison with Kool Aid on your lips, identifying as someone's prison bait, okay? In fact, insurrections and orgies have one thing in common. If you don't have a real plan, which y'all didn't, it ends up being just a bunch of dudes standing around with nothing to do but each other. I don't even know why my brain works like that. But the moral of the story is, Enrique, you got hit with 22 years because you helped orchestrate the chaos of January 6th. You got a sweet deal with a pardon. Do you know how many nonviolent drug offenders in prison, prison right now would love to have a pardon. And instead of humbling yourself, you out here with your chest out like you did a bid for something honorable. Look, man, this isn't about politics. It's about accountability, okay? Enrique, you are the poster child for ungratefulness. You got a blessing. A blessing in the form of a pardon. And instead of falling back, staying low, letting time pass, you chose to still be on BS with a former police officer who almost died because of foolishness you helped to orchestrate. Please remember, Enrique, you got pardoned, okay? Not exonerated if you are seen as a traitor and clown. Guess what? You earned that, okay? You planned an attack on the Capitol. You inspired people to go to war over a lie that the election was stolen. And what makes it worse, you didn't even go get your hands dirty with them on January 6th. Ugh. Please let Remy Ma give Enrique Terrio the biggest hee haw. Hee haw, hee haw.

[Maria Fernanda Diaz]

You so stupid.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Are you dumb? That's right.

[Maria Fernanda Diaz]

All right, crazy.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You inherit that norovirus. I know that Nora virus. When I hear it now, she usually got a mask on. I'm she chilling with none on the day. What's up, man?

[Maria Fernanda Diaz]

Coughing.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You sneezing that direction. You can't be sneezing every night. I got places to be. All right. Okay. Like the third annual Black Effect Podcast Festival, which is happening Wednesday. No. Saturday, April 26th. Okay, tickets go on sale tomorrow. Wednesday, February 26th at 12:00pm Eastern. Okay. The Trap Nerds podcast. Good Moms Bad Choices podcast. The Naked Sports podcast with Carrie Champion. The R and B Money podcast with Tank and J. Valentine. And the Woman Evolved podcast with Sarah Jakes Roberts. Okay, tickets on sale February 26th. Tomorrow, 12pm Eastern. Saturday, April 26th. Pullman Yards, Atlanta, Georgia. Hosted by Mandy B. And Weezy. Third annual Black Effect Podcast Festival. We'll see you there. That's right. Shout out to Louis V. He'll be djing that my guy Louis V will be providing the soundtrack. What up, Louie? Dropping a clues Bombs for Louis V. Donkey of the Day is sponsored by renowned personal injury attorney Michael the Bull Laminsoft. Don't be a donkey when you need a fighter on your side. If you're ever injured, go to Michael the Bull dot com. That's Michael the Bull dot com. And when you mess with the bull, you get the horns. Wake that ass up in the morning. The Breakfast Club.

[Gabe Lehners]

What would you do if mysterious drones appeared over your hometown? I started asking questions. What do you remember happening on that night of December 16th?

[Maria Fernanda Diaz]

It actually rotated around our house, looking as if it was peering in each window of our home.

[Gabe Lehners]

I'm Gabe Lenners from Imagine I Heart Podcasts and Leonard's Entertainment. Listen to Obscura Invasion of the Drones. Wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

[Maria Fernanda Diaz]

Hey, y'all. I'm Maria Fernanda Diaz. When youn're Invisible is my love letter to the working class people and immigrants who shaped me. Season 2 shares stories about community and being underestimated.

[John Cameron Mitchell]

All the greatest changes have happened when a couple of people said, this sucks, let's do something about it.

[Maria Fernanda Diaz]

We get paid to serve you, but we're made out of the same things.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It's rare to have black male teachers. Sometimes I am the testament.

[Maria Fernanda Diaz]

Listen to when youn're Invisible on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[John Cameron Mitchell]

This is John Cameron Mitchell and my new fiction podcast series, Cancellation island stars Holly Hunter as Karen, a wellness influencer who launches a rehab for the recently canceled. In the future, we will all be canceled for 15 minutes, but don't worry, we'll take you from broke to woke or your money back. Cancellation Island's revolutionary rehab therapies like bad touch football, anti racism spin class and mandatory ayahuasca ceremonies are designed to force the council to confront their worst impulses. But everything starts to fall apart when people start disappearing.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Karen, where have you brought us?

[John Cameron Mitchell]

Cancellation Island? Where A Second Chance this might just be your last listen to Cancellation island on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Damien Hirst]

Do you remember what you said the first night I came over here? Ow goes lower. From Blumhouse TV, iHeart podcasts and Ember 20 comes an all new fictional comedy podcast series. Join the flighty Damien Hirst as he unravels the mystery of his vanished boyfriend. I've been spending all my time looking for answers about what happened to Santi and what's the way to find a missing person? Sleep with everyone he knew, obviously. Listen to the hookup on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.