As law enforcement officials arrest hundreds of suspected insurrectionists from the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, the accused have been caught through a variety of methods. Some were seen on camera, for example, while others thought it'd be a good idea to boast about their role in the riot through social media.
But the Washington Post put the spotlight overnight on the special case of Richard Michetti, a Pennsylvania man who "allegedly took a break from the rioting to argue with his ex-girlfriend over text message," in the midst of the violence.
After sending photos and videos of the mob and boasting how he had avoided tear gas, Michetti parroted Donald Trump's false claims of election fraud. "If you can't see the election was stolen you're a moron," Michetti wrote in a text to the woman, according to court documents.
That was on Jan. 6. On Jan. 7, Michetti's ex-girlfriend -- perhaps displeased by the insulting and ignorant comments -- apparently decided to reach out to the FBI. As it turns out, she was only too pleased to offer law enforcement incriminating evidence -- texts, photos, and videos -- that Michetti had voluntarily sent to her a day earlier. It's the sort of thing a prosecutor uses to build a very compelling case against a criminal suspect.
Or put another way, hell hath no fury like an ex-girlfriend falsely accused of being "a moron."
The Post's report added that Michetti "has now been charged with knowingly entering a restricted building, violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, and obstruction of Congress." According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, if convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
Reuters' Brad Heath, a journalist who covers criminal justice issues, added last night, "Ex-girlfriends are hands-down the government's most indispensable crime-fighting technique."