I’m a January 6 defendant who took my case to trial instead of accepting a plea deal that required me to turn against other Americans and denounce what I believe. I refused to bow.

I was convicted of non-violent misdemeanors and served 8 months in federal prison.

I am also openly gay and conservative. I don’t fit the narrative people expect, and I paid a heavy price for standing on principle. But I will never regret standing for freedom, truth, and the Constitution.

When I came home, everything was gone. My work, stability, savings, and housing. Like many J6 defendants, rebuilding has been far harder than the sentence itself.

For a time, I was living in my camper in New Hampshire. With no clear path forward but a lot of faith, a true friend helped tow my camper down to Florida so I could start over in a warmer, more opportunity-filled state.

Today, I’m in Florida trying to rebuild my life from the ground up.

I am actively seeking hands-on work in construction, automotive, mechanical, pressure washing, landscaping, or property maintenance. I’m not afraid of long days, hard labor, or getting dirty. I’ve always been a worker, not someone looking for handouts. I just need a fair second chance after political prosecution.

At the same time, I continue speaking out for January 6 defendants, political prisoners, and prison reform. My experience opened my eyes to how broken the justice system can be, and I’m committed to fighting for accountability and second chances for others too.

This GiveSendGo helps with basic stability while I rebuild things like housing, transportation, food, and starting over after incarceration.

If you believe Americans shouldn’t be destroyed for their political beliefs…

If you believe in second chances…

If you believe standing on principle should not cost someone their entire future…

Your support truly matters.

Thank you for standing with me.

 As many of you know, anyone who went to DC to exercise their 1st amendment rights has been hunted down like violent criminals, forcefully arrested and charged, had their privacy and God-given rights violated, and been falsely labeled “insurrectionists”, “white supremacists“, “domestic terrorists“, and a “threat to democracy “. Most defendants have been denied due process, and many are still being detained as political prisoners. Fortunately, my daughter is not in the latter category but has still been a victim of political persecution, slander and libel, and has had her life turned upside down, both financially and emotionally.

    As a result of what millions of Americans believed was an unfair election filled with irregularities, mathematical impossibilities, and illegal changes made to the voting process, in addition to the numerous sworn affidavits and clear video proof of fraudulent activities, we wanted answers. If the 2020 election was the “most secure election in history“, as the left has proclaimed, then why were credible claims of fraud never properly investigated and lawsuits dismissed for “lack of standing“? Regardless of your political affiliation and preferred candidate, every American should want, and demand, free and fair elections.

    Following the questionable election results, my daughter and a few friends travelled to DC in December 2020 for the Stop The Steal rally where they peacefully protested with thousands of other freedom loving patriots. There were no riots, burning of cars or buildings, or violence. The only problem they encountered that day was being followed and harassed by Antifa members . Luckily, several members of the Proud Boys stepped in and escorted them to safety.

    After learning there would be another rally in January, which President Trump asked everybody to attend, my daughter and her friends did so eagerly with the hopes that the questions about the election would finally be addressed. They had no intentions of even going to the Capitol building until our President suggested that everyone walk down to the Capitol and “peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard“. There was never any talk of “storming” the Capitol in an effort to stop the certification process nor overthrow the government. The goal was simply to be present and cheer on the 100+ members of Congress who vowed to object to the certification of the states where the election results were blatantly compromised. Standing in unity, with a deep love for our country, my daughter and thousands of her fellow Americans made their way down the street, waving flags and singing the national anthem and other patriotic songs along the way. Despite the disconcerting reason for the protest, the atmosphere was peaceful and uplifting. What happened after they arrived at the Capitol would change their lives in ways they never imagined.

    They entered the Capitol grounds where there was no fencing or barricades, no police or security presence, and no signs indicating they were not allowed to be there. In fact, there are several videos you can find online showing officers removing barricades and other officers waving people onto the grounds. At some point, hundreds of people made their way into what we have always been told is “The People’s House”. My daughter followed her friend in, through an open door, unimpeded. Other protesters have video showing police standing aside, allowing them to enter, while others were told they were allowed to stay as long as they were peaceful and did not engage in any violence. My daughter moved with the crowd throughout the building, never engaging in any violence, she wasn’t being loud or unruly, and she did not touch, break, or steal anything. When my daughter noticed some nefarious activities taking place, she grabbed her friend, exited the building and made their way back to their hotel where they remained for the night. They headed home the next morning. 

    A year later, in January 2021, my daughter was pulled over for allegedly speeding (which she wasn’t) as a swarm of FBI vehicles descended upon her. She was arrested and charged with four federal offenses for simply exercising her First Amendment rights to peaceably assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. She refused to plead guilty as she did not believe she had committed any crimes. She was placed under pretrial release conditions and was, essentially, guilty until proven innocent. She needed, and still does need, permission to be away from home for more than 48 hours, and permission to travel out of state (limited to 7-10 days). She has to submit to random monthly drug testing, attend court ordered counseling, has been stripped of her Second Amendment rights, and is on some sort of terror watchlist with the airlines. Before she can board a plane, she, and any travel companions including me, are invasively searched and all our belongings swabbed for, I presume, bomb residue. This is not only humiliating, but completely unnecessary given her charges.

    Since her arrest, she has lost many friends and family members, and she was crushed when she missed the birth of her first and only nephew due to her court imposed travel restrictions. People have driven by our house yelling obscenities and calling us traitors as a result of her being portrayed as a domestic terrorist online and on the local news. She had her phone seized and her privacy unjustly invaded. Furthermore, because she is self-employed, she relies on word of mouth advertising and referrals to get side jobs to make ends meet. So when the FBI released their “statement of facts“ in regards to her case, they published false and libelous statements about her that they allegedly received from a “tipster“. These false accusations caused my daughter to lose jobs she had already secured, as well as many referrals from those customers, that resulted in a financial struggle to pay her bills.

    With no money to retain a reputable attorney, she was at the mercy of her court appointed public defenders who failed her in every way possible. Furthermore, the prosecutors were allowed to submit into evidence and show videos, social media posts, and texts in open court, either taken out of context or depicting actions and/or words from other people in an effort to paint my daughter in a negative light. Some of the videos showed violence that took place long after my daughter and her friends had already left the premises. These despicable tactics only prejudiced the already bias DC jury even more. After four days in court, with no effective defense offered on her behalf, she was found guilty on all four charges. 

    For those of you who don’t know my daughter personally, she is one of the hardest workers you could ever meet. She is also the kind of person who goes out of her way to help others. After purchasing our two family home a few years ago, my daughter has  also rescued  dogs and housed them until they found their forever homes. Additionally, she have opened her home up to friends who needed a place to stay and even took in a homeless man until he could get on his feet and find permanent housing. If my daughter sees someone broken down on the side of the road, she doesn’t hesitate to stop and offer assistance. She has always offered to help friends and family with car repairs, home renovations, etc. and never expects anything in return. That is just who she is. She does stand up for herself but never condones violence.

    My daughter is proud and doesn’t like to ask for help. This is the reason I am sharing her story here and humbly asking for help. Anything, no matter how small, will help tremendously and would be greatly appreciated. If you can’t donate, you can help by sharing this post.

    My daughter is a proud American who loves this country and was brave enough to stand up against tyranny. Please don’t let her pay the price alone. She is fighting for truth and freedom for all of us.

    Thank you so much for your time and support.

Sincerely,

Kathy Niemela