Kelly, 40, of Allendale, Michigan, was arrested in Allentale on charges of “January 6, 2021 coming from a capital violation,” according to Bill Miller, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia.
Kelly was released on bail after appearing first in federal court in Michigan late Thursday. He greeted his supporters outside the court after his release and raised his thumb and hugged them, local reporters at the scene said.
The Detroit FBI Field Office confirmed Kelly’s arrest and said his home was searched Thursday morning.
“I can confirm that FBI agents from the Grand Rapids office have executed the arrest and search warrant at Mr Kelly’s home in Allendale, MI. At this time, I can not provide any information on the nature of the charges against Mr Kelly,” said Mara Schneider. , The public relations officer for the FBI’s Detroit office, in a written statement, said he expects more information to “come”.
CNN has approached Kelly’s campaign.
The governor’s candidate added that during the protests in the summer of 2020, “I defended a civil war statue in his hometown of Allendale.”
Kelly’s arrest adds another twist to the already tumultuous Republican primary fight. This comes after the Michigan Court of Appeals earlier this month rejected attempts by two Republican candidates to put their names on the governor’s primary ballot in August.
The court’s unanimous decision was a major setback for the affected candidates, including former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, who filed legal challenges in an attempt to renew their campaigns. Kelly was not among the candidates affected by the signature issue.
The signature issue drove the race for governor in Michigan, two months before the primary in August.
This story has been updated with additional information.
