‘I Don’t Always Storm the Capitol… But When I Do, I Prefer Coors Light’: Man Who Bragged on Facebook About 1/6 Riot Charged

The Department of Justice unsealed charges on Wednesday against a defendant who allegedly stormed the U.S. Capitol with a Coors on Jan. 6.

The FBI arrested Thomas Conover on Wednesday on “two misdemeanor counts of entering a restricted building and disorderly conduct,” according to the NBC affiliate in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, KXAS-TV.

DOJ just unsealed charges against Jan. 6 rioter Thomas Conover of Texas. Prosecutors say he drank a beer while storming the US Capitol and filmed a video where he said, “I don’t always storm the Capitol of the United States of America. But when I do, I prefer Coors Light.” pic.twitter.com/Fyfa3GWXeZ

— Marshall Cohen (@MarshallCohen) December 8, 2021

According to the DOJ complaint, Conover wrote on Facebook, “I DON’T ALWAYS STORM THE CAPITOL OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. BUT WHEN I DO, I PREFER COORS LIGHT.”

He also wrote in all capital letters:

“I PRAY TO GOD THAT NOBODY DOES ANY DAMAGE TO THE STUFF IN HERE, ‘CAUSE I’M NOT DOWN WITH THAT. BUT I’M KIND OF, KIND OF PROUD OF THE PEOPLE THAT STOOD UP AND SAID YOU KNOW WHAT? ENOUGH. YOU DON’T SEE PEOPLE SPRAY PAINTING SHIT OR BURNING S*** DOWN. IT’S REALLY KIND OF COOL. I’M GLAD I CAME.”

According to The Dallas Morning News:

Conover, wearing a hooded sweatshirt with “Freedom” written on the back, also recorded several videos from inside the Capitol Rotunda, saying in one, “It’s really kind of cool. I’m glad I came,” the FBI says.

He added that he didn’t want to see damage done to the building, court records say.

The FBI got an online tip in February from someone who claimed to know Conover. The tipster included a screenshot of one of Conover’s Facebook posts in which he brags about “[having] a beer in the capital [sic] today,” court records say.

More than 700 people nationwide have been charged in connection with the insurrection.