On his December 6, 2021 broadcast, Tucker Carlson questioned the identity and lack of charges against a man he referred to as “Rally Runner.” This man was seen wearing red face paint and a “MAGA” hat on the front lines during the attack on the Capitol. Carlson’s guest, attorney Joseph McBride, went further and claimed that Rally Runner was “clearly a law enforcement officer” and an “agent provocateur.”
Days after the broadcast, a HuffPost report revealed that Rally Runner’s real name is Daniel Donnelly Jr., and he was arrested by the FBI in St. Louis on five federal charges, including interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder. Donnelly had been known as a devoted fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and was often seen running around the stadium during games. He publicly identified himself as a supporter of former President Donald Trump and a fan of Tucker Carlson.
In response to the Carlson segment casting him as a law enforcement officer, Rally Runner expressed disappointment, feeling that he had believed Carlson to be a responsible reporter focused on stopping “Fake News.”
Tucker Carlson has faced accusations of defamation in a lawsuit filed against Fox News by Ray Epps, another individual at the center of false flag conspiracy theories spread by Carlson. Epps was accused by Carlson of helping stage-manage the insurrection and being an undercover federal agent on January 6.
“Disappointed is an understatement,” Runner told reporter Ryan J. Reilly. “For years I believed Tucker was a responsible reporter focused on stopping ‘Fake News’ just to be hit with this story.”
Furthermore, Carlson’s controversial documentary “Patriot Purge,” produced for Fox News’s streaming service, featured an interview with Joseph McBride, promoting the conspiracy theory that the January 6 attack on the Capitol was orchestrated by the U.S. government. The documentary received widespread criticism for its content and conspiracy-laden narrative.
