On Saturday, The Gateway Pundit’s Jim Hoft interviewed prominent January 6 political prisoner Ryan Samsel, who was pardoned by President Trump and released from prison earlier this week in New York State.
During his four years in confinement, Ryan was moved at least 29 times in what is described as diesel therapy. Ryan was beaten several times, thrown in isolation numerous times, and refused medical treatment for pre-cancerous growths.
Ryan Samsel’s crime was pushing a bike rack that was staged on January 6 to keep 20,000 Trump supporters from reaching the US Capitol.
Ryan made headlines after suspicious J6 protester Ray Epps whispered in his ear how to maneuver the bike racks so people could get through the barrier and were free to move forward to the US Capitol.
Ray Epps was also present at the second set of barriers when they were taken down that day.
Ryan later released Ray Epp’s FBI call to the American public to The Gateway Pundit, which revealed Epps had lied to government officials.
The prison guards dragged Ryan to the hole and condemned him to many days in isolation for leaking the damning audio.
** Please donate to Ryan Samsel’s GiveSendGo account so he can restart his life here.
After enduring a lengthy prison sentence, Ryan Samsel was released this past week, marking a significant turn in his life.
In his first major interview since his release, he sat down on Saturday to share his experiences and the profound gratitude he holds for those who supported him during his toughest times.
During the interview, Samsel expressed heartfelt thanks to The Gateway Pundit:
Ryan Samsel: I want to start by saying, when the very beginning, Jim, when everybody turned their backs on us, I mean, everybody, there wasn’t a congressional member the first month who would talk to us.
You were there from the beginning Jim. I think that needs to be told. I think you’re a big part of this, Jim. I think if it wasn’t for you, and I’m not trying to patronize you, I’m being serious.
If it wasn’t for you, Jim, I think a lot of us would have been left behind because our voices would have never been I heard. There’s no way I could repay you back if I had 10 lifetimes. I mean it, Jim. Thank you so much for being there for day one. So many guys, we had no hope. It’s funny, Jim, we used to fight to get to the phone to talk to you. We wanted to talk to Jim. We wanted to talk to Jim.
Reflecting on his release, Samsel shared the surreal feeling of freedom and the simple joys that now feel extraordinary:
Ryan Samsel: If you Google my name, you’ll see the Justice Department was seeking in between 20 to 25 It’s just been 10 years. To think about, I’m now staying at a friend’s house, looking outside and seeing deer graze through the trees there. It’s surreal.
There’s no language that words can express what I feel right now. I guess this is how people feel that when they come to near-death experiences and they’re granted a second chance at life, I don’t want to mess it up.
Samsel and his girlfriend also sent me a care basket, which included a Gateway Pundit Cup.
Jim Hoft: By the way, you said you can never thank me enough, but you know what I got right here, right? I was so surprised. You and your girlfriend sent me this care basket, and I looked inside it, and there’s a Gateway Pundit Cup…
…That was so nice because you guys have been… You’ve suffered so much, and here you’re thinking of me. I thought that was very touching, Thank you.
** Please donate to Ryan Samsel’s GiveSendGo account so he can restart his life here.
Ryan Samsel opened up about the events of January 6 and the tumultuous period that followed, which led to the loss of his livelihood and a drastic change in his life.
Ryan Samsel: We all went there for our own personal reasons. I went there with a girl who’s 4’9″. We didn’t intend for anything. I bought my flag, my hat there. The FBI had pictures of all that. I never even really pre-planned. It was just a whim.
And I found myself at the front, Jim, and I tell everybody because they’re asking, Why were you at the front? Why did you open the gates? Where I was at, I couldn’t hear Trump because I was on the Ellipse. I was all the way up by the monument. I couldn’t really hear him…
…Well, there was two bike racks there. I opened up the first bike rack and I walked up to the cop and I asked the cop, I said, ‘Hey, can we come onto the property?’ He immediately told me to back the F-off, blah, blah, blah. That’s when I pulled the gate out of frustration, I did.
He pulled his hand up and that’s when he said, ‘I’ll knock you to F out.’ Jim, I’m not going to sit here and lie to people. I got immediately upset I said, take your best shot.
You’re going to remember, Jim, see, people tend to forget what the time was like then. I was a business owner, Jim. I had a barbershop. I lost that. I lost my livelihood.
Then I was denied PPP and the PUA. I didn’t get no benefits. I tried to call my congress members. I tried calling state reps, and I did everything I could. Jim, I was living in my car at the time, and it’s embarrassing. I worked hard for my license and the things I had, and I lost it all.
That’s when Ray Epps came, who we know now, and he said, Don’t pull, push. It seemed to me, Jim, the FBI was so interested in protecting him because they misquoted me and said he’s the voice of reason.
When they sat down and gave an initial interview, which they lied and twisted my words and leaked information to the New York Times that was so inaccurate.
Watch the video for the full exchange. Ryan is a free man, but he lost everything in COVID-19 and needs help restarting his life.
God bless you, Ryan! Good luck to you! We are all rooting for you!
** Please donate to Ryan Samsel’s GiveSendGo account so he can restart his life here.
