ALL PB

>>22015862, >>22015935, >>22015980, >>22016411 Holy shit, the guy who wrote the Proud Boys 1776 'manifesto' is an Israeli intelligence asset. - from whom the allegations against Matt Gaetz originated

Jan. 6 committee interview sheds light on origins of Proud Boys ‘1776 returns’ document

Samuel Armes, a cryptocurrency advocate from Florida, told investigators that he helped formulate some of the ideas the document relied on.

Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Samuel Armes, a former State Department and Special Operations official, said he recognized components of the "1776 Returns" document as ideas he had composed as part of a “war gaming” exercise he did in 2020. | Joe Minchillo/AP Photo

By Kyle Cheney

12/27/2022 02:37 PM EST

An obscure cryptocurrency advocate from Florida may be the original source of an incendiary document at the heart of the seditious conspiracy charges against members of the Proud Boys.

Samuel Armes told the Jan. 6 select committee in a newly disclosed interview that he didn’t draft the document, titled “1776 returns,” itself — and had no role in aspects that laid out an operational strategy to occupy federal buildings on Jan. 6, 2021, to disrupt the transfer of presidential power from Donald Trump to Joe Biden.

But in a colorful hourlong interview with the committee, Armes said he helped formulate some of the ideas that the document relied on — and that eventually ended up in the hands of Proud Boys national chair Enrique Tarrio, one of five charged with seditious conspiracy.

The revelation comes just as Tarrio and his four allies — Ethan Nordean, Joe Biggs, Zachary Rehl and Dominic Pezzola — are set to go to trial on allegations that they spearheaded the violent assault on the Capitol, pinpointing weak points around the Capitol and using the cover of the mob to help overwhelm police lines.

Prosecutors cited “1776 Returns” in Tarrio’s indictment. The document describes plans to “Storm the Winter Palace” — a reference to the Russian Revolution of 1917. The indictment also notes that in celebratory text messages with Tarrio, an associate referenced 1776 and Tarrio responded with “The Winter Palace.”

>>22016725

>Jan. 6 committee interview sheds light on origins of Proud Boys ‘1776 returns’ document

Armes, a former State Department and Special Operations official, said he recognized components of the document as ideas he had composed as part of a “war gaming” exercise he did in August or September of 2020. He would later share those ideas with a friend in the crypto industry who happened to be an associate of Tarrio’s.

Armes’ connections, via his crypto advocacy, to figures associated with Jan. 6 don’t end there. He also developed an association with a member of the Oath Keepers now facing obstruction charges. And he co-founded a Florida-based cryptocurrency LLC — Government Blockchain Systems — with former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg, an associate of Trump adviser Roger Stone and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.). Greenberg would later face a slew of federal felony charges related to sex trafficking and financial crimes, including using Government Blockchain Systems as part of a scheme to embezzle $400,000 from local taxpayers. Armes was not charged in connection with the effort.

Armes said that in college he had been groomed to join the CIA and FBI before his stint in the State Department and special operations. He also briefly worked for a Florida state representative before ultimately veering into crypto. In his studies, he often participated in “war gaming” scenarios, skills he used during his stint in government.

Armes told the panel that in August or September 2020, after observing riots that took place across the country — against the backdrop of the raging Covid pandemic — he jotted down some thoughts on potential worst-case scenarios for the transfer of power. His views, he said, were partially informed by the August release of the Transition Integrity Project, a similar “war gaming” exercise conducted by 100 campaign and government experts to envision potential threats to the transfer of power.

“It was just how I thought things might happen in a scenario where a certain president doesn’t leave the White House or there is just mad chaos in the streets because no one knows who’s in charge,” Armes said.

Armes said his eventual three-to-five-page document sketched out scenarios in which an unruly mob might gather in Washington, and he appended images and Google Maps screenshots. While it was meant to be a private document, Armes said, he recalled sharing it with an interested friend, Erika Flores, an ally from the cryptocurrency world with whom he interacted frequently in the latter months of 2020. Flores, he noted, was also a friend of Tarrio’s.

MOST READ

trump-08296.jpg

This Lawyer Has Some Advice for Trump’s Would-Be Targets: Take A Vacation

Trump’s immigration crackdown is expected to start on Day 1

Matt Gaetz feels the heat

The one agency that might have the muscle to oppose Elon Musk

Republicans suddenly think the economy’s great and the election wasn’t rigged

“So I ended up sharing it with her on a Google Drive. And after that, I thought nothing of it,” Armes told the committee. “I would’ve never imagined that it turned into the document that I was shown last week, would’ve had zero clue, zero idea. … It’s horrific for me to even imagine that something that I would’ve written would’ve been used to source this kind of, like — I guess call it ‘terroristic document.’”

Attorneys for Tarrio did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Flores could not immediately be reached for comment, but she appears to have spoken with the select committee, as well. A committee investigator told Armes that Flores attributed the writing of the “1776 Returns” document to him and asked her to share it with Tarrio. Asked about that contention, Armes called it “blame-shifting.”

Armes went through the nine-page “1776 Returns” document with the committee, separating aspects that he said he had written from components he said he did not. Armes said he had a cursory relationship with Tarrio as a result of their mutual friendship with Flores. Flores, he recalled, introduced them in Miami and Tarrio tried to get Armes’ advice for building out his T-shirt-selling business. Armes said he also met Tarrio once at a restaurant with Flores.

>>22016725

> Jan. 6 committee interview sheds light on origins of Proud Boys ‘1776 returns’ document

>>22016735

Armes’ connection with at least one other figure associated with Jan. 6 also piqued the committee’s interest in Oath Keeper James Beeks.

Beeks, a Michael Jackson impersonator who had been starring in a touring production of “Jesus Christ Superstar” when he was arrested for his role in the Jan. 6 attack, also met Armes through crypto-related endeavors.

Armes said Beeks had encouraged him to join the Oath Keepers and expressed his anti-government worldview in conversations. Armes said Beeks also made romantic advances, which he says he rebuffed. Beeks invited Armes to join him in Washington on Jan. 6, Armes recalled, but he turned him down. Armes said he had been interviewed by Justice Department investigators about this connection. Beeks is set to go on trial in February.

The odd connections between Armes and two prominent Jan. 6 figures — both derived from their crypto connections — prompted a moment of levity during the interview.

“I promise, we’re not all like that,” Armes joked.

“I feel like that, at the end of this conversation, we need to have a followup rehabilitative conversation about the joys of crypto,” joked his lawyer, Anessa Santos.

Armes’ short interview featured yet another memorable — if humorous — exchange when Armes’ leg cramped and he was suddenly incapacitated.

“Charley horse. Charley horse,” his lawyer said.

“I’m good. I just did leg squats today, and I maxed out my PR squats and now its hurting,” Armes replied.

“He’s on the floor,” Santos interjected.

After he recovered, Armes made a point to emphasize that he set a personal best of 425 pounds during his squat routine.

“That will now be in the Congressional Record, so that’s good,” the committee investigator responded.

“Yeah,” Armes said. “That’s cool.”

Filed under: CIA, Central Intelligence Agency, Joe Biden, FBI,

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/12/27/jan-6-committee-interview-sheds-light-on-origins-of-proud-boys-1776-returns-document-00075637

>>22016725

>>22016735

>>22016741

8 And just a quick clarification.

9 CIA, FBI, what do you mean by that?

When you say "getting groomed" to be part of the

10Mr. Armes. Yeah, I don't know what a better term would be, but –

11 Ms. Santos. Trained.

12 Mr. Armes. Trained.

13 Ms. Santos. Educated.

14 Mr. Armes. Yeah.

15 Ms. Santos. Trained and educated through the university program.

16 Mr. Armes. And my mentor.

Yeah, I guess trained.

So the goal was to do everything that I was doing

17 and then, by the time I graduated, actually move to D.C. and work for one of the intel

18 agencies.

Okay.

19

20

21

And, Ms. Santos, sorry if I wasn't clear.

with a question, but let him answer the questions, please.

22

23

24

25

It's definitely okay if you want to jump in

Thank you.

BY

Q

So, Mr. Armes, which professoryou mentioned that you were doing

wargames under at USF?

A

Which professor was that?

His name is Walter Andrusyszyn, which is incredibly hard to spell, but it's,

>>22016758

>Which professor was that?

>His name is Walter Andrusyszyn

Citi seminar prepares students for success

Anti-money laundering expertise might seem like a specialized skill, but for many students in the National & Competitive Intelligence Program, the knowledge they gained from a summer seminar with Citi has helped make them marketable in whatever career fields they choose.

Charles Poliseno speaks to business executives about his experience in the Citi seminar. Charles Poliseno speaks to business executives about his experience in the Citi seminar.

More than 50 students have been trained by the two-year-old National & Competitive Intelligence Programin the Muma College of Business,organized by business instructor and former diplomat Walter Andrusyszyn.Students from all disciplines in the program learn the writing, presentation, and critical-thinking skills necessary to work in the intelligence field, whether for the government or private companies.The program offers certificates in national and competitive intelligence at the undergraduate and graduate levels through the Center for Academic Excellence.

The program is fully funded by a grant from the Office of __the Director of National Intelligence __and the curriculum includes projects with government agencies and private companiesto show students how they might use their new abilities in varying situations. In addition, Citi has also partnered with the program the past two years with an anti-money laundering session.

"What employers are looking for is a program that generates people with certain skill sets," Andrusyszyn said. "What Citi gets from this relationship is that the people who come out of this program are people who have good writing and presentation skills and an analytical skill set."

Business economics senior Charles Poliseno says his experience investigating a hypothetical money laundering case for Citi has helped him in areas beyond finance and banking.

"As Walter and my colleagues can certainly attest, we got grilled," he said. "It definitely improved my presentation skills."

Steve Gorlick, director of Tampa operations for Citi's anti-money laundering division, said the company has been impressed by the students, and that he looks forward to other opportunities with USF. Citi will soon be partnering with the Muma College of Business ISDS department on an anti-money laundering bootcamp, a new addition to USF's core business offerings.

"This has served to complement and broaden student experiences with real-world examples of investigative skill requirements in a corporate setting," Gorlick said. "We look for forward to a continued strong partnership in this program."

Andrusyszyn said it is students like Poliseno who make the Citi partnership possible. From Citi to the National Security Agency to the CIA, Andrusyszyn constantly hears that USF students who participate in his program are among the most impressive in the nation. Being able to place these students in Citi's anti-money laundering division or in high-profile government internships makes USF's National Competitive Intelligence Program a unique opportunity for students.

"The benefit to students is a much better professional development program and a much better resume," Andrusyszyn said.

Andrusyszyn said the program is an asset to students from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines.

"I tailor the program to the student," he said, noting that the program has something for everyone and is far from one-size-fits-all.

Greg McNealy is one of those students in Andrusyszyn's program – an aspiring doctor, McNealy is taking pre-med science classes in addition to his finance major. He acknowledged people wonder why a future doctor would want to learn skills for the intelligence industry.

"Today's health care industry has become a market-based system," Greg McNealy said. "The National Competitive Intelligence Program has provided the training for me to become a business professional."

> https://www.usf.edu/business/news/articles/131125-citi-seminar-student-success.aspx

>>22016770

>>22016771

>>Walter Andrusyszyn

Visiting student delegation from the University of South Florida (USF)

27/05/2013

A group of fourteen faculty members and students from the University of South Florida visited Hadassah Academic College on May 27th for special seminars conducted by lecturers from the College's department of Politics and Communication.

The group was led by Mr. Walter Andrusyszyn, Director of the USF's Program in National and Competitive Intelligence.The visiting students' educational curriculum focuses on international studies as well as military space and science studies. These USF students are all being coached for future careers to serve in the United States diplomatic corps and are expected to have a positive impact on US future foreign policy.

Contact Us

Contact Us

+972-2-629-1378

Our location

37 Hanevi'im St. Jerusalem, 9101001