A former intern for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and a Florida GOP strategist was nabbed on felony and misdemeanor charges for her alleged involvement in the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. Barbara Balmaseda, 23, of Miami Lakes, was taken into custody on December 14, as per the U.S. Department of Justice.
Balmaseda, who had as well worked on Gov. Ron DeSantis' 2018 campaign, is accused of joining the mob that disrupted a joint session of Congress convened to certify the electoral votes from the 2020 presidential election. The DOJ claims she was among the group that overran police lines and forcefully entered the Capitol building. Despite having no prior criminal history, she now faces a felony charge for obstruction of an official proceeding, along with four misdemeanors related to her conduct during the breach.
According to documents cited by the Department of Justice, Balmaseda was captured on U.S. Capitol Police CCTV forcing her way inside the Capitol at about 2:16 p.m. on the day of the riot. She purportedly moved toward a police line in the Crypt and later joined rioters in the Rotunda, snapping photos before being pushed out by law enforcement reinforcements.
In the run-up to the riot, Balmaseda, according to the FBI, had engaged with members of the Proud Boys through a Telegram chat and exchanged messages suggesting she believed the election was stolen. In a meme sent just after midnight following the chaos, Balmaseda poked fun at the Capitol's security using an image of a Cheeto as a makeshift door lock. Her lawyer Aubrey Webb criticized the arrest, stating to the Miami New Times, "She is relieved this process will finally move toward a final resolution. Her arrest was a waste of law enforcement resources."
Over 1,230 individuals have been charged for their actions related to the Capitol breach, with this investigation still very much active. Balmaseda's case is being watched closely as the Supreme Court reviews a similar case that could impact the interpretation of the felony obstruction provision she is charged with. Barbara Balmaseda and her legal team are preparing to defend her in court where a complaint stands solely as an allegation, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
