Tucker Carlson is NOT why Jacob Chansley was Released From Prison Early
Social media has been abuzz with misleading information regarding Capitol rioter Jacob Chansley's prison release, with Republicans like Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene leading the charge. They're almost certainly wrongly attributing his release to Fox News and Tucker Carlson, who received video footage from House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Chansley and other January 6th convicts. But that's far from accurate.
Chansley has been moved from federal prison to an Arizona halfway house, months ahead of his initially slated release date. Now at a Phoenix "residential reentry management" facility, he's set for release on May 25, rather than July 2023 as previously anticipated.
This change is likely due to federal prison sentence reduction opportunities, enabled by the 2018 First Step Act. According to a Bureau of Prisons spokesman, CBS News learned that the last credit calculation was in March.
Sadly, Greene isn't alone in muddying the waters. Many sizeable Twitter accounts have followed suit, sharing the same false narrative about Chansley's release.
Originally sentenced to 41 months behind bars in November 2021, Chansley pleaded guilty to obstructing an official proceeding two months earlier. His time spent in jail prior to his guilty plea and sentencing also contributed to his early release.
Amidst a frenzy of claims from Congressional Republicans and social media support, Chansley has been dubbed a 'political prisoner' who should be set free. A video on Carlson's show depicts Chansley strolling placidly alongside officers down a hallway. However, this isolated event doesn't negate the illicit acts Chansley confessed to as part of his plea deal, rendering the argument for his release more perplexing and controversial.