West Michigan official spotted at Capitol insurrection says he did not enter the building

ALLENDALE TOWNSHIP, Mich. — An Allendale Township official who activist groups said appeared as a protester at the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6, 2021, confirmed he was in Washington D.C during the deadly riots.

Ryan Kelley, a planning commissioner in Allendale Township, said he went to Washington D.C. on Jan. 6 to support former President Donald Trump and exercised his First Amendment rights but did not enter the Capitol building.

"I never went inside the Capitol building, never had the intention to and did not go inside, nor did I have any altercation with police officers. That was never the intention," Kelley said.

• Political extremism: The Michigan Attorney General said extremism in Michigan was the precursor to the U.S. Capitol attack

The Michigan Association of Civil Rights Activists said they identified Kelley in videos among a group of protesters rushing up the stairs and toward one of Capitol entrances during the Jan. 6 insurrection. They said they spotted Kelley in videos climbing over police barricades and on scaffolding along the outside of the U.S. Capitol building.

No pictures emerged that showed Kelley going inside the Capitol building.

Newschannel 3 showed Kelley the pictures that activists had flagged of him, but he refused to confirm or deny his identity in the pictures.

"You got my statement on the Capitol, man. We're all set," Kelley said.

Kelley, a right-wing activist and real-estate broker, filed paperwork to pursue a campaign for governor in 2022 as a Republican on Thursday, Jan. 28.

Kelley has been a controversial figure in Allendale Township. He appeared at a protest to remove a Confederate statue as a counterprotester in June 2020. At that rally, protesters said Kelley invited William Null, one of the 14 men charged in the alleged plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Kelley is also the founder of the American Patriot Council, a right-wing group that has called for the arrests of Michigan democrats like Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.

Protesters began to call for Kelly's removal from the planning commission in October, after they say Kelley's connection to William Null surfaced. Activists renewed those calls after the Jan 6 insurrection at the Capitol.

• Ottawa County: Democratic party issues calls for Ryan Kelley to resign from the planning board
  

Allendale Township's lawyer said state law prevents Kelley from being removed as a planning commissioner unless he ends up being charged or convicted for his actions during the riots.

Western Michigan University political science professor Peter Wielhouwer said Kelley chose a good time to announce a run for governor based on his name recognition - good or bad.

"I think Kelley’s announcement makes a lot of sense when you’re politics. You strike when the iron is hot. Any news is good news, any coverage is good coverage," Welhouwer said.

According to Kelley's campaign website, the 39-year-old said he would return decision-making power back to the hands of the people.

"I want to return us to a place of freedom, hope, love and prosperity across our state," Kelley said.

Three Republicans have created gubernatorial campaign committees: Ryan Kelley; Bob Scott, of Howell; and Army veteran Austin Chenge, of Grand Rapids.