NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — He was convicted of forcing his way into the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, but Michael Timbrook of Cookeville continues to describe his experience as one of "the best days ever."
It's January 6 through Timbrook's perspective and he knows not everyone will agree with what he has to say.
“Just being in there with the spirit of the people. It really felt like this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. We’re getting to finally let these people know we are not happy. It was a wonderful experience,” Timbrook said.
Timbrook agreed to what would be our first sit-down interview with a Tennessean charged with what happened on Jan. 6. By now he had already agreed to a plea deal to avoid a felony charge and spent seven weekends in jail and one year on probation.
He’s still employed and still married, but hasn’t heard from some family members since.
“People ask me (about) Jan. 6 and I say: 'Yeah, yeah,' but inside I’m saying that was the best day ever. It was a great day. It was a huge day because I got to be there and take part and witness this outpouring of the American spirit,” Timbrook said.
The first time we see Timbrook on any surveillance camera, he’s walking through a hallway not far from Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s offices.
He says he followed several others into the hallway before he noticed one man banging on doors.
“This guy over here was banging on the door, and there were people inside on their phones. I started walking in there, and someone behind me, I heard him say: 'I don’t think we should go in there.' I turned and looked at him and that’s when I smiled and I was like, 'I think you’re right,” Timbrook said.
If you want to see video of Timbrook heading towards the building, watch the video above.
The way Timbrook describes it, he was only spectating. Prosecutors however say he and others trashed these offices.
Timbrook said he knew there were Capitol staffers nearby, but there was no real plan for what to do if there was a confrontation.
Ismail: “What do you think would have happened if they found them?”
Timbrook: “Nothing. They would’ve walked in there looked around, said 'haha,' and then walked back out.”
Ismail: “You think so?”
Timbrook: “I honestly believed Nancy Pelosi herself could’ve walked through that hallway as long as she kept her mouth shut, and no one would’ve hurt her.”
Ismail: “I have a hard time believing that man. There were people walking around with zip ties. People walking around in tactical gear. You could imagine these folks had every intention of using this stuff.”
Timbrook: “I could imagine that they wanted to have that appearance.”
Ismail: “You’re saying they undermined the message. There’s some people who escalated things beyond what you expected, but you still walked into the Capitol. You still followed along with some of these people. So, do you consider yourself a part of that?”
Timbrook: “The problem with that day is that we were trying to walk a fine line in-between respecting our country and showing disrespect for the leadership.”
Timbrook took the next hour and a half explaining why he was at the Capitol, but it always boiled down to one thing. He still believes the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump, even though there’s never been any evidence to suggest that was the case.
We asked Timbrook why he believed this and noticed he relied much of his argument on what he heard on far-right conservative media.
Ismail: “How much of a factor do you think media has played on your opinions, your beliefs, and what led you to eventually end up on January 6 in front of the Capitol?”
Timbrook: “It had a very big impact. The mainstream media has been getting better about influencing the narrative. They claim a reality and then twist every view they can find to point towards that reality. In the end, they wind up creating an alternate reality.”
We reminded Timbrook that some people may feel the same about certain media influencing his decisions.
Ismail: "Have you put much thought into that?"
Timbrook: "Yeah, I have. I listen to a lot of conservative talk radio and I haven't heard anything I think would be objectionable. There's this idea that if you're a Christian, white, conservative man, that you are a racist, homophobe, xenophobe, bigot and it's just not true man."
Timbrook stands by why he made the trip from Cookeville to D.C. and says he’s far more proud of those who protested peacefully than those who “undermined the message,” but days later he wrote on Facebook that: “I’m PROUD of everyone who went in there, even the 30 or so rowdy ones. Go ahead and ban me now because I have found my voice and am going to tell this story.”
“That’s what got me in trouble right there,” Timbrook said.
Timbrook called it hyperbole, but it was enough to catch the attention of FBI agents. Roughly two months later agents were at Timbrook’s door.
“5 a.m. Bam, bam, bam. Dogs barking. There’s all kinds of chaos going on. I’m waking up to my wife saying, 'Mike, Mike, Mike.' Then I heard the FBI agent say, 'Mike, I’m sorry I had to do it this way. Can you put your hands up?'” Timbrook recalled.
Timbrook was charged with violently entering the Capitol and trespassing in restricted areas. Prosecutors told him they also had evidence of what looked like Timbrook making contact with an officer, but Timbrook says he was only trying to help.
Timbrook: “Regardless of my behavior, the fact of the matter is I went into the building uninvited. I broke the law.”
Ismail: “Would you do it again?
Timbrook: “I mean if there was some kind of rally or protest or something, I wouldn’t mind going because it’s an exciting time.”
Ismail: “There are some folks who would use the word traitor to describe some of the folks who were there. What do you think of that?”
Timbrook: “It was beautiful up to a point and then it broke down. I’m not going to try to defend that breakdown, but it happened.”
The majority of Tennesseans who were charged for the Jan. 6 attack have accepted plea deals, and Timbrook says he recommends the remaining defendants do the same. He felt the deck was stacked against him had he gone to trial and warned that the same could happen to anyone else.
Our numbers show that of the 19 Tennesseans who were charged for their actions during the Capitol breach, only Mark and Jerry Waynick are still awaiting trial. The father and son duo out of Charlotte, Tennessee, were charged with assaulting officers, among other charges. Their jury trial is set for March.
In the 33 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,100 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 400 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
