Jenna Ryan, a Frisco, Texas real estate agent who flew to Washington, D.C. on a private jet to attend the Stop the Steal rally on January 6, has received a 60-day jail sentence for her participation in the Capitol riot.
Ryan had live-streamed herself on Facebook from inside the United States Capitol on January 6, the day a mob of former President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the building on the false premise the 2020 election had been stolen.
You can hear about the extent of her involvement in the video below.
Underscoring Ryan's fall from grace?
In a March tweet—two months after the insurrection—she posted she was "definitely not going to jail" because she has "blonde hair," "white skin," "a great job" and "a great future."
Definitely not going to jail. Sorry I have blonde hair white skin a great job a great future and I'm not going to jail. Sorry to rain on your hater parade. I did nothing wrong
— Jenna Ryan (@dotjenna) March 26, 2021
Ryan's comments appear to acknowledge White privilege—inherent advantages possessed by a White person on the basis of their race in a society characterized by racial inequality and injustice.
The significance of her remarks has not gone unnoticed, especially now.
She is being mocked for writing a tweet that, in hindsight, has not aged well at all.
This tweet needs to be hung up in a museum. https://t.co/4AMSTRSJ6f
— Trey007 (@Tresse007) November 4, 2021
I'm going to enjoy your memoir about your time in jail as a white person with blond hair. Clique up! https://t.co/gU8PwQD49P
— Pussy Footing Around 🏳️🌈 (@PussyFootinBlog) November 4, 2021
Trumpist insurrectionist sentenced today to 60 days got the jail sentence but not the 'I haven't got a racist bone in my body' memo. https://t.co/qifsQVeCWL
— Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) November 4, 2021
@jhale667/Twitter
this is so EMBARRASSING for you and you're really out here tweeting photos of the American flag lmaooo please https://t.co/ArwOWdzY7P
— 🧛🏽♀️🩸🖤🦇 (@uwukali) November 4, 2021
Tell me you're THIS close to understanding systemic racism without TELLING me you're close to understanding systemic racism. https://t.co/UOinb3zAVT
— Dumbfounded by the dumb I've found (@dumbfinder_) November 4, 2021
60 DAYS IN THE SLAMMER 🤣 I guess your blond hair and white skin doesn't carry as much weight as you thought it would. Say bye bye to your real estate license and “great future" blondie! https://t.co/GCgE8WRrPN
— SayWhatNow? (@I_Will_Yeah) November 4, 2021
Lmao let's just relish in this for a minute, just a minute. You betrayed your own country, you attempted to overthrow a LEGAL election, and at the very least you trespassed on federal property. They don't make a girl scout troop leader for that https://t.co/O1x85VxNir
— StacesCases 🇨🇦 (@CasesStaces) November 4, 2021
Believing yourself out of jail through racial privilege is apparently not enough when jail is warranted. https://t.co/aH8UF4sDAY
— Daniel (Mufasa) (@ne1for23) November 4, 2021
In a letter to U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, who handed down her sentence, Ryan attempted to downplay her actions despite pleading guilty to a misdemeanor count she "paraded, demonstrated, or picketed" inside the Capitol without permission.
"Some actions I took that day were good. I came to DC to protest the election results. I wanted my voice to be heard. My only weapon was my voice and my cell phone."
Ryan also denied her tweet indicated she believes she is above the law.
"I wasn't saying I was above prison, I just felt that it would be unlikely since I was pleading to entering the Capitol for 2 minutes and 8 seconds."
"Now I realize that was a false notion, but having a false notion does not automatically mean I deserve incarceration."
"A tweet of me taking up for myself against a bully who is harassing me does not indicate that I feel above-the-law."
In response to Judge Cooper bringing up her Twitter post, Ryan conceded she "just shouldn't tweet."
Ryan's attorney, Guy Womack, also tried to downplay his client's actions, calling her "a social butterfly" who merely "goes online and posts things."