Road Trip Chat With the "J6 Praying Grandma" - Went to Washington D.C. to Pray, Left With 4 Federal Charges
Car conversation with Rebecca Lavrenz, known as the "J6 Praying Grandma" and her daughter, Laura Lavrenz, who currently works on the Trump campaign
“We Have A Right to Peacefully Protest”
I am still in utter disbelief by Thursday’s verdict. Never in my life did I imagine my own government would charge me as a criminal for exercising my religious liberties and rights to free speech, which are guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. They are trying to stop our voices, put fear in our hearts and take away the inalienable rights given to us by God. But I will not let that happen to this praying great-grandma as long as I have breath. #j6prayingrandma — Rebecca Lavrenz via X April 6 2024
Rebecca Lavrenz never imagined she would end up at the center of one of the most controversial events in recent American history. Now the 71-year-old great grandmother and owner of a bed-and-breakfast business about 14 miles northeast of Colorado Springs could be sentenced to up to a year in prison and ordered to pay fines of more than $200,000 (excluding legal fees).
Last month, she found herself driving back home with her daughters, Jennifer and Laura, after being convicted on all four federal misdemeanor charges for participating in the January 6, 2021, protest in the District of Columbia. I caught them on their drive back to Colorado. The raw audio included here is from our phone call on their way home (please forgive subpar quality).
Who is Rebecca Lavrenz?
Growing up in a politically active household, Rebecca raised her four children with a keen awareness of their civic roles and responsibilities. Her daughter Laura now works for the Trump campaign, traveling ahead of him with a specialized team that prepares each space for his appearance at events and rallies nationwide.
During the 2020 election, Rebecca, who lives remotely in Colorado Springs, wanted to get involved somehow when she felt her rights and liberties were being stripped away by the government. She decided to take action by enrolling in a local constitution class to deepen her understanding of the country's founding principles, amendments, and rights, and she began praying for her nation.
In addition to her classes, she took to knocking on doors locally to spread support for Donald Trump.
"I Believe in National Sovereignty. We Are the United States of America."
Nothing sat right with her during the 2020 election. Rebecca went to bed the night of the election certain that Trump was going to win by a landslide. When she woke up the next morning, she was shocked by the results on the television announcing Biden's win. Her gut immediately told her something was off.
Her strong faith, coupled with a lifetime commitment to truth, fueled her quest for clarity surrounding the outcome. "Having a lifetime relationship with the truth, you know what's not the truth. You kind of have radar for what's not truth," Rebecca explained.
“It’s Been a Lifelong Love For Truth. I Think That’s What Led Me to Where I’m at.”
Weeks later, when she learned that Trump was hosting a rally on January 6, she felt compelled to attend in person. She saw it as an opportunity to pray for her country. Her main motivation for attending was to stand against what she perceived as an impending threat of Marxism and Communism. With the encouragement of her son, she decided to hop in her car at the last minute and drive across the country alone.
Upon reaching the Capitol, Rebecca found herself amidst a crowded scene. Finding a group of faith based strangers on site, she began to pray fervently alongside them in prayer to God, to the words of the 1620 Mayflower Compact, that this nation would be dedicated, “…to the glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith.”
Later on that day, after following God’s leading to enter the Capitol building through the opened Columbus doors on the east side of the Capitol building, Rebecca remembers thinking to herself, “this country will not go down to Marxism and Communism on my watch.”
Picturing her youngest grandchildren in her mind’s eye, she thought, "if there's anything I can do, I want my children to grow up in a free country where they can have their liberties and freedoms."
Full Conversation With Rebecca and Laura Lavrenz
Evidence Used in J6 Trials: The Raindrop Theory
During her trial, Rebecca presented what she believed was solid evidence in her defense. She was not guilty of participating or igniting violence. However, she was disheartened to find out that her trial, like many others related to January 6, relied on the "Raindrop Theory." According to this theory, if you're one drop in a rainstorm, then every raindrop is guilty of being part of the rain. In other words, she was considered part of the violence that ensued by merely being present in the crowd.
Rebecca said the solid evidence she presented during her trial didn't matter because all J6 trials lean on the "Raindrop Theory."
"As long as I was with them, a part of an angry mob, I was considered part of that violence," she said.
The trial began March 25 in federal district court in the District of Columbia and ended after nearly 26 hours of deliberation. The jury found Lavrenz guilty of “entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a capitol building, and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a capitol.”
Her attorneys, who covered many of the January 6 trials, thought Rebecca's trial could be the one they could win. They were wrong.
Despite her and her attorney's efforts, Rebecca was convicted on all four federal misdemeanor charges. Her daughter Laura, who watched her mother's trial, was deeply affected by the experience. "After two weeks of being in that courtroom and seeing everything, it’s like I have been awakened," she said.
In The Jury’s Hands — Words From Laura Lavrenz
“Mom took the stand this morning just before 9:30 AM in her beautiful yellow dress and blue high heels. She was on the stand for the entirety of the morning and into the afternoon. She shared the gospel, her love for our country, and was the voice for millions of Americans who also aren’t willing for our 1st Amendment Rights to be taken away.
During direct examination by her attorney, one of the first statements Mom said was the following, and it set the tone for the rest of the day: “This past week you’ve seen videos of what I look like on the outside, but now, I hope you get to see my heart.” She made it known to her jury from the onset that she didn’t have hate in her heart for the people in the room, only love.
The first question her attorney asked her when she was on the stand was to describe her family. Mom started at the beginning. She went into detail about the family she grew up in, how her father was a pastor who also taught government and history, and how her mother stayed home and raised eight children. She described her relationship with God and how she accepted Him when she was in high school, at which time she knew her life was no longer hers, but God’s. She talked of marrying her high school sweetheart at age 21 and how he served our country in Vietnam. She said she had four children, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandson whom she loved very much.
Next, her attorney moved on to asking about her involvement in politics, her passion for the Constitution, as well as her civic engagement. She went into detail about taking her duty to her country very seriously, how she doesn’t want her children and grandchildren to not have the same freedoms she has, and how she believes it important for everyone to know and understand the United States Constitution. She talked of being engaged in the 2020 election by campaigning, becoming a precinct leader, and following closely to the results in November of that year.
Then came the questions regarding January 6, 2021. Mom talked of being a prayer warrior all her life and how she believed she was to go to the Capitol to pray and make her presence known about her grievances regarding the 2020 election. She said she believed she needed to stand up for truth and how she never was one to just sit back but needed to put action to her faith. She talked of what she saw that day, on January 6th, how she never disobeyed the law to her recollection, never saw how the barricades came down or door opening, and how she was just standing up for her 1st Amendment Right to be heard.
There was a moment her attorney showed a picture of her ascending the stairs of the Capitol on January 6th. In the picture you can see Mom turned around, back toward the Capitol doors, facing the crowd behind her, her attorney asks what she is thinking in that moment. With tears in her eyes on the witness stand, she said, “I was looking at the sea of people and thinking, ‘I am standing here representing millions of other people who also love our country but couldn’t be here with me.’” A privilege, an opportunity, to stand up on behalf of us, We the People. She stood up for you and me, and our rights to live in a nation where our voice can be heard, a republic while we still have it.
During cross-examination by the prosecuting attorney, not only was her intent questioned, but her integrity was challenged, and they tried to silence her voice once again. However, she kept calm and collected and answered each question with dignity and grace. The statement she went back to time and again was, “It was my First Amendment Right to be seen and heard. I wanted my presence to be known.”
Her presence was known. Not just inside the Capitol Building on January 6th, 2021, but also today, at the courthouse in Washington DC. I’m so proud of her. She stood her ground. Not only did she share the gospel and her love for Jesus with the jurors, but she also showed her love for her country by sharing her intent on January 6th. Not an intent of violence or rioter, as the prosecutors wanted to paint her out to be, but one of a praying great-grandma who drove 25 hours to stand up for the country she loves.
Her voice in the courtroom today was a voice for all of us and I’m so proud of her boldness, she said everything that could have been said.
Now we wait for the verdict from the jurors... it’s in their hands now.”
Rebecca could face up to three years in prison and a quarter of a million in fines. Her sentencing is scheduled for early August. To follow along on her journey, her website is: Rebecca's Website
It’s difficult to read this. Seeing the videos of police leading them into the building and simply walking around. It’s sad to see she is “guilty” of some kind of “crime” while thousands of others violently protest and burn small businesses with no repercussions to their actions.
Mass protest in the US Capital is only ok if you’re a purple hair gender confused drone protesting for abortion or against conservative Supreme Court justice nominees. The only mistake this lady made was putting her life on the line for this inherently corrupt Surveillance State that masquerades as a representative democracy. America is Mystery Babylon as described in Revelation 17-18.