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james beeks
Actor Currently On Tour As 'Judas' In 'Jesus Christ Superstar' Charged With Breaching Capitol On Jan. 6
Coming to a theater near you, a real, live Capitol insurrectionist.
Or, at least, one was coming to a theater near you until his arrest yesterday for his involvement in the January 6 coup attempt cut short his tenure in a touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar.
And in an unbelievably on-the-nose twist, he played the role of Judas. You know, the traitor who betrays Jesus?
Yes, this is real life and no, this is not a joke.
Forty-nine year old James Beeks, an Orlando, Florida musical theater actor and Michael Jackson impersonator who performs under the name James T. Justis, was arrested yesterday in Milwaukee for joining far-right, anti-government militia group Oath Keepers in their siege of the Capitol, according to Justice Department filings.
NEW: Feds announce another Jan 6 arrest. James Beeks of Orlando is accused of joining OathKeepers as they walked en route to Capitol & pushing against line of police guarding a hallway that led to the Senate chamber
And...feds say Beeks wore a Michael Jackson "Bad" tour jacket pic.twitter.com/uvSsjyMNsd
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 24, 2021
Federal agents had been trying to identify Beeks for months, who heavily disguised his face on January 6 with a helmet and gaiter, likely because of his extensive musical theater resume that includes Kinky Boots, Aida, Ragtime and Smokey Joe's Cafe.
But the distinctive jacket Beeks wore to the insurrection, from Michael Jackson's 1987 BAD Tour, made him stand out in video footage that showed a group of Oath Keepers attacking law enforcement officers before storming into the Capitol. Once inside, Beeks and the group attacked another phalanx of law enforcement officers in an attempt to enter the Senate chamber.
A fellow Oath Keeper and insurrectionist known as "Defendant 4" remembered Beeks as the man in the tour jacket. Agents then corroborated Defendant 4's information using everything from cell phone data and rental car records to the look of Beeks' right ear in images from January 6, all of which placed him in the D.C. area and at the Capitol on and around January 6.
Banking records also showed Beeks had paid dues on December 20, 2020 to Oath Keepers, whose leadership has just been subpoenaed by Congress's January 6 Commission for its outsized role in the insurrection.
Agents then attended several of Beeks' Superstar performances in Los Angeles and San Francisco to further observe him before following the tour to its next stop in Milwaukee, where they arrested Beeks. He's been charged with felony obstruction of Congress,and a misdemeanor charge of unlawfully entering a restricted building or grounds.
On Twitter, the absurdity of this story had people slack-jawed.
James Beeks aka James T. Justis PLAYS JUDAS, NO I AM NOT KIDDINGhttps://t.co/1I0CypoNPz https://t.co/URPx2n47Ut pic.twitter.com/djhjOthbjh
— K. Louise Neufeld 🇺🇸 (@ninaandtito) November 24, 2021
James Beeks, 49-year-old actor from Florida identified as MAGA Oath Keeper rioter. Supposedly top Michael Jackson impersonator (wore Bad tour jacket to Capitol) and was recently in Jesus Christ Superstar national tour as Judas. Can't make this up.
— MXV 文翰麟 (@mikeyvoon) November 24, 2021
I just can't anymore https://t.co/kUtDayHBxB
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) November 24, 2021
We could try to make it up but we wouldn't be ridiculous enough
— Rose Benson (@NotoriousRBF) November 24, 2021
sure why not https://t.co/Xs4o2SF6lF
— kilgore trout, uatx professor of turnip studies (@KT_So_It_Goes) November 24, 2021
Oh, sweet baby Republican Jesus in golden fleece diapers on popsicle sticks. https://t.co/eh3HIfT8ey
— Nicole Minet (@mouvement33) November 24, 2021
Perfect casting.
— KGVAlum (@Staceyryn) November 24, 2021
Still in character.
— Voli pindarici - Pindaric flights (@LRonLacy) November 24, 2021
I now hold the distinction of being the last actor to play Judas in a major JCS production NOT to be arrested for trying to overthrow the United States government. https://t.co/l5DhMsjwPE
— Josh Young (@joshpaulyoung) November 24, 2021
I would like us to just remember that James Beeks, stage name James T. Justis (formerly known by the stage name James Delisco) played Lola in Kinky Boots on Broadway.
And somehow knowing that someone who played Lola also pays dues to the Oath Keepers is hilarious to me.
— Ned Donovan (He/Him) (@neddonovan) November 24, 2021
Beeks is only the latest of several Oath Keepers members to be arrested and charged for their role in the January 6 coup attempt, and leadership of the organization has recently been subpoenaed by Congress's January 6 Commission.