https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/did-marco-rubio-former-intern-barbara-balmaseda-storm-the-capitol-on-january-6-14139421
As members of the far-right Proud Boys are being prosecuted for their roles in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol — most recently the group's Miami-born leader Enrique Tarrio — one lesser-known figure seen with them that day appears to have multiple ties to high-profile GOP politics in Florida and beyond.
In the months since the insurrection, online sleuths, including the group Sedition Hunters, have played a key role in helping to identify January 6 insurrectionists, such as Weston's own #Tweedledumb. Recently, they've zeroed in on a woman they dubbed "#PinkGaiterPBG," who appears to have been photographed inside the Capitol sporting a baseball cap with an American flag and a black-and-pink gaiter and later alongside Proud Boys Gabriel Garcia and Ethan Nordean (both of whom have been arrested and charged with felonies in connection to the insurrection).
Twitter user @ne0ndistraction claims #PinkGaiterPBG is actually Barbara "Barby" Balmaseda, a Florida International University (FIU) student and South Florida GOP strategist who interned for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio between 2018 and 2019, worked as an organizer on Gov. Ron DeSantis' 2018 campaign, and served as campaign manager for Ileana "LGBT is not a permanent thing" Garcia's controversial 2020 Florida Senate race.
In a Twitter thread posted last week, @ne0ndistraction shared older photos of Balmaseda and images of #PinkGaiterPBG side-by-side, pointing out similarities in appearance, mannerisms, and accessories, including a distinctive ring Balmaseda wore at previous rallies and that #PinkGaiterPBG appears to have worn at the Capitol on January 6...
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