Southernmost Republicans Host Capitol Insurrectionists tonight at Key West Yacht Club

In what may not be the best look, Bryan and Tonya Bishop will address the monthly meeting of Southernmost Republicans at the toney private facility during an event beginning at 5:30 p.m.

A Florida man who admitted to spraying chemical irritants in the faces of police officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol has returned to the Keys after serving less than five months of a nearly four-year prison sentence, following a sweeping pardon issued earlier this year by President Donald Trump.

Bryan Roger Bishop, 52, of Marathon, was sentenced in September 2024 to 45 months in prison, 36 months of supervised release and $2,000 restitution. He pleaded guilty earlier that year to a felony count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers.

The Southernmost Republicans, a Key West political group, plan to honor Bishop and his wife at a reception Monday evening at the Key West Yacht Club.

The Yacht Club itself has been embroiled in controversy over a long-term lease with the city and allegations that it offers below-market dockage to members while liveaboards in city-owned marinas face steep rent increases.

Critics say the decision to host Bishop there is tone-deaf.

“We’re talking about a guy who sprayed cops in the face on Jan. 6 being treated like a guest of honor at a taxpayer-subsidized yacht club,” said one resident, who requested anonymity to avoid political backlash.

Marathon’s Bryan Bishop is seen assaulting Capitol police with spray irritants during the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection. / US STATE ATTORNEY’S OFFICE

Prosecutors: “A violent assault”

According to court records, Bishop emerged from a crowd on the Capitol’s West Plaza around 2 p.m. and discharged a canister of chemical spray into the faces of officers holding a defensive line. Prosecutors said one Metropolitan Police Department officer was struck directly in the eyes, while another officer was hit under the visor of his face shield.

“This was a violent assault on law enforcement in the middle of an already dangerous riot,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Gordon told the court. “Mr. Bishop’s conduct was not peripheral — it contributed directly to overwhelming officers defending the Capitol.”

Judge Timothy J. Kelly, in handing down the sentence, emphasized the severity of Bishop’s role. “This is a serious offense against democracy itself,” Kelly said. “You attacked the officers who stood between the mob and the Congress carrying out its constitutional duty.”

In court, Bishop struck a remorseful tone. “I made a terrible decision,” he said at sentencing. “I thought I was defending freedom, but I see now I was attacking it. I am deeply sorry.”

Arrest in the Keys

Bishop’s arrest in August 2023 was described by neighbors as “dramatic.” FBI agents descended on his Boot Key Harbor home with tactical gear, drones and boats. “They came in with a tactical team and drones and all kinds of s—,” one witness told local media.

Trump pardon and release

Bishop was among more than 1,500 Jan. 6 defendants pardoned by Trump in early 2025. Trump described them as “patriots” who had been treated “unfairly.” The move immediately freed Bishop, who had served less than five months of his 45-month sentence.

He has since returned to Boot Key Harbor, where he and his wife, Tonya, maintain a city mooring permit.

U.S. Attorney’s Office: “Not protest. Criminal.”

In a statement following Bishop’s sentencing, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia underscored the gravity of his conduct. “Those who assaulted law enforcement officers during the Capitol breach will be held accountable,” the office said. “Mr. Bishop’s actions were not protest. They were criminal.”

The event was listed on the Southernmost Republicans website, which also listed its officers as Vince Pacifico (Chairman,), Todd German (Vice Chairman,) Holly Clements (Secretary,) and Davina Arietta (Treasurer.)