Congresswoman Says NJ Man Charged In Capitol Riot Threatened Her

NEW JERSEY — A North Jersey man charged with multiple crimes stemming from his alleged participation in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was identified as a threat months ago, according to a Missouri congresswoman.

U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, who represents Missouri's 1st District, said she identified Scott Fairlamb as a threat back in June. When Bush commented on the incident in St. Louis in which Mark and Patricia McCloskey pointed their guns at racial injustice protesters, she said Fairlamb responded.

"Thank goodness no one was hurt by their gross behavior," Bush wrote.

The response from the deleted social media account @fairlambfit said "You're full of (expletive). Shoulda lit your (expletive) up."

The 43-year-old Fairlamb, a longtime resident of Butler who moved to Stockholm last year and who owns Fairlamb Fit in Pompton Lakes, was arrested last week and charged in connection with his role in the violent and deadly assault on the Capitol, officials said.

Fairlamb, an undefeated Golden and Diamond Gloves boxing champion, was charged with:

• Certain acts during civil disorder

• Assaulting a federal officer

• Knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority carrying a dangerous weapon

• Violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds

"This is Scott Fairlamb. In June, he threatened my life on social media. We identified him as a threat then, and still, on January 6th, he attacked the Capitol," Bush said, posting a photo of Fairlamb and his comments on social media. "I don’t want to think about what would’ve happened had he found me that day. This is white supremacy in action."

Nine New Jersey residents are now among the growing list of people charged in connection with the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. And the FBI is still continuing its manhunt by posting photos of people who unlawfully entered the Capitol and assaulted federal officers.

Federal investigators reviewed now-deleted social media videos and compared them with body footage from officers on duty at the Capitol on Jan. 6. A video submitted to the FBI captured a white man in a brown camouflage jacket that they identified as Fairlamb shove and punch an officer from behind on the West Front of the Capitol, documents show.

This is not the first time Fairlamb has defied elected authority. Back in May, Fairlamb, backed by supporters, announced his plans to reopen his Passaic County gym despite Gov. Phil Murphy's executive orders keeping gyms closed to stop help stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"He has overstepped his boundaries, and it's time for these gyms, that are, that are essential to open up," Fairlamb told CBS News.

Conspiracy Theory Vortex

A report from the Huffington Post said Fairlamb had gotten sucked into conspiracy theories long before the coronavirus pandemic.

“Over the last 8-10 years, Scott got pulled more and more into the conspiracy theory vortex and pushed everything in his life aside for it. Trump’s first campaign set his targets on [Hillary Clinton] and ‘lock her up,’ then it moved to QAnon type stuff over the last few years and ultimately resulted in his participation in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot,” an acquaintance told the publication. “I feel for his wife, family, employees and community, but I have zero empathy for him. He’s had too many chances over the years to correct his pattern of bullying behavior ― all while portraying himself as a ‘good guy with a Batman cape’ in his hometown.”

Law Enforcement Family

Scott Fairlamb is the younger son of the late Preston "Jay" Fairlamb Jr., who died in a motorcycle crash in 2012 at the age of 64. The elder Fairlamb was a retired New Jersey state trooper, serving as a lieutenant before retiring in 2002, according to his obituary. He primarily worked in Troop B, which covers northern New Jersey, during his 28 years as a trooper.

Preston Fairlamb III, Scott Fairlamb's brother, is a member of the Secret Service and, according to former first lady Michelle Obama's 2018 memoir, had "led my detail" at one point, CNN reported.

According to LinkedIn, Preston Fairlamb III is currently the Resident Agent in Charge at the U.S. Secret Service in New Jersey.

Scott Fairlamb's attorney, Harley Breite, told CNN that Preston Fairlamb III was unaware of his brother's alleged actions during the attack on the Capitol.

Breite is described on a film documentary website as a successful, long-haired, bowtie-wearing, confident, brash, Ferrari-driving 51-year-old lawyer, who lives with his mother and relishes taking the side of the underdog and fighting prosecutors and police officers.

His clients are the most despised people in society: serial killers, gang members, sexual predators, the site says.

Still In Custody

Fairlamb is being held in the Hudson County Correctional Facility as he awaits a hearing in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, according to the Department of Justice.

Before the website for Fairlamb's gym was taken down and the phones disconnected, it said that Fairlamb's life experience and approach to training are one in the same — aggressive, focused and intense.

"With a 'no excuse' type attitude, Scott impacts the lives of his clients day in and day out. Just when you think you "can't", he will ensure that you 'can,' pushing boundaries, exceeding standards and helping you achieve nothing but greatness," the site says.
Fairlamb's bio picture has this quote:

"Tell me I can't, and I will show you that I can."

Thanks for reading! Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Have a news tip you'd like to share? Or maybe you have a press release you would like to submit or a correction you'd like to request? Send an email to russ.crespolini@patch.com

Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter. You can also have them delivered to your phone screen by downloading, or by visiting the Google Play store.

This article originally appeared on the Hopatcong-Sparta Patch