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The Breach: The Untold Story of the Investigation into January 6th
“Winners make history.” —Kevin McCarthy
Make no mistake: modern information warfare is here and January 6th was just the first battle. That day, an unhinged mindset led to an attack on the Capitol, the most serious assault on American democracy since the end of the Civil War. And that thinking portends even darker days ahead.
In The Breach, a former House Republican and the first member of Congress to sound the alarm about QAnon, Denver Riggleman, provides readers with an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at the January 6th select committee’s investigation. Riggleman, who joined the committee as senior technical advisor after he was asked to help, lays out the full intent and scope of the plot to overturn the election. The book includes previously unpublished texts from key political leaders. And it also contains shocking details about the Trump White House’s links to militant extremist groups—even during the almost-eight-hour period on January 6th when the White House supposedly had no phone calls. The man responsible for unearthing Mark Meadows’s infamous texts shows how data analysis shapes the contours of our new war, telling how the committee uncovered many of its explosive findings and sharing revealing stories from his time in the Trump-era GOP.
With unique insights from within the far-right movement and from the front lines of the courageous team investigating it, Riggleman shows how our democracy is balanced on a knife’s edge between disinformation and truth. Here is a revelatory peek at the inner workings of the January 6th committee and a clear-eyed look at the existential threats facing our republic—and a blueprint for how America can fight to survive the darkest night before the dawn.
Make no mistake: modern information warfare is here and January 6th was just the first battle. That day, an unhinged mindset led to an attack on the Capitol, the most serious assault on American democracy since the end of the Civil War. And that thinking portends even darker days ahead.
In The Breach, a former House Republican and the first member of Congress to sound the alarm about QAnon, Denver Riggleman, provides readers with an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at the January 6th select committee’s investigation. Riggleman, who joined the committee as senior technical advisor after he was asked to help, lays out the full intent and scope of the plot to overturn the election. The book includes previously unpublished texts from key political leaders. And it also contains shocking details about the Trump White House’s links to militant extremist groups—even during the almost-eight-hour period on January 6th when the White House supposedly had no phone calls. The man responsible for unearthing Mark Meadows’s infamous texts shows how data analysis shapes the contours of our new war, telling how the committee uncovered many of its explosive findings and sharing revealing stories from his time in the Trump-era GOP.
With unique insights from within the far-right movement and from the front lines of the courageous team investigating it, Riggleman shows how our democracy is balanced on a knife’s edge between disinformation and truth. Here is a revelatory peek at the inner workings of the January 6th committee and a clear-eyed look at the existential threats facing our republic—and a blueprint for how America can fight to survive the darkest night before the dawn.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published September 27, 2022
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December 18, 2024
I wasn’t sure what more, in terms of awfulness, could be revealed about January 6, 2021, but then I read Denver Riggleman’s book “The Breach: The untold Story of the Investigation Into January 6”. The insanity doesn’t stop.
Riggleman—-a veteran of the Air Force, intelligence officer, NSA consultant, CEO contractor for the Department of Defense, and U.S. Congressman (R) 2019-2022—-was one of the first members of Congress to warn fellow members about the whackadoodles who follow Q-Anon. Viewed by many at the time as a lark, Q-Anon was a series of posts from an anonymous source that were gaining a following.
Spouting outrageous conspiracy theories (especially ones involving Hillary Clinton, Democrats, and Hollywood bigwigs who were engaged in a global pedophilic network in nonexistent basements of pizza parlors to harvest adrenochrome from young children), Q-Anon wasn’t just gaining a following, though. It was actually being supported by Trump and FOX News anchors and espoused as truth to millions of gullible Americans.
Riggleman recognized the dangers immediately. He viewed the movement as a cult, one that was even more dangerous than a normal cult, as it did not seem to have any central leadership nor any real ideology other than just batshit crazy conspiracy theories.
A few things about Riggleman that I respect and relate to: He was raised a Mormon, but, during his late-teens, he left the church, recognizing that it had many cult-like characteristics.
Indeed, Riggleman began to recognize many of the world religions as having cult-like characteristics. He did not truck with blind faith or accepting something as true simply because millions of other fools believed it was true.
He was also fascinated by Bigfoot. Not so much in the actual existence of the mythical beast but rather in the hundreds of thousands of people who not only believe in Bigfoot but devote much of their life—-money and time—-to searching for the creature. Riggleman thinks these people are nuts, but he also sees in them a case study of the same kind of brain-washing and misplaced faith as cultists.
Enter Liz Cheney, who asked Riggleman to be a consultant for the investigative team for the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack. He accepted, and his job for the subsequent several months would be to pore over the e-mails, texts, and cell phone calls entering and exiting the White House on that now-infamous date.
Needless to say, he found a shitload of cray-cray, much of which has helped to build a pretty solid case against Trump and many of his lackies.
Just to name a few people who are seriously implicated in that day, thanks to their boneheaded texts: White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, Roger Stone, FOX News’s Sean Hannity, Overstock.com CEO and conspiracy theorist Patrick Byrne, and Virginia Thomas (wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas).
Riggleman’s book sheds some pretty horrifying light on why that infamous date will be as historically important as 9/11.
Riggleman—-a veteran of the Air Force, intelligence officer, NSA consultant, CEO contractor for the Department of Defense, and U.S. Congressman (R) 2019-2022—-was one of the first members of Congress to warn fellow members about the whackadoodles who follow Q-Anon. Viewed by many at the time as a lark, Q-Anon was a series of posts from an anonymous source that were gaining a following.
Spouting outrageous conspiracy theories (especially ones involving Hillary Clinton, Democrats, and Hollywood bigwigs who were engaged in a global pedophilic network in nonexistent basements of pizza parlors to harvest adrenochrome from young children), Q-Anon wasn’t just gaining a following, though. It was actually being supported by Trump and FOX News anchors and espoused as truth to millions of gullible Americans.
Riggleman recognized the dangers immediately. He viewed the movement as a cult, one that was even more dangerous than a normal cult, as it did not seem to have any central leadership nor any real ideology other than just batshit crazy conspiracy theories.
A few things about Riggleman that I respect and relate to: He was raised a Mormon, but, during his late-teens, he left the church, recognizing that it had many cult-like characteristics.
Indeed, Riggleman began to recognize many of the world religions as having cult-like characteristics. He did not truck with blind faith or accepting something as true simply because millions of other fools believed it was true.
He was also fascinated by Bigfoot. Not so much in the actual existence of the mythical beast but rather in the hundreds of thousands of people who not only believe in Bigfoot but devote much of their life—-money and time—-to searching for the creature. Riggleman thinks these people are nuts, but he also sees in them a case study of the same kind of brain-washing and misplaced faith as cultists.
Enter Liz Cheney, who asked Riggleman to be a consultant for the investigative team for the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack. He accepted, and his job for the subsequent several months would be to pore over the e-mails, texts, and cell phone calls entering and exiting the White House on that now-infamous date.
Needless to say, he found a shitload of cray-cray, much of which has helped to build a pretty solid case against Trump and many of his lackies.
Just to name a few people who are seriously implicated in that day, thanks to their boneheaded texts: White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, Roger Stone, FOX News’s Sean Hannity, Overstock.com CEO and conspiracy theorist Patrick Byrne, and Virginia Thomas (wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas).
Riggleman’s book sheds some pretty horrifying light on why that infamous date will be as historically important as 9/11.
October 4, 2022
Americans have no idea how close we were to a total collapse of our democracy. A Constitutional crisis was avoided because folks like Pence and others did their job, followed the Constitution and didn't allow Trump and his followers to overturn a free and fair election. Beyond that, is the fact that the author has proof. Stone-cold evidence from inside the White House; inside the Oval Office. He has the "crown jewels" of text messages from Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. Rudy, Michael Flynn, The My Pillow Guy, Mo Brooks, Don Jr, Ivanka, Jason Miller, Sydney Powell, Steve Bannon, Alex Jones, Roger Stone and hundreds of other Republicans planned this coup ahead of the November election. Within days of the election, the plan was enacted, the lies were created and the Stop the Steal machine was put in place. Two years after that election, the machine is in full force. EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN WHO CARES ABOUT OUR DEMOCRACY SHOULD READ THIS BOOK.
November 7, 2022
Not a lot of new information here about the January 6 investigation but I found the author's insight and perspective interesting. Riggleman is an ex Mormon, ex Republican Congressman who is a highly trained data analyst. He was called on to analyze a lot of call data from January 6 and does reveal some of his findings. What was more interesting to me was his take on the alt-right followers from a cult/Christian fundamentalist angle and his own personal journey from being a staunch Republican to having to distance himself from a party that he feels has strayed into dangerous territory.
September 27, 2022
AMAZING READ. A former Republican Congressman who served in the US Air Force and NSA among others, has written an alarming behind the scenes account of the January 6th traitorous insurrection, the bi-partisan committee’s work to bring the truth out of the shadows, and expose the lies of ex-prez tRump, QAnon, and those in the cult of lies that are trying to destroy US.
December 26, 2025
Author Denver Riggleman was a one-term Republican congressman from Virginia. His district was redrawn out of existence, and he lost his re-election bid in a different district. During his one term he was a member of the House Freedom Caucus. But it was his decades of signals intelligence that brought him to the attention of the House Jan. 6 Committee. Riggleman became the Committee's Senior Technical Advisor.
In that capacity Riggleman claims to have witnessed a lot of disturbing behavior among his fellow Republicans. "Breach" is his tell-all. "The Breach" is an excellent companion piece with Liz Chaney's "Oath and Honor."
Riggleman's "The Breach" is an excellent account of how Congress works as well as the mechanizations around Jan. 6. A definite must read for anyone interested in politics.
In that capacity Riggleman claims to have witnessed a lot of disturbing behavior among his fellow Republicans. "Breach" is his tell-all. "The Breach" is an excellent companion piece with Liz Chaney's "Oath and Honor."
Riggleman's "The Breach" is an excellent account of how Congress works as well as the mechanizations around Jan. 6. A definite must read for anyone interested in politics.
December 9, 2022
This book was disappointing. Mr. Riggleman seems not to have much to say, but over and over he says that he does. If you've kept up with January 6 in a good newspaper, you don't need to spend your time on this book.
October 2, 2022
Exceptional analysis of the data by someone with the expert background to do so...
A must read that gets to the heart of the data behind so much more than the events of January 6th.
A must read that gets to the heart of the data behind so much more than the events of January 6th.
November 17, 2022
Denver Riggleman claims one should follow the data and that data doesn't lie. Unfortunately for the reader, he leaves out several crucial pieces of info in this book, where he casts himself as a heroic defender of the nation and sees himself as smarter and more righteous than everyone on the committee he briefly worked for. Such as: why did he leave his position as a staffer for the investigative committee?
I do think it is undeniable that numerous elected Republicans attempted a coup to keep Trump in power illegitimately and that these efforts partially culminated in the breach of the capitol building on January 6th, I do think the committees (continuing) work to investigate this is imperative and I am sure Riggleman played a valuable role in obtaining and analyzing some of the data that was part of that investigation. But he is unable to provide a comprehensive perspective on the investigation (which was still in progress while he wrote the book, and is still on going now as I write this review!) and he doesn't even lay out all the 'facts' in a clear compelling timeline the way his introduction promises he will. Chapters focus on individuals or particular investigation threads or methods and span various timelines with no clear sense throughout the book of the overall timeline, and are interspersed with extended autobiographical asides about his personal life.
I do think it's important to collect information from multiple perspectives, so I don't regret having read this book, but it's pretty myopic. Riggleman assesses the far-right as a domestic terror threat, but then concludes that in order to fight against them we need to empower police with "cutting-edge data and programs for tracking deep-web activity", as if law enforcement and January 6 rioters were completely separate entities. And several times he talks about wishing a particular investigative thread could have been followed up on further, or at one point being sorry that a particular target's data was acquired after he left his position working for the committee, but never once does he mention or explain why he left. The biggest takeaway from this book is the size of Riggleman's ego, and the suspicion that he wrote it with hopes of catapulting himself to a renewed political career.
I do think it is undeniable that numerous elected Republicans attempted a coup to keep Trump in power illegitimately and that these efforts partially culminated in the breach of the capitol building on January 6th, I do think the committees (continuing) work to investigate this is imperative and I am sure Riggleman played a valuable role in obtaining and analyzing some of the data that was part of that investigation. But he is unable to provide a comprehensive perspective on the investigation (which was still in progress while he wrote the book, and is still on going now as I write this review!) and he doesn't even lay out all the 'facts' in a clear compelling timeline the way his introduction promises he will. Chapters focus on individuals or particular investigation threads or methods and span various timelines with no clear sense throughout the book of the overall timeline, and are interspersed with extended autobiographical asides about his personal life.
I do think it's important to collect information from multiple perspectives, so I don't regret having read this book, but it's pretty myopic. Riggleman assesses the far-right as a domestic terror threat, but then concludes that in order to fight against them we need to empower police with "cutting-edge data and programs for tracking deep-web activity", as if law enforcement and January 6 rioters were completely separate entities. And several times he talks about wishing a particular investigative thread could have been followed up on further, or at one point being sorry that a particular target's data was acquired after he left his position working for the committee, but never once does he mention or explain why he left. The biggest takeaway from this book is the size of Riggleman's ego, and the suspicion that he wrote it with hopes of catapulting himself to a renewed political career.
July 29, 2023
This book is at its best for me when elaborating on the cultish nature of many MAGA supporters. I was also rivetted by Riggleman's personal story. As a fellow Virginian and UVA Wahoo, I feel like the author and I have shared experiences, including that of feeling on separate sides of politics from our dearest ones.
October 9, 2022
Terrifying that this is the stuff he *can* tell us.
June 24, 2023
4/10
There's a lot to unpack from this book. The author was a consultant to the January 6th investigation, but left the investigation under circumstances which the author did not describe, which is suspicious. It should be known that the author variously claimed to leave the investigation to work with a Ukrainian non-profit or because the investigation would not subpoena Virgina Thomas, wife of supreme court justice Clarence Thomas.
However, the data presented in this book tells a disturbing story about the pervasiveness and depth of the penetration of QAnon theories and violent ideologies in the GOP.
This book should be read alongside the executive summary of the January 6th report for full context.
There's a lot to unpack from this book. The author was a consultant to the January 6th investigation, but left the investigation under circumstances which the author did not describe, which is suspicious. It should be known that the author variously claimed to leave the investigation to work with a Ukrainian non-profit or because the investigation would not subpoena Virgina Thomas, wife of supreme court justice Clarence Thomas.
However, the data presented in this book tells a disturbing story about the pervasiveness and depth of the penetration of QAnon theories and violent ideologies in the GOP.
This book should be read alongside the executive summary of the January 6th report for full context.
January 20, 2024
Repetitive partisan hyperbolic drivel. Does not deliver on its promise. There's not a lot of new information here.
June 22, 2023
The author, Denver Riggleman, is a former U.S. Republican member of Congress who was asked to assist the Congressional House committee investigating the January 6th attack on the Capital. Riggleman had an extensive background in intelligence and communications gathering and was tasked with trying to cobble together the overwhelming maze of contacts and communications among the subjects involved in the attack. What he and his team discovered was unsettling, to say the least.
In the book he describes the enormous difficulty in figuring out who was plotting with who, and thanks to some good fortune, such as the surprising release of White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows text messages, he was able to name names. Many were not particularly surprising, but still disturbing, while others that popped up were very noteworthy (hello Ginni Thomas!).
On the personal side, Riggleman grew up in a very conservative Mormon household, and he details the toll his work with the committee took on him and his family, as he was shunned by friends, and notably his own mother. It is a microcosm of the ugly divide brought on in this country by the rise of MAGA and its extreme cultish behavior.
This is a good read about the attack and is recommended for those who would like to gain a larger understanding of that day and the lead up to the violent attempt to stage a coup against our democracy.
In the book he describes the enormous difficulty in figuring out who was plotting with who, and thanks to some good fortune, such as the surprising release of White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows text messages, he was able to name names. Many were not particularly surprising, but still disturbing, while others that popped up were very noteworthy (hello Ginni Thomas!).
On the personal side, Riggleman grew up in a very conservative Mormon household, and he details the toll his work with the committee took on him and his family, as he was shunned by friends, and notably his own mother. It is a microcosm of the ugly divide brought on in this country by the rise of MAGA and its extreme cultish behavior.
This is a good read about the attack and is recommended for those who would like to gain a larger understanding of that day and the lead up to the violent attempt to stage a coup against our democracy.
August 18, 2023
Denver Riggleman used to be my Congressman. He is now a former Republican and a one term Congressman. Why? Because he failed to follow his fellow party members down a rabbit hole of destructive lies and insane conspiracy theories. I admire him for that. I am familiar with many of the events described in this book. Still, they enrage me. People who swore an oath to uphold our Constitution tried to defile it. I am also scratching my head. Many maga supporters seem to actually believe they are fighting for good over evil in supporting a man who has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he belongs nowhere near the seat of our government. How does this end? It's a terrifying thought in a nation where many seem to have lost their sanity.
September 7, 2024
Excellent.
September 28, 2023
What you think of this book will depend entirely on what you think of the events of January 6, 2021. If you think it was an insurrection whipped up by Donald Trump and those around him, you'll like it; if you're a Trump fan who thinks the whole thing was cooked up by the FBI and the rest of the Deep State, you'll hate it. That's where we are in this country. It's really tough to write an objective review of this book, judged solely on its merits as a memoir and an inside account of the congressional investigation.
I'll try, in my capacity as a never-Trumper who is nonetheless sympathetic to some concerns of the Republican base and skeptical of the more hysterical claims of victims of Trump derangement syndrome. In other words, a citizen resisting the pull of the political extremes; I have a feeling there are more like me out there.
Denver Riggleman was an Air Force intelligence agent and briefly a Republican congressman; he's hardly a liberal snowflake or woke activist. His intelligence background landed him the job of collecting and analyzing the phone data of Trump's inner circle for the January 6 investigation. The book is his account of what he found. It didn't make him a Trump fan.
Riggleman was dismayed and alarmed by the extent to which the Trump administration was in contact with and to some extent under the influence of what can only be called the lunatic fringe on the political right, from QAnon to the Proud Boys. He details the contacts and the networks as indicated by the phone records; he calls out the people who colluded with Trump in his desperate attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. He takes on the claims that the Capitol breach was a false-flag operation by the FBI or antifa, and effectively debunks some of the 2020 election conspiracy theories. He considers the events leading up to January 6 to have been an extremely serious threat to our democracy.
Skeptics will call this another element of the Deep State cover-up; after all, as a former military intelligence officer, Riggleman comes from the security state. Make of that what you will. He lays out evidence and states his principles; whether you think January 6th was an insurrection or just a protest that got out of hand, it's hard to read this book without fervently hoping that we have seen the last of the candidate who was defeated in November, 2020.
I'll try, in my capacity as a never-Trumper who is nonetheless sympathetic to some concerns of the Republican base and skeptical of the more hysterical claims of victims of Trump derangement syndrome. In other words, a citizen resisting the pull of the political extremes; I have a feeling there are more like me out there.
Denver Riggleman was an Air Force intelligence agent and briefly a Republican congressman; he's hardly a liberal snowflake or woke activist. His intelligence background landed him the job of collecting and analyzing the phone data of Trump's inner circle for the January 6 investigation. The book is his account of what he found. It didn't make him a Trump fan.
Riggleman was dismayed and alarmed by the extent to which the Trump administration was in contact with and to some extent under the influence of what can only be called the lunatic fringe on the political right, from QAnon to the Proud Boys. He details the contacts and the networks as indicated by the phone records; he calls out the people who colluded with Trump in his desperate attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. He takes on the claims that the Capitol breach was a false-flag operation by the FBI or antifa, and effectively debunks some of the 2020 election conspiracy theories. He considers the events leading up to January 6 to have been an extremely serious threat to our democracy.
Skeptics will call this another element of the Deep State cover-up; after all, as a former military intelligence officer, Riggleman comes from the security state. Make of that what you will. He lays out evidence and states his principles; whether you think January 6th was an insurrection or just a protest that got out of hand, it's hard to read this book without fervently hoping that we have seen the last of the candidate who was defeated in November, 2020.
October 12, 2022
Denver Riggleman has been a counterintelligence agent and a Congressman. He offered his meta data analysis skills to the Jan. 6 Committee, and was given leave to begin studying the communications interface between the insurrectionists. His stint with the committee did not last; he claims it was money - tracking data is expensive- but he also admits he annoyed Liz Cheney by going around her to get information about the committee for a Congressional friend. Both aggrandizement of his skills and trickery to dig out information that doesn't belong to him to pass on to a "friend" seem plausible. Denver overpromises. The two facts he spelled out in the whole book that I found interesting were: a White House number was connected to an insurrectionist number during the brief rebellion; and there was a military component to the insurrection, in the person of Michael Flynn, who was all over the planning of the coup from before the election. Otherwise, I think you can skip this one, as he has no details.
November 20, 2022
While the first part of the book adds some great insider info about the Jan 6 capital incident, it rapidly devolves into a very partisan screed that involves as much kookiness as those he is trying to run down.
Rather than continuing as an informative work of research it seems to be more shameless self promotion. Another kook intent on profiting off a very tragic and troubling event in recent history.
Unfortunately it seems as if it will be well into the future until we get a clear eyed factual account of that tragic day and period.
Rather than continuing as an informative work of research it seems to be more shameless self promotion. Another kook intent on profiting off a very tragic and troubling event in recent history.
Unfortunately it seems as if it will be well into the future until we get a clear eyed factual account of that tragic day and period.
December 24, 2022
The Breach, by Denver Riggleman, tells us the story that we know all too well -- the January 6th insurrection. What distinguishes it from so many other books on the same subject is that it delves into the investigation of that event and how data was obtained and disseminated. In other words, it is about the science of investigation. I learned a lot about what it is possible to "know" and what is pure conjecture or propaganda. I listened to the book on Audible. Goodreads does not list this as an available edition, but it does exist.
December 6, 2022
My overall feeling from this book is that it was premature. I lost count of the number of times the phrases “at this writing” or “because the investigation is ongoing” were used. It would have been a much more compelling read had it been released a year or more later.
June 6, 2023
It didn't seem to add much beyond what I heard on the hearings though I found it interesting to read a bit about how they worked through and got the data.
September 4, 2024
Hated it. So boring. I could not get into it at all.
December 29, 2023
Denver Riggleman has written a book that is one of the most important books I've read this year which has also lit a fire in me to learn and read more about digital forensics, cybersecurity, and the psychology of cults and relgion. It was also a fascinating and disturbing look into critical details of the January 6th Select Committee's investigation into the attack.
Riggleman is a former Air Force and NSA intelligence analyst and ex-Republican congressman (he is no longer a registered Republican). He writes with the authority and technical know-how of someone who has vast experience in intelligence collection and analysis and how Congress works, or rather doesn't work due to political dysfunction.
Because of Riggleman's background, the reading experience was remarkably easy. The full January 6th Select Committee report, like the 9/11 Commission report that it was supposed to emulate, is heavily detailed and burdened by some denser legal and technical jargon because it needed to be an authoritative volume on the Committee's work. The Breach has little of this requirement, so Riggleman can take the reader through his exact thinking process as he and his team encounter violence-laden text logs, political scandals, and bureaucratic stonewalls. It was very exciting to get an inside look at the mindset of a seasoned analyst investigating this topic!
Every bit of this book touched upon an interest of mine. The telephony analysis and text chat logs spoke to my technical analysis/hacker side. Riggleman's personal experiences escaping from the Mormon Church and having deep political rifts break apart his family ties, essentially demonstrating the consistent damage cult movements have, is something I can heavily empathize with. His frustration as an intelligence practitioner navigating party politics is something I can also understand. And finally, his shock at the sheer audacity of the plotted coup/insurrection/terrorist attack that was laid out before him in the technical analysis was "fun" to experience in the scariest way. Analysts thrive off of connecting pieces of a complicated puzzle, so I found his revelations emotionally satisfying if disturbing.
I also enjoyed how Riggleman basically tore apart every half-baked conspiracy theory and fever dream fantasy that rose from the most extreme far right fringes of the internet to guide Trump administration action (and Fox News and the general right wing response) in the lead up and aftermath of January 6. He did have the wherewithal to take a few potshots at Democrats as well (he is of course, a conservative), but it was refreshing to see someone with his background truly grasp the monumental issue that is the right wing internet radicalization ecosystem. This is a space that I personally have been studying for nearly four years now. Most normal people who aren't chronically online are blissfully unaware of the dangerous crap flying around on imageboards and encrypted chatrooms. I'm glad he's sounding the alarm on this so vehemently.
A super high recommend to all Americans, particularly those who doubted the danger of January 6. This book actually convinced me the coup part of January 6 was worse than I thought. If you have an interest in digital forensics, intelligence analysis, and far right radicalization, this book scratches those itches as well.
This was also a super interesting and engaging read to cap off 2023 and a successful end to my first year of reading 52 books. Can't wait to start it all again in 2024!
Riggleman is a former Air Force and NSA intelligence analyst and ex-Republican congressman (he is no longer a registered Republican). He writes with the authority and technical know-how of someone who has vast experience in intelligence collection and analysis and how Congress works, or rather doesn't work due to political dysfunction.
Because of Riggleman's background, the reading experience was remarkably easy. The full January 6th Select Committee report, like the 9/11 Commission report that it was supposed to emulate, is heavily detailed and burdened by some denser legal and technical jargon because it needed to be an authoritative volume on the Committee's work. The Breach has little of this requirement, so Riggleman can take the reader through his exact thinking process as he and his team encounter violence-laden text logs, political scandals, and bureaucratic stonewalls. It was very exciting to get an inside look at the mindset of a seasoned analyst investigating this topic!
Every bit of this book touched upon an interest of mine. The telephony analysis and text chat logs spoke to my technical analysis/hacker side. Riggleman's personal experiences escaping from the Mormon Church and having deep political rifts break apart his family ties, essentially demonstrating the consistent damage cult movements have, is something I can heavily empathize with. His frustration as an intelligence practitioner navigating party politics is something I can also understand. And finally, his shock at the sheer audacity of the plotted coup/insurrection/terrorist attack that was laid out before him in the technical analysis was "fun" to experience in the scariest way. Analysts thrive off of connecting pieces of a complicated puzzle, so I found his revelations emotionally satisfying if disturbing.
I also enjoyed how Riggleman basically tore apart every half-baked conspiracy theory and fever dream fantasy that rose from the most extreme far right fringes of the internet to guide Trump administration action (and Fox News and the general right wing response) in the lead up and aftermath of January 6. He did have the wherewithal to take a few potshots at Democrats as well (he is of course, a conservative), but it was refreshing to see someone with his background truly grasp the monumental issue that is the right wing internet radicalization ecosystem. This is a space that I personally have been studying for nearly four years now. Most normal people who aren't chronically online are blissfully unaware of the dangerous crap flying around on imageboards and encrypted chatrooms. I'm glad he's sounding the alarm on this so vehemently.
A super high recommend to all Americans, particularly those who doubted the danger of January 6. This book actually convinced me the coup part of January 6 was worse than I thought. If you have an interest in digital forensics, intelligence analysis, and far right radicalization, this book scratches those itches as well.
This was also a super interesting and engaging read to cap off 2023 and a successful end to my first year of reading 52 books. Can't wait to start it all again in 2024!
March 11, 2024
Upfront: I’ve avoided all January 6 books. What could they offer I didn’t get from reading news articles, watching Donald Trump and his surrogates in action, watching most of January 6 live on television, and watching most of the Select Committee Hearings? Yet, Denver Riggleman’s “THE BREACH: The Untold Story of the Investigation into January 6th” was a tantalizing title: A Republican, just finishing his tenure as a United States Congressman investigating fellow Republicans.
Riggleman has a long history in intelligence gathering as an Air Force intelligence officer, and a National Security Agency consultant. His function on the Select Committee was to gather data to be analyzed by other subgroups.
Riggleman is a Republican, but he’s not a MAGA Republican.
A big part of his group’s efforts were to compile “call detail records (CDR).” CDRs are records of telephone calls in and from telephone numbers and users. Riggleman’s group located many calls between the White House and right-wing militants (Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, etc) and Trump loyalists (Mark Meadows, Roger Stone, Alex Jones, Peter Navarro, etc).
He learned how influential QAnon conspiracy theories had worked their way into Trump's network. He learned the plans to invade the Capital were not a sudden January 6 event but the culmination of weeks of coordination. He places Donald Trump at the top of the conspiracies.
There’s an explanation of why capital reinforcements were so slow to arrive. Complicated coordination procedures (including involvement of politicians) in an unusual situation were detailed.
Once that was established, the second half of the book flounders for me. He details specific persons: James Byrne, the founder of the company OVERSTOCK; Sidney Powell (who gets way more coverage than Rudy Giuliani); Ray Epps (who Trump’s people scapegoated); and Ginny Thomas (Justice Thomas’s wife). He also addresses the role of FOX news commentators.
My bottom line: I was right initially. While the book sheds some light on the details and machinations, I was aware of the major conclusions before I read the book. Persons charged with fixing the system and preventing a recurrence in 2024 should study the book. I’m not so sure the rest of us need to read it.
My rating: Three stars
Riggleman has a long history in intelligence gathering as an Air Force intelligence officer, and a National Security Agency consultant. His function on the Select Committee was to gather data to be analyzed by other subgroups.
Riggleman is a Republican, but he’s not a MAGA Republican.
A big part of his group’s efforts were to compile “call detail records (CDR).” CDRs are records of telephone calls in and from telephone numbers and users. Riggleman’s group located many calls between the White House and right-wing militants (Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, etc) and Trump loyalists (Mark Meadows, Roger Stone, Alex Jones, Peter Navarro, etc).
He learned how influential QAnon conspiracy theories had worked their way into Trump's network. He learned the plans to invade the Capital were not a sudden January 6 event but the culmination of weeks of coordination. He places Donald Trump at the top of the conspiracies.
There’s an explanation of why capital reinforcements were so slow to arrive. Complicated coordination procedures (including involvement of politicians) in an unusual situation were detailed.
Once that was established, the second half of the book flounders for me. He details specific persons: James Byrne, the founder of the company OVERSTOCK; Sidney Powell (who gets way more coverage than Rudy Giuliani); Ray Epps (who Trump’s people scapegoated); and Ginny Thomas (Justice Thomas’s wife). He also addresses the role of FOX news commentators.
My bottom line: I was right initially. While the book sheds some light on the details and machinations, I was aware of the major conclusions before I read the book. Persons charged with fixing the system and preventing a recurrence in 2024 should study the book. I’m not so sure the rest of us need to read it.
My rating: Three stars
March 4, 2024
Denver Riggleman’s book is an in-depth report on the Capitol Attack on January 6th. Throughout his writings he presents text messages, call logs and key players in what would be the worst attack on Democracy in American History.
The Breach was, at times, a difficult read due to the subject matter wavering between too much information and not enough. Riggleman does a great job at connecting all of the complex dots and exposing the various parties and their involvements on January 6th. The average American reader will no doubt be shocked at the revelations he included.
Riggleman lays out a complex political and social network of influencers who were vital in stoking the fires of dissent and misinformation that ultimately led to the mass hysteria that convinced so many Americans of a giant conspiracy theory that falsely accused Biden and Democrats of planning to steal an election. What’s truly disturbing about The Breach is how right Riggleman was, that some of the highest positions of our federal government plotted to retain power by any means necessary long before the events of January 6th.
I have to respect the author and value his insights throughout this book. He brings hard data as well as his own beliefs from his experience as an ex-military intelligence analyst as well as being a former GOP congressman. It’s not easy coming to terms with the truth and Riggleman expertly navigates this struggle throughout the book while remaining a champion of the truth. His first-hand accounts on heading up the investigative team into text logs and the phone data show just how complex this plot was and how scarily connected far-right fringes are to the Federal Government.
I wish I could say I can sleep better knowing that there are good people out there looking through the data and are raising awareness about the possible collapse of our great nation. But the truth is, The Breach, while a fantastic book of revelations, raises more concerns over the future of the United States.
The Breach was, at times, a difficult read due to the subject matter wavering between too much information and not enough. Riggleman does a great job at connecting all of the complex dots and exposing the various parties and their involvements on January 6th. The average American reader will no doubt be shocked at the revelations he included.
Riggleman lays out a complex political and social network of influencers who were vital in stoking the fires of dissent and misinformation that ultimately led to the mass hysteria that convinced so many Americans of a giant conspiracy theory that falsely accused Biden and Democrats of planning to steal an election. What’s truly disturbing about The Breach is how right Riggleman was, that some of the highest positions of our federal government plotted to retain power by any means necessary long before the events of January 6th.
I have to respect the author and value his insights throughout this book. He brings hard data as well as his own beliefs from his experience as an ex-military intelligence analyst as well as being a former GOP congressman. It’s not easy coming to terms with the truth and Riggleman expertly navigates this struggle throughout the book while remaining a champion of the truth. His first-hand accounts on heading up the investigative team into text logs and the phone data show just how complex this plot was and how scarily connected far-right fringes are to the Federal Government.
I wish I could say I can sleep better knowing that there are good people out there looking through the data and are raising awareness about the possible collapse of our great nation. But the truth is, The Breach, while a fantastic book of revelations, raises more concerns over the future of the United States.
March 31, 2024
I received a free copy of this book from Henry Holt and Denver Riggleman through a sponsored Goodreads giveaway. Thank you!
Modern information warfare has arrived, with January 6th, 2021 marking just the beginning. The assault on the US Capitol, driven by extreme ideologies, stands as one of the greatest threats to American democracy since the Civil War. In "The Breach," Denver Riggleman, a former House Republican, offers unprecedented insights into the January 6th committee's investigation, revealing the plot's depth and connections, including details about the Trump White House's ties to extremist groups. Riggleman's account, enriched by his experience with the far-right movement, underscores the urgent need to defend democracy against disinformation, providing a blueprint for America's survival amidst looming threats.
Despite my initial skepticism toward January 6th-related books, Riggleman's "The Breach" intrigued me. As a former Congressman investigating his own party, Riggleman's insights, rooted in his intelligence background, offer a fresh perspective that's rarely seen in today's political climate. While shedding light on coordination and conspiracy within Trump's network, the book's latter half, focusing on specific individuals, felt less compelling. While valuable for those tasked with preventing future incidents, its revelations may not be essential for all readers, as much of the information told in this book was either previously known to the public or not surprising due to the nature of the situation and the players involved.
Thank you again, Henry Holt & Denver Riggleman, for the free copy of this book! 3.50/5.00 stars.
Modern information warfare has arrived, with January 6th, 2021 marking just the beginning. The assault on the US Capitol, driven by extreme ideologies, stands as one of the greatest threats to American democracy since the Civil War. In "The Breach," Denver Riggleman, a former House Republican, offers unprecedented insights into the January 6th committee's investigation, revealing the plot's depth and connections, including details about the Trump White House's ties to extremist groups. Riggleman's account, enriched by his experience with the far-right movement, underscores the urgent need to defend democracy against disinformation, providing a blueprint for America's survival amidst looming threats.
Despite my initial skepticism toward January 6th-related books, Riggleman's "The Breach" intrigued me. As a former Congressman investigating his own party, Riggleman's insights, rooted in his intelligence background, offer a fresh perspective that's rarely seen in today's political climate. While shedding light on coordination and conspiracy within Trump's network, the book's latter half, focusing on specific individuals, felt less compelling. While valuable for those tasked with preventing future incidents, its revelations may not be essential for all readers, as much of the information told in this book was either previously known to the public or not surprising due to the nature of the situation and the players involved.
Thank you again, Henry Holt & Denver Riggleman, for the free copy of this book! 3.50/5.00 stars.
December 19, 2022
The House Committee makes its final public presentation tomorrow and its report is to be released on 21 December. I won’t have the stomach to wade through the whole thing; no doubt, it will be dissected ad nauseum in the media for ages to come.
Riggleman’s book is so-so. He says he sets out to describe the results of work he led for the House Committee, analyzing telephone and social media data related to the group charged with offenses since January 6th. He does that a bit, but by far most of the material relates to how the team and analyses were set up and the problems the team encountered in accessing data subpoenaed by the Committee. The last chapter – which documents insane conspiracy-driven texts between Ginni Thomas (wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas) and Mark Meadows (Trump’s ex-Chief of Staff) – is interesting just by virtue of being totally bizarre.
There do not seem to be many smoking guns in the evidence sifted by the Committee. However, there is a heap of evidence that clearly documents incriminating links between critical members of extremist groups, White House lawmakers, lawyers, police and military personnel, and right-wing media groups. His group was, at least, able to document that there was direct communication between someone in the White House and an insurrectionist while the events of January 6th were taking place.
Be forewarned that large sections of this book give Riggleman’s life story, which is neither here nor there, and which I skimmed past very quickly.
Riggleman’s book is so-so. He says he sets out to describe the results of work he led for the House Committee, analyzing telephone and social media data related to the group charged with offenses since January 6th. He does that a bit, but by far most of the material relates to how the team and analyses were set up and the problems the team encountered in accessing data subpoenaed by the Committee. The last chapter – which documents insane conspiracy-driven texts between Ginni Thomas (wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas) and Mark Meadows (Trump’s ex-Chief of Staff) – is interesting just by virtue of being totally bizarre.
There do not seem to be many smoking guns in the evidence sifted by the Committee. However, there is a heap of evidence that clearly documents incriminating links between critical members of extremist groups, White House lawmakers, lawyers, police and military personnel, and right-wing media groups. His group was, at least, able to document that there was direct communication between someone in the White House and an insurrectionist while the events of January 6th were taking place.
Be forewarned that large sections of this book give Riggleman’s life story, which is neither here nor there, and which I skimmed past very quickly.
December 11, 2022
One of the best books, fiction or non-fiction, I've read this year. On a basic level I like Riggleman's writing voice. As you read the print version it's like you are sitting in the room with him as he tells not only the story of his work with the January 6 committee, but his own history--how he got where he is today. He is frank, open, and honest about who he is. His personal history is interesting -- he's a guy just like a lot of us people -- his background is similar to the majority of most Americans in so many ways. He chose his path with his eyes open and took in the information he needed to make his choices.
This is not a "trump bashing" book. It is the analytical telling of what led up to January 6 and the coup attempt that followed. It tells of his concerns past, present and future and what to do about it. He has an amazing mind and knows what and how to look for what is hidden. He seems to say he learned much of this along the way through his various career moves, but underlying it is an amazing mind. I don't know Mr. Riggleman, never met him, but would be thrilled to do so and to have a chance to actually speak with him.
This book is not a political treatise or, as a said, a Trump bashing book. It is a fact base, yet easily readable telling of a part of the United States' history.
This is not a "trump bashing" book. It is the analytical telling of what led up to January 6 and the coup attempt that followed. It tells of his concerns past, present and future and what to do about it. He has an amazing mind and knows what and how to look for what is hidden. He seems to say he learned much of this along the way through his various career moves, but underlying it is an amazing mind. I don't know Mr. Riggleman, never met him, but would be thrilled to do so and to have a chance to actually speak with him.
This book is not a political treatise or, as a said, a Trump bashing book. It is a fact base, yet easily readable telling of a part of the United States' history.
September 14, 2023
Mr. Riggleman begins his story with his "de-programming" from the "cult" of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
He ends by saying that the LDS church isn't actually a cult, and that it can help some people and be good for them, and compares that to the #MAGA movement, which has no redeeming qualities.
This undercuts his overall premise. And as a card-carrying member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I found the whole thing silly. If we can't distinguish between mainstream religions and political cults accurately in a book like this, what's the point?
The rest of it was fantastic, though. A deep dive in the the fever swamps of the right-wing nutcases that mostly influence and run the Republican party (which I was sympathetic to until DJT came upon the scene), he goes through a lot of how we got here, what's currently going on, what's, you know, actually going on (no, the "deep state" full of satanic pedophiles isn't engaged in an unholy war against God's chosen vessel Donald Trump), and what we can do to defeat this nonsense, it was a great book. If he hadn't undermined his credibility using Mormonism as a test case, a comparison that I think no reasonable person would actually make and which he undermines himself towards the end, this would get 4 or 5 stars. But I give it 3.
He ends by saying that the LDS church isn't actually a cult, and that it can help some people and be good for them, and compares that to the #MAGA movement, which has no redeeming qualities.
This undercuts his overall premise. And as a card-carrying member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I found the whole thing silly. If we can't distinguish between mainstream religions and political cults accurately in a book like this, what's the point?
The rest of it was fantastic, though. A deep dive in the the fever swamps of the right-wing nutcases that mostly influence and run the Republican party (which I was sympathetic to until DJT came upon the scene), he goes through a lot of how we got here, what's currently going on, what's, you know, actually going on (no, the "deep state" full of satanic pedophiles isn't engaged in an unholy war against God's chosen vessel Donald Trump), and what we can do to defeat this nonsense, it was a great book. If he hadn't undermined his credibility using Mormonism as a test case, a comparison that I think no reasonable person would actually make and which he undermines himself towards the end, this would get 4 or 5 stars. But I give it 3.
March 11, 2024
Interesting story about a former Republican congressman that helped investigate the January 6th attack on the capitol. Riggleman is a former Air Force intelligence officer with experience in analyzing various types of data to identify terrorist networks. He utilized those skills to help the January 6th committee analyze phone and text logs from many people under investigation.
This was an interesting POV as Riggleman was a staunch conservative even though he didn’t go along with everything that Donald Trump did and stood for. This caused many problems for him personally and professionally, but shows that not every Republican buys into the MAGA ethos and election denialism.
There was one part of the story that did talk to the Democrats not being totally without blame regarding the capitol’s defense that day. I appreciated Riggleman being honest about this and showing that politics is ever present in anything related to Washington, D.C., even an investigation into the causes of an attack on the capitol.
I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to know more about the January 6th investigation, and some of the data analysis that was performed.
This was an interesting POV as Riggleman was a staunch conservative even though he didn’t go along with everything that Donald Trump did and stood for. This caused many problems for him personally and professionally, but shows that not every Republican buys into the MAGA ethos and election denialism.
There was one part of the story that did talk to the Democrats not being totally without blame regarding the capitol’s defense that day. I appreciated Riggleman being honest about this and showing that politics is ever present in anything related to Washington, D.C., even an investigation into the causes of an attack on the capitol.
I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to know more about the January 6th investigation, and some of the data analysis that was performed.
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