Jennifer Gugger is a Philadelphia Police detective who has been reassigned from her job evaluating the backgrounds of recruits amid an internal investigation launched after the department received a tip she attended the pro-Trump “Stop the Steal” rally at the U.S. Capitol ahead of a riot that led to the death of a police officer, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Gugger has also made posts supporting the QAnon conspiracy on her social media pages reviewed by Heavy.
The 51-year-old Gugger has not been accused of going into the Capitol during the siege or of taking part in the riot. Fraternal Order of Police President John McNesby told the Inquirer Gugger attended the rally on a day off and “exercised her First Amendment rights to attend an event.”
The pro-Trump police union leader told the newspaper, “We believe she has done nothing wrong and we await the results of a complete, internal review. We strongly condemn the violence and loss of life at the Capitol and hope those responsible will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Philadelphia Police Chief Danielle Outlaw said in a statement to the Inquirer that any officer found to have taken part in “lawlessness” at the Capitol would face “swift and definitive action.” Outlaw added, “The PPD supports all lawful expressions of First-Amendment rights, but the attack on the Capitol Building went well beyond the rights of free speech. I can assure the public that a full and thorough investigation will take place, and ask that anyone with additional information reach out to our Internal Affairs Bureau.”
Here’s what you need to know about Detective Jennifer Gugger:
1. Gugger Posted a QAnon Image on Facebook in October With the Phrase ‘the Storm Has Arrived’ & Has Tweeted Multiple Times About the Conspiracy Theory
TwitterDetective Jennifer Gugger.
Gugger’s now-deleted Facebook page, where she used the name Jenny Lynn, included a cover photo featuring QAnon conspiracy symbols, the Inquirer reports. The cover image included the letter Q, along with lightning bolts and the words “The Storm has arrived.” The QAnon conspiracy includes a belief that Trump and other operatives in his administration will expose human and child sex traffickers and other opponents of Trump, ranging from prominent politicians to celebrities, leading to arrests and executions.
Gugger is also very vocal about the QAnon conspiracy theory on Twitter, where she uses the handle @Jgugger927. She writes in her bio on the social media site, “American Patriot, conservative, Philly girl, football lover Go Eagles Eagle #Trump is my president!!” She often retweeted accounts associated with the conspiracy theory.
.@PhillyInquirer reports that local
Detective Jennifer Gugger was removed from her position in the police department’s Recruit Background Investigations Unit after Internal Affairs received tips she’s been at the Wed riot
This was a recent FB post of hers
t.co/EZECYaCzV7
Gugger tweeted on November 25, “Anyone who lives in PA (me) knows that Trump unequivocally won PA!! No doubt in my mind. Philly is run by a bunch of cheating lying Democratic cretins!! Anyone with an ounce of sense knows the deal. You’re trying to steal this election. Not on my watch!!!”
Gugger tweeted on January 5 that she had taken time off from work to travel to D.C. for the rally and was disappointed nothing had happened yet to make Trump the winner of the election. She wrote, “For f*** sake I think I’m losing my mind. Something better happen and soon. I took two days off to be in Washington.”
https://twitter.com/jgugger927/status/1346603442081583105
On January 5, she tweeted a photo from D.C., showing a blurry shot of the Washington Monument, and captioned it, “#StopTheSteaI2021 #MAGA.” On January 7, a day after the rally and riot, she tweeted a photo she took while in the crowd.
https://twitter.com/jgugger927/status/1347277345967767553
On January 10, she tweeted about a false QAnon-fueled conspiracy theory that Trump had signed the Insurrection Act and taken over D.C. She wrote, “Simon Parks just did an update and said it was signed 6:25 last night. Monkey Werkz as well said it.”
2. Gugger Called Vice President Mike Pence a ‘Swamp Creature,’ ‘Traitor,’ ‘Cabal Operative’ & ‘Pedophile’ on Twitter Days After the Capitol Siege
On Friday, January 8, two days after the Capitol siege and after she had already been reassigned by the department, she tweeted at Vice President Mike Pence, “You’re a traitor and a cabal operative and pedophile! You preach of god and that god will judge you! What’s was in the envelope and George Bush’s funeral??? You’re a swap creature and fooled us all!” The tweet was in reply to a post by Pence sending condolences to the family of slain Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick.
In a January 6, shortly after the Capitol riot was dispersed, she tweeted to Pence, “You sir are a traitor to our country!! You fooled many but not Lin Wood. You sold your soul to the devil. I hope it’s worth it bc there is no Jesus in you just the deadly sin of Greed!”
She expressed anger toward other conservative figures who expressed concern about the Capitol rally and riot, tweeting at commentator Matt Couch on January 7, “You’re giving up?!! After telling people to ‘hold the line’ for f***** months and now it’s done?? No more plan! What are you talking about. We believed in you.” Couch had tweeted that Trump lost the election and a new administration would be taking over.
She also tweeted at Senator Rand Paul, appearing to promote the unproven conspiracy theory that it was Antifa causing chaos at the Capitol, “Maybe you should have a talk with your Antifa minions. They sure out did themselves. You must be very proud.”
On January 10 she tweeted at former Obama administration CIA director John Brennan, “Your going to jail! You POS traitor! MAGA.”
3. Gugger Tweeted About the ‘Cost’ of Believing in Trump, Saying, ‘My Own Mother Thinks We Are a Bunch of Heathens. There’s No Compromise or Even Agree to Disagree’
On January 8, Gugger tweeted about how supporting Trump and attending the Capitol rally has affected her personal and family life. She tweeted, “I believe in my President, I believe in the Constitution and I believe in We The People. It comes at a cost. My own mother thinks we are a bunch of heathens. There’s no compromise or even agree to disagree. Breaks my Red heart So sad Disappointed face right now.”
Before she began tweeting about QAnon and Trump in 2017, her account was mainly tweets about Philadelphia news and the Eagles football team. Along with QAnon, Gugger has also expressed questions about COVID-19, calling it a “plandemic,” and retweeting a conspiracy theory that the virus was developed in a Chinese lab.
Gugger, who has been a Philadelphia Police officer for 31 years, could not be reached for comment by Heavy. She deleted her Twitter account on January 11, but then reactivated late that same night, apparently so she could reach out to actor and Trump supporter James Woods for help.
She tweeted to Woods, “hello James! I have a story I’d like to discuss wit you. I’m a police officer with Philly Pd. I’m a detective and have been on the force fo 31 years. I went to rally on the 6th. I can reassure you that never entered the building.”
4. Gugger Examined Philadelphia Police Recruits’ Social Media Pages as Part of Her Job & She Was Paid $86,170 in 2019
TwitterJennifer Traynor Gugger.
According to the Inquirer, Gugger was assigned to the Philadelphia Police Department’s Recruit Background Investigations Unit before she was reassigned after the department received a tip she ahd been at the D.C. rally. Part of her job included evaluating recruits’ social media pages.
The department has not said where Gugger has been reassigned to while an investigation by Internal Affairs is conducted, but a spokesperson told the Inquirer she is not on restricted duty. Gugger was paid $86,170 in 2019, according to public records.
5. Gugger, Born Jennifer Traynor, Graduated From Archbishop Ryan High School in Philadelphia in 1987
TwitterDetective Jennifer Gugger.
Gugger was born Jennifer Traynor and grew up in Pennsylvania, according to public records. She graduated from Archbishop Ryan High School in Philadelphia in 1987. According to her father’s obituary, she is married. Gugger also is a mother.
Gugger has been a Trump supporter since at least 2017. She tweeted at the president that year, “Happy 71st Birthday to our POTUS! Thanks for making America great again @realDonaldTrump.” She also tweeted that year, “we have the best POTUS this country has ever seen!”
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