Chicago-based real estate brokerage @properties confirmed to Inman Thursday that it has parted ways with Libby Andrews, an agent who worked out of the company’s Gold Coast office, for participating in the violent effort by Trump supporters to “storm the Capitol.”
“@properties has received a tremendous amount of outreach over the past several hours making us aware of the actions of one of our agents, who acknowledged on social media that she “stormed the Capitol,” yesterday in Washington, D.C.,” a spokesperson for the company told Inman in a statement. “@properties unequivocally condemns these actions, and the company has severed ties with this agent effective immediately.”
Andrews, who operates multiple Twitter accounts, confirmed on one that she was headed to Washington D.C. on January 6. She also confirmed on the Twitter account in a video that she was at the Capitol building during the riot which escalated when Trump supporters stormed the building.
Her Facebook account also appeared to confirm her presence in multiple posts that have either since been deleted or made private. But according to screenshots shared by other Twitter users, Andrews shared a photo of a glass of champagne with the caption, “After storming the capital [sic] a good glass of champagne is needed!”
Andrews’ alleged Facebook post, credit: Hamilton Electors on Twitter
In an interview with Crain’s Chicago Business, Andrews claimed that she didn’t know about the destruction taking place inside the Capitol building and only learned of it later. Photos show Andrews on the steps of the Capitol.
Four individuals lost their lives during what President-elect Joe Biden called an “insurrection,” according to Washington D.C. police, including one woman who was shot. The department also confirmed it made 68 arrests, 56 officers were injured, six firearms were recovered and two pipe bombs were discovered.
The violence came as elected officials sought to certify the results of the November election over objection from some Republican lawmakers, despite no evidence of voter fraud.
Leaders across the real estate industry decried yesterday’s violence, including Charlie Oppler, the president of the National Association of Realtors.
“The scenes we are watching unfold as a nation are shocking and leave us in disbelief,” Oppler said. “America’s largest trade association stands with our democracy and our nation’s centuries-old observance of peaceful protests and the peaceful transfer of power.
“What happened today at the U.S. Capitol was an assault on both,” Oppler added.
A spokesperson for NAR, when asked if Andrews’ actions violate NAR’s new code of ethics policy, which now applies to all of a Realtor’s activities, not just those related to real estate, told Inman that the policy does “not apply to criminal activity.”
Realogy CEO Ryan Schneider also spoke out against the violence in an email to employees, obtained by Inman.
Photo credit: @JMYaLes on Twitter
“Regardless of your personal or political beliefs, violence and lawlessness have no place in our democratic process, and I was glad to wake up this morning to see that Congress was able to complete their work,” Schneider said. “While some of our country’s great institutions were put to the test yesterday, I have confidence that those institutions and our leaders will carry us forward.”
Rich Barton, the CEO and co-founder of Zillow, took a different approach, criticizing those that enabled the violence to take place in a post on Twitter yesterday.
“I beseech the enablers to step up and speak out now,” Barton tweeted. “Have courage.”
Andrews did not respond to a direct message request for comment on the Twitter account where she confirmed her presence.
