In a recent development surrounding the events of January 6, 2021, Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee is demanding an investigation into the actions of former and current lawmakers who served on the now-defunct House January 6 committee. Lee accuses these lawmakers of intentionally concealing certain footage from the Capitol riots, prompting concerns about the transparency and integrity of the investigation.
The controversy arose after House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, began releasing more than 40,000 hours of footage captured at the U.S. Capitol on that fateful day. The footage, which displays the chaos and violence that unfolded during the protests against the 2020 election results, has raised questions about the conduct of certain Republican representatives, namely Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois.
Senator Lee took to social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to express his doubts about the character and motivations of Cheney and Kinzinger. He questioned why these individuals failed to refer to any of the footage in their public statements and suggested that they may have been selectively leaking information to further their own political agenda. Lee’s posts included a video allegedly showing Capitol police officers facilitating the movement of protesters within the building on January 6.
Lee’s criticism extended beyond individual lawmakers to the overall credibility of the January 6 committee and its chair, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He raised concerns about the possibility of deliberately lost or destroyed evidence, highlighting the need for a thorough investigation into the committee’s actions.
In response to Cheney’s posting of “some January 6th video” showing clashes between protesters and Capitol police, Lee dismissed it as repetitive and accused her of deliberately hiding other significant footage. He also raised the question of whether some of the protesters involved could have been federal agents, insinuating a potential hidden agenda.
Another point of contention for Lee was the use of taxpayer dollars to fund what he referred to as a “sham” January 6 committee. He also drew attention to a video clip released on Friday, which depicted an officer inside the Capitol on January 6, seemingly releasing a protester without restraints and exchanging a fist bump with another officer nearby. Lee expressed his surprise at witnessing such a scene and questioned its authenticity.
House Speaker Johnson, who initiated the release of the footage, stated that his objective was to provide truth and transparency to the American people. He promised to gradually release the bulk of the footage over time, allowing millions of Americans, criminal defendants, public interest organizations, and media outlets to form their own interpretations of the events, rather than relying solely on the perspective of a select group of government officials.
Johnson did mention that approximately 5% of the footage would be withheld due to security concerns related to the building architecture, and some faces would be blurred to protect individuals from potential retaliation.
The release of this footage through the House Administration Committee’s subcommittee on Oversight aims to shed light on the events of January 6, 2021, and address lingering questions about the Capitol riot. However, Senator Lee’s calls for an investigation into the actions of the January 6 committee and the potential suppression of evidence underscore the need for an unbiased examination of the events surrounding that tumultuous day.
Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Kyle Morris covers politics for [news outlet]. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on Twitter: @RealKyleMorris.
