You may recall the story about Ray Epps, that guy who was very much in evidence outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and even the night before, talking about going into the Capitol. Many raised questions about his role that day, especially after he was removed from a page on which the FBI has asked for information on various people they want to question about Jan. 6.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) even raised questions about Epps when Cruz was grilling an FBI official about whether the FBI had any agents or informants involved on Jan. 6.
Then we were told by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s partisan Jan. 6 Committee that they had interviewed Epps and he told them he wasn’t an FBI agent or informant. Committee member Rep. Adam Kinzinger (RINO-IL) even sprang to the defense, saying, “Ray Epps has cooperated with the Jan 6 committee and we thank him on the broader issue,” and claimed that “Ray” was no informant or “fed.” In so doing, Kinzinger essentially blew up the Jan. 6 effort to demonize Republicans. This is the guy who has gone after Republicans and President Donald Trump, blaming them for what happened even though there’s no video of any of them urging people to go into the Capitol like there is with Ray Epps. Yet he seems to give Epps a pass and calls him just a “misled man.” Both the Committee and Kinzinger indicated that Epps was not being pursued.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) found that response from Kinzinger curious.
Now, there’s more fascinating information about Epps. Turns out Epps is going to be talking to the Committee again to give a more formal transcribed interview, according to his attorney, John Blischak. Blischak said he expected more details of Epps’ involvement to become public after that interview. Blischak says his client’s name was removed from the FBI list after Epps called the FBI and “explained his position.”
So that raises a few questions. If Epps got a pass like the Committee previously suggested, why are they doing a more formal transcribed interview with him? What is his interview about then? Was he even under oath when they questioned him before if it wasn’t transcribed? Why did they do an interview that wasn’t transcribed? Why did he get the same pass in that regard that Hillary Clinton got during her FBI interview?
Maybe they should ask Epps about this if they didn’t before. It seems like it might be interesting.
Epps was also seen in footage just before 1 p.m. on Jan. 6 at the front of a line of Trump supporters who were among the first to breach the Capitol barricades. He whispered something into the ear of Ryan Samsel, who has been charged as one of the first defendants to breach secured Capitol grounds. Moments later, Samsel and others charged through a barricade, injuring a Capitol Police officer on the other side.
You can see that incident at the end of this video.
That’s what Kinzinger dismissed as “misled.”
I’m wondering what “more details” about his “involvement,” the attorney thinks are going to come out? That sounds intriguing.