The FBI, DOJ, and now the January 6th committee really don’t want to talk about Ray Epps.
Today, Ted Cruz caused great triggering by asking some FBI flack named Jill Sanborn about Epps during today’s Senate hearing. Cruz attempted to get answers on exactly what the suspicious man’s role was regarding the Capitol breach, and why he was never charged with anything. What he got was a mix of non-denials and obfuscations in the form of claiming she couldn’t answer the question.
The interest in Epps stems from two things. One, he was caught on video inciting people to riot and break into the Capitol Building. He was also on the Capitol grounds that day. Two, Epps was suddenly removed from the FBI’s most-wanted list, and to this day, no explanation at all for that move has been given. The implication there is obvious, i.e. that Epps was an informant and had used his position to actively encourage violence for the FBI.
Yet, after Cruz levied his questions, something really odd happened. The January 6th Committee released an unprompted statement saying they had interviewed Epps, and even more curious, they seemed to be going to bat for him.
So, let me get this straight. The January 6th Committee, which supposedly cares deeply about holding people accountable, not only has no interest in Epps, but they are now operating as his PR firm? Does any of that smell right to you?
In other words, none of this adds up. If the goal here was to produce criminal referrals for those who helped cause January 6th, no one has more evidence stacked against them than Epps. Again, this is a man who was caught on video — multiple times — inciting people to riot. He told people to enter the Capitol Building. He also took part in the unrest itself, allegedly directing people to tear down barricades. I understand Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, Liz Cheney, and the rest want to send Donald Trump to jail, but how does that preclude them from holding Epps accountable?
But they aren’t even attempting to hold him accountable. Instead, they are releasing statements defending the guy, insisting he wasn’t working for the FBI while providing no other context for his actions.
For giggles, let’s say that’s true and that Epps acted alone. Then why hasn’t he been charged like everyone else? Do they not think he should be charged? Why is the select committee not making Epps a centerpiece of their investigation, given how blatant his incitement was?
There have been grandmas, who wandered around and took selfies, thrown into solitary confinement and charged with crimes stemming from January 6th. A guy who drank Nancy Pelosi’s beer was charged. Others who never even entered the Capitol Building itself have been charged with trespassing. But Ray Epps, despite the FBI knowing where he is the entire last year and formerly having him on the most-wanted list, has not even been arrested?
Sorry, that doesn’t make any sense at all, and short of the FBI and DOJ coming out and providing a real explanation, the rest of us can only assume what their obfuscation means. Lastly, the January 6th Committee continues to show itself to be a partisan joke. They are actually defending people who helped incite violence while still going after others who did nothing of the sort. When the GOP takes back the House, Epps should be put under oath immediately.