Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) has called for an investigation into the Jan. 6 Committee after the release of new security footage from the Jan. 6 Capitol breach.
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) is calling for the Jan. 6 Committee to be investigated after House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) announced the release of 40,000 hours of video from the Jan. 6 Capitol incident, with the Utah Republican accusing the panel of intentionally hiding the footage that could provide exculpatory evidence for some Jan. 6 prisoners.
Mr. Johnson made waves online and elsewhere when he announced on Friday that previously undisclosed Jan. 6 Capitol Police security video footage would be made public starting immediately and ramping up in coming months. Roughly 90 hours have already been released, with more expected to come on Monday.
The footage shows the Capitol premises during the events of Jan. 6, 2021, when protesters upset by what they saw as a stolen 2020 presidential election made their way into the Capitol, some after battling with police.
However, some of the footage shows people casually walking beside police officers, who appear indifferent and let them saunter along.
A number of conservatives reacted to the new footage by suggesting in posts on X that the newly released tapes could have an impact on the cases of some Jan. 6 defendants.
“If January 6th was an insurrection, why were people allowed to leave like the Capitol was a movie theater?” Eric Abbenante, a filmmaker and documentarian, wrote in a post on X.
“Clearly confirms what we’ve said since January 6th: The J6 tapes would have exonerated every person charged, and this is why the tapes weren’t released,” he added.
As shock waves from the newly released tapes spread through online posts and commentary, Mr. Lee added his voice of concern, taking the now-defunct Jan. 6 Committee into his crosshairs.
Mr. Lee said in a series of posts that an investigation should be launched into the panel’s work, while suggesting its members may have “deliberately lost or destroyed” some footage from that day’s events.
