Posted on 02/27/2023 7:10:34 AM PST by SJackson
Tucker Carlson now has the equivalent of nearly five years of surveillance footage captured by U.S. Capitol Police security cameras on January 6, 2021. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) turned over the tapes to the Fox News host earlier this month, according to Axios. Carlson’s producers and researchers are already distilling the footage; the first round of clips is expected to air in a few weeks.
While some grumble that McCarthy did not fulfill his promise to publicly release the footage—arguably a valid complaint—Carlson’s team undoubtedly will give the massive trove much-needed context and maximum impact. Carlson released a three-part documentary, “Patriot Purge,” in November 2021 that explained how the events of January 6 helped launch a second “war on terror” against American citizens out of step with the Biden regime.
Since early 2021, Carlson has used his nightly show to expose the cruel treatment of Trump supporters suffering pretrial detention orders; raised questions about the use of undercover assets including FBI informants and the mysterious role of Ray Epps; asked why the case of the January 5 “pipe bomber” remains unsolved; and demanded the release of the surveillance video as late as last month.
Releasing the video never should have been a political fight; after all, the footage was recorded on a taxpayer-paid closed circuit television system installed on public property to monitor public employees. Contrary to arguments by Capitol Police and the Justice Department, the video belongs to the public, not federal agencies.
But both entities, with the help of D.C. District Court judges, have successfully kept the trove largely under wraps for more than two years. Even the FBI and D.C. Metropolitan Police departments signed agreements a few days after the Capitol protest to acknowledge that the tapes technically belonged to Capitol Police.
In a sworn statement filed in March 2021, Thomas DiBiase, general counsel for the Capitol Police, insisted the footage constituted “security information” that required very limited access. “Our concern is that providing unfettered access to hours of extremely sensitive information to defendants who already have shown a desire to interfere with the democratic process will . . . [be] passed on to those who might wish to attack the Capitol again,” DiBiase warned.
The Justice Department subsequently designated the tapes as “highly sensitive” government material subject to protective orders in January 6 prosecutions. It’s been a major battle for defendants and their attorneys to properly access all of the video tied to their cases; defendants cannot watch any clips without the presence of a legal authority and none of the footage can be shared or downloaded.
Of course, there have been some exceptions. Capitol Police shared cherry-picked clips with the House Democrats on the second impeachment committee as well as the January 6 select committee. For example, the brief clip of Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) running through a hallway that afternoon presumably after the breach was produced from surveillance video. HBO also accessed surveillance footage for its slanted documentary on January 6. “Security” concerns, my foot.
Imagine the universal outrage in any other situation had crucial video of what the government considered a terror attack been kept away from the public for more than two years. Influential opinion pages would have banged the drum incessantly for its release, insisting some sort of cover up was unfolding. Progressive activist groups and elected officials would demand a full accounting of what happened before, during, and after the “attack,” including all government-produced evidence. Influential lawyers and legal defense funds would lament the deprivation of due process for those involved in the allegedly heinous act.
Instead, the usual defenders of accountability, transparency, and constitutional rights have been completely AWOL. The fight has been waged by outmatched defense attorneys in the rigged legal and judicial system in the nation’s capital. And a handful of influencers like Carlson.
To be fair, a consortium called the Press Coalition forced a few federal judges to lift protective orders on a small amount of surveillance video. Representing more than a dozen major news companies, the coalition successfully won the release of limited security footage that, in some instances, contradicted the assertion that police did not allow protesters into the building that afternoon. Unsealed video also showed how police brutalized women inside the lower west terrace tunnel.
In a laughable “reality check” in his article, Axios reporter Mike Allen suggested the public has seen enough surveillance video since the “Jan. 6 committee played numerous excerpts of the footage at last year’s captivating hearings.” But not only were most of the evidentiary video clips sourced from protesters’ cell phones, the surveillance video clips offered by the committee represented an infinitesimal sliver of the total collection.
Which, notably, is much bigger than what the government has made available to January 6 defendants. Axios reported that Carlson’s team has 41,000 hours of raw footage—nearly three times the amount that the Justice Department allowed into evidence, which only covered the time period between noon and 8:00 p.m. on January 6. The tapes now in Carlson’s possession apparently covers the entire 24-hour period from “multiple camera angles from all over Capitol grounds.”
One can only guess what the videos will reveal. It’s possible, even likely, the never-before-seen footage will show the elements of a preplanned attack engineered by the same political and government forces that attempted to destroy Donald Trump for the better part of six years. Will the tapes finally answer the questions that top law enforcement officials such as FBI Director Christopher Wray refuse to answer and the January 6 select committee buried—not the least of which was the role of the FBI?
Withholding the video is only one part of the massive cover-up about January 6. Republicans should seek similar demands for records, emails, and communications from Capitol Police to expose the full scope of the cover-up. But like all good political scandals, the path to the truth begins with the tapes.
Tapes released by the most oppressive congress in our lifetimes. Calling it deep fake. The PLO tactics used by the left, like the Syrian child washing up by a camera that gave us unvetted Syrians, remember?
A video is worth a thousand words.
Just explain Ray Epps!!!!
Ever notice how Mr. Watergate, Bobby Woodward is ALWAYS hands off on RAT scandals. Where’s the biatch’s book about Biden’s Laptopgate Scandal. Where’s his book about the FBI’s JSixgate scandal? Where’s his book about the Biden/Zelenskyyyy Ukrainian Russkigate scandal? Where’s his book about Biden’s Selling American Oil Reserves to foreignersgate scandal? I could go on forever. Woodhead hasn’t touched one of them. He’s a fraud.
There is video of “protesters” in Trump gear getting off buses and being directed by police to their positions just before the “insurrection”. I saw that before they clamped down on it. That was taken by a Trump supporter who was trying to warn people away.
Why is Tucker the only one allowed to see it, how does that make any sinse? I also read the tapes have to be viewed at the capital on congressional equipment. Add to that Tuckers team is only has access to a single monitor, so they only need about 18 years to see it all. Why not release it to all of us? It’s just another scam by the uniparty.
McCarthy had no right to release the videos only to Fox. They are public property. And by releasing only to Fox, he painted a target on his back.
And do you really think Tucker’s Deep State Corporate Masters at Faux, would let him show anything that contradicts the Deep State narrative?
“While some grumble that McCarthy did not fulfill his promise to publicly release the footage—arguably a valid complaint”
When it comes to all stuff like this, did Carlson get the actual video or copies?
If originals, can’t Tucker make copies and give back the originals to Speaker McCarthy? To be able to fulfill his promise to publicly release the footage?
Like the Biden laptops/hard drives, everybody and their uncles had THE laptops/hard drives, which is impossible.
So WHO had the copies and WHO had/has the originals?
Posing questions NOT asking questions. I know that NONE of you REALLY KNOW who has/had what/which.
I can GUESS too.
The trap of J6 was the work of the FBI and DHS and so on we need to figure out the details of what they did to create the trap.
The problem is that grassroots people including many conservatives allowed themselves to be gaslit after 9/11 to create a police and security apparatus like Department of Homeland Security.
That apparatus can be used against terrorists or leftist but guess what it can be used against me and you.
When will the US Constitution come first again?
The conspirators must be held accountable. They participated in a successful coup.
McCarthy had no right to release the videos only to Fox. They are public property.
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Spot on.
Also, by singling out Fox to reveal the tapes this “exclusive” is basically McCarthy ingratiating himself to the network (i.e., a quid pro quo for favored coverage of the Speaker). This puts Tucker in the odd situation of being beholden to McCarthy.
The tapes need to be placed into the public domain.
What matters is that the facts come out, not who does it.
Frankly I don't necessarily trust McCarthy and I certainly don't trust Tucker AKA Fox News.
Murdoch/Fox including Ryan are publicly outspoken Trump haters.
How can anyone trust them to be honest with their reporting on these tapes?
Face it. This is all about Trump. McCarthy goes to the outspoken Trump haters for their take on these tapes.
Tucker is not a rogue reporter, he's first and foremost a Murdoch News sock puppet.
Anything Tucker's team comes up with will most certainly be edited by the goons at Fox before you see one minute of their findings.
BTW, who pays the team monitoring the tapes? Tucker or Fox?
I’m inclined to agree with you. FNC led the charge to ridicule anyone who pointed out the stolen election. It was as bad or worse in the last election after that thieving bitch Hobbs used her office to steal the AZ Governor, AG and Senate race.
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