New surveillance footage from the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021 reveals law enforcement inside gave VIP treatment to Jacob Chansley, known as the “Q-Anon Shaman.” Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s team reviewed more than 40,000 hours of video from that day and on Monday aired never-before-seen footage of Chansley’s time in the Capitol.
Chansley, who infamously presided over an empty Senate chamber as rioters paraded through the complex, is seen being escorted by Capitol Police officers to multiple entrances throughout the building. At times, the officers escorting Chansley even appear to check for unlocked doors.
“They helped him. They acted as his tour guides,” said Carlson, who was given access to the footage by Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. “We counted at least nine officers who were within touching distance of unarmed Jacob Chansley. Not one of them tried to slow him down.”
The horned man behind the most viral images of the Jan. 6 “insurrection” pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 41 months in prison for his involvement in the riot. Federal prosecutors sought even more time for the Arizonan who was 34 at the time of his sentencing in November of 2021.
Footage published by Carlson Monday night shows the man prosecutors have locked in prison for nearly half a decade praying for the police officers who “allow[ed]” protestors into the Capitol.
“Thank you Heavenly Father for taking the inspiration needed to these police officers to allow us in this building,” Chansley said on the Senate floor.
“Chansley understood that Capitol Police were his allies,” said Carlson, who went on to contrast the new footage with hyperbolic depictions of Chansley promoted by Democrats’ Select Committee on January 6th. “‘He’s a terrorist,’ they said, ‘he should be killed.'”
Carlson then aired a clip of Lincoln Project founder Steve Schmidt calling on Chansley to be shot. “Shoot him!” Schmidt cried on HBO. “Shoot him.”
As he concluded the segment, Carlson asked, “If [Chansley] was in fact committing such a grave crime, why didn’t the officers standing right next to him place him under arrest?”
