Lauren Moye, FISM News
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Republican lawmakers have demanded that the U.S. Capitol Police Board fully release security footage from the Capitol Building on Jan. 6, 2021, in the most significant push for transparency in the investigation to date.
Led by Representative Louie Gohmert (R-Tex.), the group of 24 Republicans penned the letter, dated July 29, and cited federal code 2 U.S.C. § 1979, which prohibits “security information” from being withheld from the Senate and representatives that impact their operations.
The code cited by Republicans appears especially relevant as the Select Jan. 6 Committee continues its investigation into former President Donald Trump and GOP lawmakers, while allegedly withholding footage and leaking other information to the media.
“As you must be aware, 2 U.S.C. § 1979 states that “any Member…of either House of Congress” can “obtain information from the Capitol Police regarding the operations and activities of the Capitol Police that affect the Senate and House of Representatives. Subsection (c) makes clear that nothing in that law may be construed to prevent us, as members of the House of Representatives, from our ability to obtain those videos,” the letter, obtained first by the Epoch Times, reads.
With over 14,000 hours of surveillance footage from the day of the Capitol riot, some Republicans believe the footage could be used to defend the innocence of both lawmakers and civilians accused of wrongdoing. However, requests to date for the video release have been ignored or sidestepped.
The Republican lawmakers said that the immediate release of the video footage “is absolutely essential to proper governance and truth to protect and perpetuate this governing nation.”
“The fact that these tapes have not been released, I think, is just a huge blot on the Department of Justice. It’s just outrageous to the American justice system that they’re not being required to make the videos available." – @replouiegohmert https://t.co/aOGoy915Rq
— Washington Times Opinion (@WashTimesOpEd) August 3, 2022
Capitol Police have not yet commented on the letter as of this publication. However, they have argued that there has been no selective release of the footage, according to the Washington Times. A spokesperson for the law enforcement agency told the news agency, “Every January 6th defendant has access to the same footage, which is everything the USAO is releasing. They do not just get what is relevant to them.”
However, just seven weeks ago, Rep. Gohmert got caught in a related controversy after the Select Committee accused the representative of personally seeking a presidential pardon. Gohmert is adamant that a full release of video footage would show he sought pardons on behalf of “brave U.S. service members and military contractors.”
“Any Committee Members or witness involved should be ashamed for perpetuating such a falsehood, but that would require a conscience to feel such shame,” Gohmert said in his June 23 statement.
Earlier in June, the Jan. 6 committee insinuated that another GOP Representative, Barry Loudermilk, led a reconnaissance tour on Jan. 5, 2021. Loudermilk denied taking members of the group in question into areas breached on the following day and noted that he did not know of any members being criminally charged over the incident.
“Once again, the Committee released this letter to the press and did not contact me. This type of behavior is irresponsible and has real consequences — including ongoing death threats to myself, my family, and my staff,” Loudermilk said at the time, continuing a theme that has frequently appeared in the investigation of media receiving information before the people it involved were contacted.
The accusations laid against Loudermilk and his Jan. 5 tour group are central to the demands for the video release. The Select Committee first leaked information smearing Loudermilk’s reputation to the press on May 19 of this year.
The following day, House Administration Ranking Member Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) demanded Capitol Police release all video footage on Jan. 5 over the “demonstrably false” accusations against Loudermilk. Davis also cited 2 U.S.C. § 1979 in his letter.
Meanwhile, Representative Marjorie Taylor Green (R-Ga.) pushed for all videos to be released in June 2021. This demand made in a letter to FBI Director Christopher A. Wray and acting Capitol Police Chief Yolanda Pittman went unanswered.
The continued obfuscation of the video surveillance opens the door to repeated accusations and back-and-forth finger-pointing between lawmakers.
Additionally, Gohmert claims the footage could prove important in the defense of those accused of federal crimes on Jan. 6, the Washington Times reported. Attorneys Gohmert spoke with claimed they have not been able to access footage potentially exonerating their clients, despite the prosecution having footage that, out of context, incriminates their clients.
Republicans insist that withholding the footage prevents the public from providing oversight to politicians on both sides of the aisle and that Capitol Police cannot continue withholding the requested information for much longer.