Despite a lack of evidence, FBI-related conspiracy theories and narratives continue to circulate, primarily fueled by MAGA’s ongoing assertion that the 2020 presidential election was stolen.
“It’s getting more ridiculous”
In a sharp rebuke to Republican assertions of FBI involvement in the January 6 attack, U.S. Capitol riot participant Pam Hemphill wrote on X (previously Twitter), “First they were saying the Truth about January 6, how ‘it’s what really happened on J6’ as if we’re blind; It’s getting more ridiculous, and their insanity is screaming louder than ever!”
Grandmother Speaks Out
Hemphill, a grandmother who pled guilty to a charge of unlawful parading, demonstrating, or picketing at the Capitol riot, then targeted Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene by saying:
“You @RepMTG can’t gaslight the people anymore, we know what we saw and heard from those criminal J6 defendants, if you’re picking them over honorable Capitol Police officers, I hope you’re thrown out of office as a disgrace to our country!”
Was the Election Really Stolen?
The notion that FBI agents instigated the January 6, 2021 riot, a theory propagated by conservative figures such as Greene and Senator Mike Lee, is gaining considerable traction among the American public.
Poll Reveals FBI Conspiracy Beliefs
According to a recent Washington Post/University of Maryland poll, about a quarter of Americans and a third of Republicans are convinced that the Capitol attack was influenced by the FBI or other government entities.
No Evidence
Hundreds of individuals have faced trials and convictions or have admitted guilt regarding the attack. Yet, comprehensive investigations by Congress have revealed no evidence to suggest law enforcement’s involvement in inciting the Capitol riots.
Prosecutors and FBI officials have consistently dismissed these claims in court documents and sworn congressional testimony.
Seeking Truth in Congress
Hemphill, who has turned critical of former President Donald Trump after her guilty plea, is calling on Congress members to intervene and counter these conspiracy theories.
“Stop the J6 Propaganda”
Reacting to Look Ahead America’s footage of last Saturday’s rally, Hemphill remarked, “It’s not getting any better, it’s time for Congress @RepSpeier to take action and stop the J6 propaganda by those in office, start with telling people the FBI isn’t weaponized against anyone; before it becomes out of hand!”
Rally Backs Capitol Defendants
The conservative advocacy group Look Ahead America, founded by ex-Trump campaign worker Matt Braynard, organized a protest at the Justice Department this weekend to support the January 6 defendants.
Protest Demands “Justice”
The event website states, “This protest is to send the message that patriotic Americans have not forgotten the continuing abuses and injustices suffered by our brothers and sisters at the hands of the DOJ and FBI following their peaceful participation in Capitol protests three years ago.”
“We will again raise our voices to tell the DOJ, the FBI, the Biden Administration, and the country that we demand pardons, clemency, and leniency for our fellow Americans who’ve been persecuted not for their actions but for their political beliefs.”
FBI Conspiracy Theory Dismissesed
Former Vice President Mike Pence has also rejected the FBI conspiracy theory, making it clear during a CNN interview on Sunday: “We’ve been assured again and again that it was not the case.”
Face the “Facts”
He urged those who support these claims to acknowledge the reality of the situation, saying, “They simply need to look to the facts that the Capitol Hill Police endured great hardship and great harm.”
“Not at the United States Capitol”
Recalling the events of that day, Pence said, “I just must tell you, having been there that day, to see people literally breaking windows, ransacking the Capitol, it just infuriated me. I remember thinking, ‘not this, not here, not at the United States Capitol.”
He also expressed his deep gratitude towards the FBI for their role in arresting those who vandalized the Capitol and assaulted police officers.
FBI Director Responds
FBI Director Christopher Wray, addressing the House Judiciary Committee last year, strongly refuted the idea that the January 6 Capitol violence was a plot hatched by FBI agents.
He stated, “I will say this notion that somehow the violence at the Capitol on January 6 was part of some operation orchestrated by FBI sources and agents is ludicrous and is a disservice to our brave, hardworking, dedicated men and women.”
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