Republican lawmakers have threatened to release a video of Parliamentary police filmed on January 5 to reveal the names of colleagues accused of leading the tour the day before the deadly riots.
The House Committee, investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol last week, said it had considered a video showing Congressman Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) Showing visitors around the Capitol. He stated and asked to speak voluntarily with the investigator.
The accusation is a direct challenge to the GOP of the House Administration Committee, of which Loudermilk is a member, who has long sought to release a tape to counter the accusation that the Republicans led a reconnaissance tour at the Capitol prior to the attack. bottom.
But chasing their threat requires a lot of cash. The external hard drive needed to store hundreds of hours of footage can cost as much as $ 20,000.
“Minority staff on the committee have reviewed all footage of the issue and confirmed that no’reconnaissance tour’has occurred,” ranking member Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) Said on Friday. I wrote a letter to the Capitol Police Board.
“If the Board wants to maintain its reputation as an impartial security agency and reestablish its position as an independent organization, then the only option is to release a tape. The Board will release relevant footage in a timely manner. If I do not publish to, I have no choice but to exercise my authority to publish the footage under 2USC §1979. “
The steering committee has been writing a letter since February requesting the release of the video. First acquired by Hill The video “does not support these repeated Democratic criticisms of so-called” reconnaissance “tours,” he said.
It states that Congressman Mikey Cheryl (DN.J.) and other Democrats saw an unusual amount of visitor activity at the Capitol on January 5, despite a COVID ban on tours. It is a blame.
Even in February, the Commission chose to consider footage from the Capitol police station, rather than spending the thousands of dollars needed to obtain and store it directly.
But they may be willing to spend money now.
“The situation clearly changed when one of our committee members was hinted at leading a reconnaissance tour at the Capitol on January 5. Knowing that the video footage is not. “We are,” the Commission’s senior aide told Hill.
The committee on January 6th last week disputed a colleague’s video explanation that “no tour, no large group, no one wearing a MAGA hat.”
“The review of evidence by the Election Commission is in direct conflict with its denial,” Benny Thompson (D-Miss.) And Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) Wrote in a letter to Loudermilk. increase.
After the letter, the committee and Loudermilk Make a statement He said he was merely touring the constituent families, during which time they never entered the Capitol building.
A committee aide told Hill that a group of Loudermilk passed through the house’s office building, but never entered the building that housed the room.
In an interview conducted on January 6, when the attack was unfolding, Loudermilk said, “There are about 12 people here,” when asked if they had the opportunity to talk to people involved in the rally. Said.
“They are definitely peaceful people, the people we met in the church, the supporters of the president, and we really wanted to be here as if it were another rally. I checked them to make sure they were safe, “Laudermilk said in an interview with Georgia-based WBHF.
“They saw what it was changing and soon went down the mall and fled the crowd here,” he added.
Parliamentary police have stated that they will not release the footage.
“USCP has worked extensively with the Selection Committee and the Justice Department on January 6 by providing witnesses, documents, and 14,000 hours of security-sensitive camera footage. Their work is still pending. In the meantime, we will not be able to issue additional official statements or provide materials, “they wrote in the statement.
The law, which Davis points out in his letter, is that Parliamentary Police “disclosure of security information in consultation with other appropriate law enforcement officers, security preparation experts, and appropriate committees of Parliament is in Parliament. Capitol building and site. “
Some of the footage related to January 6 was released and used in a trial, in a hearing on January 6, and also in the second impeachment trial of former President Trump.
“The law means they can’t give it to us,” Senior Assistant told Hill.
“Because it is not classified, there are no parameters about what the Commission can do with it.”
Visit The Hill for the latest news, weather, sports and streaming videos.