House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told reporters that he intends to push the new Republican-controlled Congress to release all previously suppressed January 6 security footage for transparency purposes.
The January 6 security footage, some legal experts have claimed, may contain evidence that could exonerate some of the individuals who have been indefinitely detained by the Biden administration over nonviolent Capitol riot-related offenses.
When asked if he would support the full release of the footage following claims by Rep. Matt Gaetz indicating that he would, Speaker McCarthy replied with a firm “Yes.”
“I think the public should see what has happened on that day. I watched what Nancy Pelosi did where she politicized it, where for the first time in the history as a Speaker, not allowing the minority to appoint to a committee, to pick and choose,” Speaker McCarthy said.
“We watched the politicization of this. I think the American public should actually all see what happened instead of a report that was written for a political basis,” Speaker McCarthy said. “We’re looking through that. I want to be very thoughtful about it, but yes. I’m engaged to do that.”
Rep. Paul Gosar, one of the holdouts who eventually voted for McCarthy, said it will represent “Another promise kept” by the new Speaker.
Another promise kept.
America deserves to see the truth of what really happened. https://t.co/nX2UaGWEw7
— Rep. Paul Gosar, DDS (@RepGosar) January 12, 2023
The move is a far cry from the approach of Speaker McCarthy’s predecessor, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who took measures to hide the critical January 6 information from the American public, Valiant News reported.
In a December report from Judicial Watch, it was revealed the former Democrat-majority Congress under the direction of Rep. Pelosi moved to keep the footage from public view citing claims of “sovereign immunity.”
In addition to exonerating some of the prisoners, some have speculated that the hidden security footage may reveal actions taken by potentially undercover federal assets, who have been suspected of embedding themselves within the protesting crowds and encouraging, animating, or outright participating in violence that day.
BREAKING: @DarrenJBeattie of Revolver News breaks down the involvement of FBI operatives who organized and participated in the January 6th Capitol riot. pic.twitter.com/t1UOnT5zgc
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) June 16, 2021
Republicans in Congress are set to launch the “Weaponization of the Federal Government” subcommittee led by Rep. Jim Jordan to investigate executive branch abuses in a move that could finally give the American people clarification regarding potential undercover federal involvement during and ahead of the Capitol riot.
The committee, one of the concessions created by Rep. Gaetz and his 19 holdouts for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, will also examine how the federal government utilized private sector companies, such as Twitter, “to facilitate action against American citizens.”
