Rep. Thomas Massie accused Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday of lying during a House Judiciary Committee hearing about his knowledge of federal law enforcement activities during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Massie (R-Ky.) previously tangled with Garland in October 2021 over the same issue, questioning whether undercover FBI agents were present at the storming of the Capitol.
At the time, Massie showed video footage of then-Arizona Oath Keepers president Ray Epps, who had urged protesters on the eve of the “Stop the Steal” rally to “go to the Capitol” but had never been charged.
The attorney general responded that he would “not comment on pending investigations,” per Justice Department policy.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) accused Attorney General Merrick Garland of lying during a House Judiciary Committee hearing about his knowledge of the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. Getty Images
The Kentucky Republican had confronted the attorney general during a House hearing in October 2021 over the same issue.AP
On Wednesday, Garland told Massie and other members of the House Judiciary Committee that he had no knowledge of federal involvement on Jan. 6, even though an FBI official testified in June that “a handful” of human sources confidential were there.
“That was his response to a question I was asked two years ago, when I said how many government agents or assets were present on January 5 and 6, and agitating among the crowd to enter the Capitol and how many entered the Capitol. Capitol,” Massie said. “Can you answer that now?”
“I don’t know the answer to that question,” Garland responded.
At the time, Massie showed video footage of then-Arizona Oath Keepers President Ray Epps, who urged protesters to “get into the Capitol” but had never been charged. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
“You don’t know how many there were or there weren’t any?” Massie pressed.
“I don’t know the answer to any of those questions,” Garland said. “If there were any, I don’t know how many. I don’t know if there are any.”
“I think you may have committed perjury, don’t you know there was any? Do you want to say that again? Massie responded.
“I don’t know the answer to any of those questions,” Garland said. “If there were any, I don’t know how many. I don’t know if there are any.” AFP via Getty Images
“I have no personal knowledge of this matter,” Garland said. “I think what I said last time…”
“You’ve had two years to figure it out,” Massie interjected. “By the way, that was in reference to Ray Epps, and yesterday you accused him. Isn’t it a wonderful coincidence? For a minor crime.
“Meanwhile, you send the grandmothers to prison. You’re imprisoning people for 20 years just for filming. “Some people weren’t even there.”
“I think you may have committed perjury, don’t you know there was any? Do you want to say that again? Massie responded.REUTERS
“Yet you have the guy on video saying, ‘Go to the Capitol.’ He is directing people to the Capitol before the speeches,” Massie continued. “He is in the place of the first breach. You have all the assets on him. Ten videos and it’s a misdemeanor charge. “The American public doesn’t believe it.”
Washington, D.C., U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves charged Epps on Tuesday with one count of tampering with the certification of the 2020 election and entering a restricted area of the Capitol.
A defense attorney for Epps told The Post that he expects his client to plead guilty to the charge, for which he could spend up to a year in federal prison.
“Regarding Mr. Epps, the FBI has said he was not an employee,” Garland told Massie. Epps also testified before the House select committee on Jan. 6 of last year that he never worked for the office.
According to a June 7 transcript released Wednesday by the House Judiciary Committee and first reported by The Post, the FBI was unable to keep track of how many “confidential human sources” were on the ground during the Capitol riot.
Former FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven D’Antuono told committee staff that the bureau’s headquarters eventually had to “probe” field offices to get an accurate count of agents.
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