Speaker Johnson Says Faces on Jan. 6 Tapes Being Blurred to Prevent DOJ Retaliation
House Speaker Mike Johnson has failed to fulfill his promise to release the complete archive of footage from the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.
Despite pledging to do so while campaigning for the speakership, Johnson has only released an initial 90 hours of footage, leaving MAGA Republicans, including vocal advocate Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, eagerly awaiting the rest.
The footage, which is said to consist of 44,000 hours in total, was initially expected to be released on November 20, but no further footage has been made public since the initial 90 hours. While the Associated Press predicts that the remaining footage will be released over the coming months, the delay has caused frustration among those who eagerly await the evidence they believe will prove the riot was not as violent as portrayed.
Contrary to the claims of MAGA Republicans, Democratic politicians dispute the narrative surrounding the riot.
Over 1,000 individuals have been charged for their alleged involvement in the incident, indicating that authorities and investigators have found substantial evidence of wrongdoing.
Former President Donald Trump, who faced indictment in August on four felony charges related to his alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 election results, has pleaded not guilty and continues to deny any wrongdoing. Trump celebrated the decision to release the footage in a post on Truth Social, expressing his appreciation for Speaker Johnson's courage.
In a statement announcing the release, Speaker Johnson emphasized that the decision would allow millions of Americans, criminal defendants, public interest organizations, and the media to see the events of that day for themselves.
The footage, however, will be processed to blur the faces of individuals to prevent any potential retaliation. Additionally, around 5 percent of the footage will not be made public due to its sensitive security implications.
Previously, limited access to footage was granted only to members of the media, criminal defendants, and a select few others by appointment. The release of the full footage is seen as a step toward transparency and providing a broader understanding of the events that unfolded on January 6.
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The House Select Committee, which conducted an investigation into the events of that day and published an 845-page report in December 2022, held former President Donald Trump personally responsible for the disorder and recommended that he face criminal charges. According to the committee's summary, the central cause of January 6th was Trump himself, as many others followed his lead.
As the release of the footage continues to be delayed, the anticipation and debates surrounding the events of January 6th persist.