Speaker Johnson says he’ll make 44,000 hours of Jan. 6 footage available to the public
In a controversial move that fulfills a campaign promise to the far-right members of his party, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced Friday that he will be publicly releasing thousands of hours of footage from the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
This decision comes after months of the footage being made available by appointment only to a select few.
The newly elected speaker stated that this release will “provide millions of Americans, criminal defendants, public interest organizations, and the media an ability to see for themselves what happened that day, rather than having to rely upon the interpretation of a small group of government officials.” This move grants the public an unprecedented level of access to the footage, allowing them to form their own opinions and conclusions about the events of that day.
June 9, 2022: The House select committee investigating the Capitol riot played a video compilation in its first of several hearings, including “never-before-seen footage of rioters breaching the Capitol and officers bracing for the assault.”
The first batch of footage, around 90 hours, will be released on a public committee website Friday, with the remaining 40,000 hours expected to be posted over the next several months.
In addition, a public viewing room will be set up in the Capitol for those who wish to view the footage in person.
This decision by Johnson is in line with his promise to the most conservative members of his party, including Rep. Matt Gaetz, who successfully orchestrated the ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. It is a clear indication of Johnson’s commitment to transparency and holding true to his word.
The footage, which shows the violent attack on police officers, the breaching of the Capitol building, and the routes lawmakers took to safety, will be made available to the public despite concerns from critics about its sensitivity. However, Johnson assured that the faces of individuals will be blurred to protect them from any potential retaliation.
READ MORE:
COLORADO JUDGE KEEPS TRUMP ON BALLOT, REJECTING 14TH AMENDMENT ARGUMENT
COLORADO JUDGE IN TRUMP CASE REFUSES TO RECUSE AMID CRITICISM
It’s worth noting that the release of this footage was originally granted exclusively to Fox News host Tucker Carlson by former Speaker McCarthy in February. This move was quickly condemned by Democrats as a “grave breach of security” with potentially dangerous repercussions.
With the release of this footage, the American people will have a firsthand and unfiltered look at the events of Jan. 6, allowing them to form their own opinions without the influence of biased interpretations.
As Johnson stated, “the truth should not be subject to interpretation.”