Last Updated on November 16, 2022
FBI Director Christopher Wray refused to answer when asked if the bureau had undercover operatives “dressed as Trump supporters” during the January 6 Capitol protests and subsequent small riot. U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA) questioned Wray during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Worldwide Threats to the Homeland.
“Did the FBI have confidential human sources embedded within the January 6 protesters on January 6 in 2021?” Higgins asked the FBI director.
“Well congressman, as I’m sure you can appreciate, I have to be very careful about what I say… about when we do and do not or where we have and have not used confidential human sources,” Wray responded. “But to the extent that there’s a suggestion for example, that FBI confidential human sources infiltrated or instigated January 6,” he added.
“Did you have confidential human sources dressed as Trump supporters on January 6, prior to the doors being open?” Higgins asked. Wray again said that he “has to be very careful” when revealing the FBI’s use of undercover operatives.
“It should be a no,” Higgins immediately shot back. “Can you not tell the American people ‘no,’ we did not have confidential human sources dressed as Trump supporters inside the Capitol on January 6?” Higgins asked.
“You should not read anything into my decision not to share information on confidential human sources,” Wray concluded.
FBI Director Wray refuses to answer a very basic question about Jan 6 riot. 11/15/22@RepClayHiggins#FBI #Jan6 pic.twitter.com/EwzVw0jRru
— Judge Napolitano (@Judgenap) November 16, 2022
The FBI has previously refused to answer questions about their use of undercover operatives on January 6. One figurehead for these questions is the mysterious Ray Epps, a man who was filmed by dozens of Trump supporters urging them to storm the Capitol during the election certification on January 6.
Epps could be seen urging rallygoers on in dozens of videos both on the night of January 5 and the day of the protests. Mr. Epps was even filmed at the front of the barricades at the front entrance to the U.S. Capitol building, just before Capitol Police tossed flash bangs and tear gas into the crowd, causing a milieu that spurned out of control.
According to an extensive report from Revolver News, Epps appeared on initial wanted lists following the protests, though his name was quickly removed. Despite a stack of evidence showing Epps directly incited the crowd to “storm the Capitol Building,” he has not been charged with any crimes. Several others who did less than Epps have been slapped with multi-year prison sentences.
I just played this video for AG Merrick Garland. He refused to comment on how many agents or assets of the federal government were present in the crowd on Jan 5th and 6th and how many entered the Capitol. pic.twitter.com/lvd9n4mMHK
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) October 21, 2021
The FBI, along with January 6 Committee members, have refused to answer when asked if Epps was a federal asset on numerous occasions.
When Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) asked FBI National Security branch assistant director Jill Sanborn whether Epps was a federal agent, she said she could not answer. When asked “Who is Ray Epps,” Sanborn replied, “I am aware of the individual, sir, uh, I don’t have the specific background of him.”
After showing evidence of Epps’ bizarre behavior on both Jan. 5 and Jan.6, Cruz asked, “This was strange behavior, so strange that the crowd started chanting ‘fed, fed, fed.’ Ms. Sanborn, was Ray Epps a fed? How many FBI agents or confidential informants actively participated in the events of January 6th?”
“Sir, I can’t answer that,” Sanborn said, much like her boss, FBI Director Wray, told Higgins on Tuesday.
Senator @tedcruz's Full Questioning Of The FBI At Senate Judiciary Hearing Today About Whether There Were FBI Informants Present On January 6th And Ray Epps
"How many FBI agents or confidential informants actively participated in the events of January 6th?"
"Who is Ray Epps?" pic.twitter.com/Haufq3kym2
— The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 (@ColumbiaBugle) January 11, 2022
