While many on the left still use the word “insurrection,” the federal government has yet to use it once on charging documents related to the civil unrest at the U.S. Capitol on January 6. Instead, the federal government has charged many in leadership positions of groups like the Proud Boys with “conspiracy” and have alleged that there was a plot among these groups to breach the U.S. Capitol.
FBI Director Christopher Wray previously seemed to acknowledge to Congress that his agency had not infiltrated the groups present at the Capitol protest. According to the New York Times, the FBI had at least two Proud Boys working as confidential informants on January 6.
Earlier today the New York Times released a report, quoting anonymous FBI officials, revealing that the FBI had at least two confidential informants at the Capitol on January 6, and one was regularly texting his FBI handler throughout the day to give updates on the rally-turned-protest that resulted in minor destruction of property at the U.S. Capitol building. The New York Times writes that this reveals “federal law enforcement had a far greater visibility into” the events of January 6 even as they were “taking place, than was previously known.”
In an appearance before the U.S. Senate, Wray was questioned on the topic of FBI infiltration of the groups accused of planning to enter the U.S. Capitol by Sen. Amy Klobuchar. While stopping short of explicitly claiming the FBI had not infiltrated these groups, FBI Director Chris Wray appeared to acknowledge his agency had not.
“There must me moments where you think, ‘If we would have known. If we could have infiltrated this group and found out what they were doing,’ questioned Klobuchar, “Do you have those moments?”
“Absolutely,” replied Wray, a Trump-appointee who was allowed to remain in his position by Joe Biden. “I will tell you Senator, this is something I feel passionately about.”
Describing the events of January 6 as an “attack,” Wray said that “We aim to bat 1,000. We aim to thwart every attack that’s out there, especially one that’s this horrific, that strikes right at the heart of our system of government, right at the time that a transfer of power is being discussed.” Wray added, “You can be darn tootin’ that we are focused very, very hard on how can we get better sources, better information, better analysis,” in order to make sure “January 6 never happens again.”
Read the NYT admission piece on FBI informants today.
Watch this clip.
Then remember that Chris Wray, a Trump appointee, mysteriously kept his job under Biden.
What deal did Wray cut with Biden? Did it have anything to do with 1/6? pic.twitter.com/nzpJVk10qp
— Darren J. Beattie 🌐 (@DarrenJBeattie) September 25, 2021
“Certainly there were aspects of it that were planned and coordinated,” Wray also told Klobuchar regarding the Proud Boys, adding that some charges “involve things more like planning or coordination.” He added that there was “some level of coordination.”
According to the lawyer representing Zach Rehl, the New York Times report indicating the FBI had two informants at January 6, and that one of them was in regular communication with his FBI handler, may hurt the prosecution’s argument that Proud Boys leaders were part of a conspiracy to enter the Capitol on January 6.
“This shows there was no pre-planning,” said lawyer Jon Moseley, who is now representing Rehl. “If they had these informants, they would have known about some plan before the grand jury even met.” Moseley says this new revelation pokes holes in the prosecution’s argument, which from the start has been that Rehl and other Proud Boys had an advanced plan to enter the U.S. Capitol building on January 6.
Moseley also says that, should the government have evidence of conspiracy, they would be compelled by existing law to provide this evidence to the defense.
Even without apparent evidence pointing to a conspiracy, four members of Proud Boys leadership are still being held pending trial. Recently, Joe Biggs released a devastating letter from jail describing the conditions of his confinement.
Rehl, meanwhile, is heard outside the U.S. Capitol discussing whether or not to go in the building, on video that seemingly contradicts the prosecution’s claim he organized a conspiracy.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I don't know if you know how important this video is! pic.twitter.com/TBlVyEJRF2
— Niall of the Bogside Nine (@nine_niall) January 27, 2021
Those close to Rehl, who is currently being held at a jail in Philadelphia near his family, say on his legal defense fundraiser, “He’s being charged with organizing the tragic events that happened, despite the abundantly clear reality being that no one planned to storm the Capital Building, and there was no ‘insurrection'”. Rehl has raised just over $5,000 for his legal defense.
