Ray Epps, a leader of the “Oath Keepers” group who was seen on video the day before the January 6 riot telling a crowd to go into the Capitol, is slated to finally sit for an official transcribed interview with the House select committee on Friday.
Epps is at the center of unproven accusations that the FBI had informants or plants in the crowd at the Capitol which helped incite pro-Trump protesters to riot and breach the building.
“Tomorrow, we need to get into the Capitol! Into the Capitol!” he is seen telling rallygoers in one video from the scene.
His comments prompted some around him to respond, “No,” before starting a chant of “Fed! Fed! Fed!”
Tell me again why Ray Epps hasn’t been arrested yet? pic.twitter.com/taEmIZmjXh
— LivePDDave ?? ? ? (@LivePDDave1) January 13, 2022
RELATED: Top FBI Official Refuses To Answer Ted Cruz When Asked If Agents Took Part In January 6 Riot
Ray Epps to Speak to House Committee Investigating Capitol Riot
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) recently grilled FBI Executive Assistant Director of National Security Jill Sanborn on whether or not agents from the bureau or confidential informants had participated in the January 6 riot at the Capitol.
Sanborn repeatedly refused to answer.
.@SenTedCruz: “Did any FBI agents or confidential informants actively participate in the events of January 6th? Yes or no?”
FBI’s Jill Sanborn: “I can’t answer that.” pic.twitter.com/Z5Sj1tSyNx
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 11, 2022
Cruz would later corner Sanborn on Epps specifically.
“Miss Sanborn, was Ray Epps a fed?” Cruz asked.
“Sir, I cannot answer that question,” she replied.
Epps is one of three people who have been removed from the FBI’s Capitol Violence most wanted list without an explanation from authorities.
His comments, captured on video, have many wondering why no charges have been filed.
Ray Epps, a former Arizona Oath Keeper at the center of pro-Trump conspiracy theories related to Jan. 6., intends to sit for a transcribed interview with the select committee investigating the attack on the Capitol https://t.co/NCP0vu3oXB
— POLITICO (@politico) January 18, 2022
RELATED: Secret Commandos With Shoot-To-Kill Orders Were At The Capitol On January 6th
Committee Said They Already Spoke With Him
Following Senator Cruz’s line of questioning which entered the case of Ray Epps into the congressional record, the House select committee was quick to issue a statement indicating they had already spoken to him and apparently took him at his word.
“The Select Committee has interviewed Mr. Epps,” they said in a statement.
“Mr. Epps informed us that he was not employed by, working with, or acting at the direction of any law enforcement agency on January 5th or 6th or at any other time, and that he has never been an informant for the FBI or any other law enforcement agency.”
Representative Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), an anti-Trump lawmaker on the January 6 Committee, adamantly denied that Epps was a federal agent with any role in the Capitol riot.
“The narrative on Jan. 6 has been that it’s first Antifa, or patriots who love their country, maybe crisis actors, def false flag operatives, or now FBI agents,” Kinzinger wrote. “Take your pick. Truth is they were rioters incited by lies. And RAY is no fed. Just another misled man.”
7) The narrative on Jan 6 has been that it’s first antifa, or patriots who love their country, maybe crisis actors, def false flag operatives, or now FBI agents. Take your pick. Truth is they were rioters incited by lies. And RAY is no fed. Just another misled man.
— Adam Kinzinger (@AdamKinzinger) January 11, 2022
The fact that Ray Epps is now getting a formal interview, and the media is only now admitting that the first “meeting” was informal and wasn’t even transcribed, is interesting.
It also raises questions about Kinzinger’s comments, given he is a member of the committee.
Journalist Glenn Greenwald blasted Kinzinger’s comments.
“So the definitive statements made by Adam Kinzinger swallowed by the media about how Ray Epps never worked with FBI were based not (on) sworn testimony but just ‘informal meetings’ with the Committee, and the denial was confined just to FBI, not all government agencies?” he tweeted.
So the definitive statements made by Adam Kinzinger swallowed by the media about how Ray Epps never worked with FBI were based not no sworn testimony but just “informal meetings” with the Committee, and the denial was confined just to FBI, not all government agencies? LOL. https://t.co/ZyOxmkIDke
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) January 18, 2022
Politico reports that Epps met informally with the panel in November and told them he had no relationship with the FBI.
The January 6 committee has set a precedent with Ray Epps …
If they interview you and you say you’re innocent, then you’re innocent.
That’s all you have to say – then the case should be closed against you, just like it was Ray Epps.
— Catturd ™ (@catturd2) January 11, 2022
The committee seems to have concluded that the case of Ray Epps is open and shut.
“How about the one guy ‘go in, go in, get in there everybody’ — Epps — ‘get in there go go go,’” former President Donald Trump said at a rally over the weekend. “Nothing happens to him. What happened with him? Nothing happens.”
Epps’ lawyer says he expects more details of his client’s involvement to become public soon after the interview with the committee on Friday.
