Capitol Riot Footage Deals Blow to January 6 Conspiracy Theory

Newly released video footage of the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol building dealt a blow to a conspiracy theory alleging the involvement of federal agents.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, last week released 90 hours of recordings from January 6, when supporters of former President Donald Trump violently protested the 2020 presidential election results in a failed attempt to block Congress from certifying President Joe Biden's Electoral College victory.

Since that day, more than 1,000 people, including Trump, have been charged for their alleged role in the riot. Some conservatives have accused the Department of Justice (DOJ) of unfairly targeting alleged January 6 rioters for political purposes, with some raising questions about whether federal agents may have been involved in organizing and inciting the unrest.

Conspiracy theorists pointed to one clip they say proved federal agents were present at the riot. They have argued a video shows one rioter, Kevin Lyons, wearing one of Trump's signature "Make America Great Again" hats, while flashing an official government identification badge at a camera.

Skeptics, however, pointed out that Lyons was actually holding a vape—not a government ID—pouring cold water on the theory. Several high-profile conservatives pushed the theory, but were forced to backtrack amid criticism.

Sen. Mike Lee of Utah was among the Republicans who backed the theory, retweeting a post on X, formerly Twitter, Saturday night questioning whether Lyons was an "undercover federal agent."

"I can't wait to ask FBI Director Christopher Wray about this at our next oversight hearing. I predict that, as always, his answers will be 97% information-free," Lee wrote in a post on X.

Lee's post remained public Monday morning, and he has not addressed criticism that Lyons was actually holding a vape, despite a community note from X fact-checking him on the matter.

"The person is not flashing a badge. He is not a government employee or source. It is Kevin Lyons, who was recently sentenced to 4 years in jail for his actions on January 6th. He called police officers Nazis,'" the community note reads.

Newsweek has reached out to Lee's office for comment via email.

He also faced criticism from former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and others over the post.

"You're a lawyer, Mike. You're capable of understanding the scores of January 6 verdicts and rulings in our federal courts," she wrote. "You didn't object to electors on January 6 because you knew what Trump was doing was unconstitutional and you know what you're doing now is wrong."

"It's been rare for U.S. senators to parrot such blatant disinformation, but here we are," posted Politico reporter Kyle Cheney.

Republicans Backtrack on January 6 Theory

Other Republicans removed this theory from their social media.

Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene, of Georgia, for instance, edited a post to X referring to Lyons holding "a law enforcement badge in his hand while disguised as a Trump supporter in a MAGA hat."

Greene removed that line from her post, but it could still be seen by reviewing the edits on the platform Monday morning. She has been among the leading Congressional voices criticizing the treatment of the rioters by the DOJ and called for Johnson to launch a committee to investigate.

Conservative influencer Benny Johnson also appeared to remove a post sharing the theory.

MeidasTouch reported that Johnson wrote on X, "An Undercover Federal Agent with BADGE fully disguised as a Trump Supporter INSIDE the US Capitol on January 6th. January 6th was a Fed set up. Cops opened the doors? Inside job. All J6ers should be released on grounds of entrapment."

The post was no longer on his X profile by Monday morning and Newsweek could not verify the veracity of the tweet.