Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., has lost patience with the members of his party who continue to push the unfounded conspiracy theory that a Trump supporter named Ray Epps who encouraged demonstrators to storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was, in actuality, either an FBI agent or informant sent to stir up trouble.
"It’s very clear he’s not. From our perspective, you have to push back against new conspiracy theories before they take hold," Kinzinger, speaking about the Jan. 6 select committee's interview with Epps, told Yahoo News in a Wednesday interview.
The "false flag" theory about Epps has been promoted by Fox News host Tucker Carlson and brought up during hearings by Republican lawmakers like Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, and Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Matt Gaetz of Florida. It is based on the idea that Epps was working for the government in some capacity when he was captured on video urging other pro-Trump protesters to enter the Capitol.
On Tuesday, the Jan. 6 committee attempted to put those rumors to rest, announcing that it had conducted an interview with Epps, a 60-year-old Arizona resident and former chapter president of the far-right Oath Keepers militia group. Kinzinger and Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., are the only two Republicans on the committee.
"The Select Committee is aware of unsupported claims that Ray Epps was an FBI informant based on the fact that he was on the FBI Wanted list and then was removed from that list without being charged," the...
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