FBI Director Christopher Wray said his agency was not involved in any operation that led to the January 6 riots, an answer that appeared to frustrate US Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) during a House judiciary committee hearing.
Nehls asked Wray why the FBI had not arrested Ray Epps, once number 16 on the agency's most wanted list, who is shown on video encouraging people to attack the Capitol. Nehls also said many feel Epps was a "fed," suggesting the man was a federal government informant.
"If you are suggesting that the violence at the Capitol on January 6 was part of some operation orchestrated by FBI sources or FBI agents, the answer is no, it was not," Wray said when asked why Epps was not arrested for breaching the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
"And to suggest otherwise is a disservice to our hardworking, dedicated law enforcement professionals."
Nehls at the end of his remarks said "shame on you," to the FBI chief. US media reported that Epps' photo briefly appeared on an FBI website seeking information about the protests, but was removed in July of 2021 after being interviewed by agents.
Earlier Wednesday, outlets reported Epps sued Fox News over former host Tucker Carlson's comments suggesting the man was a government informant involved with instigating the Capitol riots
Mr. Nehls noted that three people who never entered the Capitol are facing criminal charges for their actions on Jan. 6, but Mr. Epps has not been charged.
“Are you going to arrest Mr. Epps? Yes or No?” Mr. Nehls asked Mr. Wray. “You can see him [on video]. He’s encouraging people — I almost think he’s inciting a riot — the night prior, to go into the Capitol; the day of, to go into the Capitol and he was at the first breach and he breached the restricted area.”
“If you don’t arrest Mr. Epps, there is a reason behind it. I believe you know it is. It seems to me you are protecting this guy,” Mr. Nehls said.
Mr. Wray fired back, “It has never been appropriate for an FBI director in congressional testimony to be weighing in on who is or isn’t going to be arrested and who is or isn’t going to get charged when it’s a prosecutor’s decision.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation “can’t say” who Ray Epps is, and the Justice Department won’t share any information on why he was removed from a list of potential suspects in the US Capitol riot, 12/01/2022.
The two agencies’ responses to the curious case of their former person of interest, identified in photo No 16 in an FBI list of people whom the feds wanted to identify, provided more fodder for speculation after the select committee investigating the January 6 riot outright denied he was a federal agent or informant.
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