Politics

Jan. 6 Committee Presses Georgia Rep. About Capitol Tours

MAY 20 2022·Updated DEC 30 2022

#Politics

Jan. 6 Committee Presses Georgia Rep. About Capitol Tours

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Image credit: The New York Times

The Facts

The House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the US Capitol has asked another GOP representative for their cooperation.
nytimes
In a letter issued to Rep. Barry Loudermilk, the Committee stated that it has obtained evidence that the GA Republican led tours of the Capitol on Jan. 5, 2021, when the compound was closed due to COVID restrictions.
nytimes
Based on public reporting and witness testimony, the Select Committee alleges that these tours may have been part of an effort by some individuals to gather evidence about the building in advance of Jan. 6.
nytimes
As part of his work on the House Administration Committee, Loudermilk previously claimed to have reviewed security footage of the Capitol in the days prior to Jan. 6. The Committee concluded that "there were no tours, no large groups, no one with MAGA hats on."
CBS News
In its letter, the Jan. 6 Committee alleges that not only was that conclusion false, but Loudermilk himself led a tour through parts of the Capitol complex on Jan. 5.
New York Post
In response, Loudermilk issued a non-denial, asserting that a "constituent family with young children... is not a suspicious group or 'reconnaissance tour.' The family never entered the Capitol building."
New York Post

Sources Split

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The Spin

Democratic narrative

Laudermilk often gets overlooked in the disgrace that is the House GOP caucus, but he is a stand-out MAGA wingnut who compared the first impeachment of Trump to Pontius Pilate's trial of Jesus. Now the Jan. 6 Committee has come calling with some very inconvenient questions. This will not end well for Loudermilk.

Esquire

Republican narrative

Once again the Jan. 6 Committee is using the media to construct verifiably false narratives in order to cast Republicans in a bad light. Loudermilk led a family of his constituents on a tour, and none of the places visited by that group were breached on the 6th, and nor were any members of that family charged in connection with the riot.

New York Post

Cynical narrative

This is an explosive allegation by the Jan. 6 Committee. It suggests that the conspiracy to stop certification and ultimately overturn the election on Jan. 6 stretched well beyond the former president and down into the ranks of Republican lawmakers. The Committee better have the goods to back up such a claim.