(Mark Pellin, Headline USA) Calls to boot House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., from his already tenuous leadership position grew in ferocity in response to the disclosure of a policy framework designed to slow roll the release of all J6 video tapes.
McCarthy and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., were both accused of breaking their promise to speedily release all video footage that captured the peaceful protests and subsequent short-lived riot at the Capitol. While some footage had been previously released to Fox News, and renegade journalists and whistleblowers have produced additional material, the remaining footage that federal officials are keeping secret will only be released in slow drips and under constrictive conditions.
The pledge by GOP to release all the Jan 6 videos has been broken.
I believed my involvement to make footage available was a temporary fix until staff could protect innocents from DOJ and thugs like Sedition Hunters. Now I see GOP has capitulated to DOJ and Capitol police.
— Julie Kelly 🇺🇸 (@julie_kelly2) September 4, 2023
The “parameters” being stipulated by the Committee of House Administration included the release of video “if the same or similar clips have already been made public by federal government, news media, or documentary filmmakers (i.e. not on social media).”
The dictate notified that only clips previously cleared by US Capitol Police as “non-sensitive” would be eligible for release. “Clips will generally not be released if from a camera previously identified by USCP as “sensitive,” the document added.
Accessing terminals to view the footage will be available in scheduled windows only from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The document continued:
“Viewers will be asked to leave cell phones and cameras near the door and must agree not to record footage from terminals.
Access will be subject to time restrictions to enable CHA Staff to administer this access. Access to footage or provision of video clips will be subject to CHA’s discretion and is final, not subject to appeal.
Neither the limited grant of access to the footage nor the limited provision of video clips by CHA makes or shall be interpreted to make this footage a public record for any purpose, including but not limited to the common law right of access, or any other open records law.”
American Greatness writer Julie Kelly’s blunt response to the slow roll summed up a general reaction across the board.
“Like NO,” she wrote. “I have lots of video. And it would benefit me in many ways to keep it on close hold. But I will release what I have because this is wrong,” Kelly wrote in separate tweet.
no more Rinos. McCarthy LIED to Americans, where are the j6 tapes? https://t.co/AgfDihgTLS
— Americanmom (@seasidesharon) September 4, 2023
Yep – like I’ve said from the beginning. Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, and the GOP were in on it. https://t.co/DJ9o4dBIPW
— Catturd ™ (@catturd2) September 4, 2023
Along with demands to hold McCarthy accountable, including calls to vacate the chair, the backlash heaped on his newest House gal pal Greene was enough for her to reverse course and break the McCarthy bond.
“I called for releasing the tapes and stopped doing so when it was explained to me that groups like sedition hunters would use facial recognition software to go after more vulnerable people,” she offered as explanation in the face of blistering criticism.
Claiming her reluctance to release all the J6 videos was because she “was afraid the DOJ would unjustly target more people,” Greene apparently had the sudden epiphany that “if they can use facial recognition, why can’t we?” she proclaimed.
“Our patriots can find the feds and/or provocateurs who were involved in J6 that the DOJ protects. I’m all for releasing the tapes!” Greene insisted. “Enough of this kabuki theater, it’s time to end this. Everyone needs the truth and the weaponized government must be stopped.”
While Greene’s sentiments were lauded, her assurances rang hollow. “That sounds like an excuse,” admonished one commentator, while another lamented, “Really tired of the rhetoric and no action.”
Respectfully Congresswoman, could you give us a straight answer then?
Like @julie_kelly2 says – this (a procedure to look at slivers at a time and request tiny pieces) is not the promise kept to release it all.
Do you favor publicly releasing it all now, rather than this?
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) September 4, 2023
Mark Pellin is an editor at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/sabrepaw70.
