Why Is the Most Powerful Member of the House Handing Over January 6 Footage to Tucker Carlson?
According to a report by Axios, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has given Fox News host Tucker Carlson exclusive access to 41,000 hours of surveillance footage from the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Carlson's producers reportedly visited Capitol Hill last week to begin reviewing the tapes, with plans to air footage on Carlson's shows in the coming weeks.
Critics have raised concerns about McCarthy's decision to give the footage to Carlson, who has a history of promoting conspiracy theories and downplaying the severity of events. McCarthy's decision is seen as a concession to a select group of far-right Republicans who supported his speakership bid. In exchange for their support, McCarthy pledged to make all the security footage from January 6 public, but his decision to give exclusive access to Carlson is not the same as making the footage available to the public.
New reports also highlight newly revealed texts that show Carlson and his Fox News colleagues, including Laura Ingraham and Sean Hannity, don't necessarily believe the conspiracy theories they promote. Instead, they see their role as "threading a needle" between catering to their pro-Trump audience and calling out misinformation.
Understand the Events on Jan. 6
Timeline: On Jan. 6, 2021, 64 days after Election Day 2020, a mob of supporters of President Donald J. Trump raided the Capitol. Here is a closer look at how the attack unfolded.
Lost Lives: A bipartisan Senate report found that at least 140 police officers were injured and 5 gave their lives in the deadly attack. Read the stories of the Capitol Police on January 6th.
Bipartisan Investigation: Over the last year, a Bipartisan Investigation, led by members from the Republican and Democratic Parties, held 9 House Committee hearings. Read and watch video and written summaries of all nine hearings.
Critics suggest that McCarthy's decision to give exclusive access to Carlson is an attempt to downplay the severity of the January 6 attack and deflect blame away from those responsible. Carlson may use the footage to construct conspiracy theories or place blame on Capitol police for their handling of the situation.
Overall, the move by McCarthy to coordinate with an Fox News media outlet has raised concerns about political manipulation and the need for transparency in the investigation into the Capitol riots. It also highlights the power of media outlets like Fox News in shaping public opinion and political discourse.
