Originally published September 6, 2023 6:36 pm PDT
After months of anticipation, Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has hinted at the release of the January 6, 2021 demonstration security footage taken at the U.S. Capitol, per an exclusive report from National File.
The move follows strong advocacy from America First voters and key GOP representatives, most notably U.S. Rep Matt Gaetz (R-FL).
The proposed release plan suggests that access will be incremental.
Initially, footage requested by journalists and Jan 6 defendants will be released, followed by additional hours of footage added to a public access archive over time.
The vast compilation, amounting to over 41,000 hours, currently resides with the U.S. House of Representatives and is under McCarthy’s discretion for release, National File notes.
Although he pledged to unveil this footage during his speakership campaign, McCarthy had been reserved about it, offering limited access mainly to mainstream media outlets.
This development comes at a crucial time, considering the growing expectations of the GOP base and the scrutiny of McCarthy’s leadership.
A significant voice in this narrative is Rep. Matt Gaetz, who recently took to social media to critique McCarthy on various fronts, including the delayed Jan 6 footage release.
The Florida representative emphasized the need for active leadership, saying that conservatives in the House “are going to have to seize the initiative and make some changes” if there isn’t swift progress under McCarthy.
Commenting on the impending release, the congressman told National File, “It’s productive that McCarthy has signaled a change in position on the J6 tapes after my social media post.”
Yet, he stressed the importance of actions over words, noting, “But we will measure success by actions, not promises.”
Gaetz further added, “And there is much more to do. This may be moving the ball one yard. Ninety-nine to go.”
