House Speaker to Release Jan. 6 Capitol Attack Footage

Public Release of Thousands of Hours of Footage

House Speaker Mike Johnson has announced his plan to make thousands of hours of footage from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol available to the public. This decision fulfills a promise made to far-right party members during his campaign. The release of this footage will provide transparency and allow millions of Americans, criminal defendants, public interest organizations, and the media to see for themselves what unfolded on that day. Instead of relying on the interpretation of a select few government officials, individuals will have the opportunity to draw their own conclusions.

Access and Availability

The first batch of security footage, consisting of approximately 90 hours, has already been released on the public committee website. Over the next several months, the remaining 44,000 hours will also be posted. To ensure widespread accessibility, a public viewing room will be set up in the Capitol for individuals to view the footage.

Expanding Access to the General Public

Prior to this decision, the video footage was only accessible to members of the media, criminal defendants, and a limited number of other individuals by appointment. Now, House Speaker Mike Johnson is expanding access to the general public. This move aligns with his commitment to the most conservative members of his party, including Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and former President Donald Trump, who applauded the decision.

Trump even took to his Truth Social platform to congratulate the Speaker for his courage and fortitude in releasing the footage.

Importance and Potential Impact

The release of this footage grants the general public an unprecedented level of access to sensitive and explicit security footage from the Jan. 6 attack. While some critics have expressed concerns about potential safety risks, Johnson is taking precautions to protect individuals. Faces will be blurred in the footage to avoid targeting anyone for retaliation, and approximately 5% of the footage containing sensitive security information related to the building’s architecture will not be made available.

Previous Controversies

Following the attack, gripping images and videos circulated, but much of the surveillance video was held back. In February, then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy gave exclusive access to the footage to Tucker Carlson, a move that drew criticism from Democrats who viewed it as a breach of security. Carlson used this footage to shape a narrative favorable to Trump.

Reframing the Narrative

This release of footage is part of a larger effort by Republicans to redefine the narrative around the insurrection. The House Jan. 6 committee’s findings implicated Trump in a multi-part conspiracy to overturn the election results. The committee’s final report recommended federal prosecutors to investigate Trump on four crimes, including aiding an insurrection. By making this footage available to the public, House Speaker Mike Johnson is facilitating a broader understanding of the events that unfolded on Jan. 6, 2021.