Leftists are celebrating today after the sudden federal charge dropped on one man, who they claim became the focal point of a so-called “conspiracy theory” propagated by former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson.
Ray Epps has been formally accused of a single offense in connection with the events that transpired during the January 6th insurrection at the United States Capitol.
This latest charge in an exorbitantly long list of individuals charged, convicted, and sentenced to an egregious amount of time, brings particular vindication to left-leaning outlets more than other so-called “insurrectionist” charges have.
Based on the court filings, Epps has been formally accused of a misdemeanor offense pertaining to unruly or disruptive behavior within a restricted structure or grounds. As reported by NBC News, the individual in question has been charged through the use of an information, indicating a potential intention to pursue a plea agreement.
The individual, who had previously served in the military and held the position of chapter president within the far-right organization known as the Oath Keepers, stated that their purpose for attending the Capitol on January 6th was to express their endorsement of the then-President, Donald Trump.
According to The New York Times, Epps was “seen on video encouraging demonstrators to march with him and enter the Capitol at one point. At another point, however, he pleads for restraint once it becomes clear the situation is turning violent. He also pushes past a police barricade into a restricted part of the Capitol grounds.”
The absence of quick charges against Epps served as a subject of interest for Carlson, who propagated the notion that Epps may have functioned as an undercover operative employed by the FBI to incite the gathering of individuals outside the Capitol. Additional proponents of Trump among the media embraced the notion, attributing responsibility for the acts of violence not to Trump and his followers, but rather to clandestine governmental entities.
According to a publication by The Arizona Republic, out of Epps’ hometown:
Carlson ratcheted up the rhetoric about Epps in successive episodes of his popular broadcast after the insurrection. He first raised questions about Epps, played videos of him at the Capitol, pointed to Epps never being charged, then accused him of stage-managing the insurrection.
Carlson offered no direct evidence to support his claims.
Subsequently, Carlson’s employment at Fox News was terminated, during which he predominantly expressed his remarks towards Epps. However, Epps has initiated legal proceedings against the cable news network on grounds of defamation, as stated in the filed complaint, “Fox knew it needed a scapegoat for January 6th. It settled on Ray Epps and began promoting the lie that Epps was a federal agent who incited the attack on the Capitol.”
