This week, Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) joined those speaking out against an imminent documentary series from Fox host Tucker Carlson regarding issues including the events of January 6, when Trump supporters ransacked the Capitol in an attempt to forcibly stop the formal certification of Biden’s victory. In a promotional clip for the series, a guest claims that the Capitol riot may have been a so-called false flag operation, meaning something designed to look like an attack on the premises by Trump supporters although it actually wasn’t, according to the bonkers theory. Obviously, the notion that the January 6 assault on the Capitol was a false flag operation is utterly nonsensical to a stunning degree.
Kinzinger — who is one of two Republicans on the House committee investigating the Capitol riot — commented as follows regarding Carlson’s latest la la land nonsense:
‘Anyone working for [Fox News] must speak out. This is disgusting. It appears [Fox News] isn’t even pretending anymore.’
Anyone working for @FoxNews must speak out. This is disgusting. It appears @foxnews isn’t even pretending anymore https://t.co/54Dfj3CS9X
— Adam Kinzinger (@AdamKinzinger) October 28, 2021
What about the scores of law enforcement personnel who sustained serious injuries from the mob that gathered at the Capitol that day? Were they faking it? The wounds are real — and the crimes that inflicted them on the officers are real. Hundreds of real-world Trump supporters have been caught by federal authorities and criminally charged for their roles in the riot, and many of these documented Trump supporters have entered plea deals — openly admitting to what they did. Calling the Capitol riot a “false flag” operation somehow sounds potentially more insane than claiming that systematic fraud was responsible for Biden’s election victory, although the bar is very, very low!
Notably, Fox News personality Geraldo Rivera also spoke out against the impending special series from Carlson, and Kinzinger replied in agreement, saying as follows:
‘Thank you. It’s insane. Basic facts and [Fox News] needs to pull this.’
Thank you. It’s insane. Basic facts and @FoxNews needs to pull this. https://t.co/NJQNvUmiC5
— Adam Kinzinger (@AdamKinzinger) October 28, 2021
Besides the lie about the possibility that the Capitol riot was some kind of false flag operation — which it’s shocking for an outlet as supposedly mainstream as Fox News to help promote! — the Carlson video also includes a claim that people on the political left are “hunting” the Right, which is definintively cuckoo. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), the other Republican on the House committee investigating the Capitol riot, also spoke out against the Carlson series, commenting on Twitter as follows:
‘It appears that [Fox News] is giving [Tucker Carlson] a platform to spread the same type of lies that provoked violence on January 6. As [Fox News] knows, the election wasn’t stolen and January 6 was not a “false flag” operation.’
It appears that @FoxNews is giving @TuckerCarlson a platform to spread the same type of lies that provoked violence on January 6. As @FoxNews knows, the election wasn’t stolen and January 6 was not a “false flag” operation. @rupertmurdoch @jayawallace @Suzannescott @SpeakerRyan https://t.co/ODKZFVUFBa
— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) October 28, 2021
While Carlson publicly spirals off into these delirious fairy tales, the riot investigation committee and Justice Department are continuing their work. The full House recently voted to refer the potential prosecution of top Trump ally Steve Bannon to the Justice Department after he self-confidently defied a subpoena from the riot investigation committee.
