CBS News became the latest legacy outlet to come to Ray Epps’ defense Sunday night with an interview on the network’s flagship program “60 Minutes.” The network follows The New York Times in giving the Jan. 6 agitator a glossy profile, dismissing as “conspiracies” the allegations that Epps was in covert cooperation with federal law enforcement.
On the eve of the Jan. 6, 2021 riot, Epps is captured on video demanding protesters “go into the Capitol” as Congress certified the 2020 election. Protesters responded by shouting Epps down as a “fed.” Since then, his apparently preferential treatment by law enforcement has contributed to speculation that Epps was an FBI informant who sought to provoke turmoil at the Capitol. While Epps ran to CBS to dispute any connection with the FBI, the interview raised more questions than answers.
“I said some stupid things,” Epps told CBS’s Bill Whitaker after he was shown footage from the night before the riot. “My thought process: we surround the Capitol, we get all the people there… It was my duty as an American to peacefully protest along with anybody else that wanted to.”
More footage shows Epps corralling demonstrators at the Capitol on Jan. 6, including a moment in which barriers were breached by an agitated rioter immediately after Epps whispered in his ear. Epps claimed on “60 Minutes” he was trying to calm him down and redirect the aggression away from police.
“What did you say to him?” Whitaker asked Epps.
