Capitol attack: Video recordings to be published
The new Chairman of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, has announced that he will release thousands of hours of video surveillance footage of the Capitol attack. "To restore Americans' trust in their government, we must create transparency," he said.
The decision will give millions of Americans, lawyers, public interest organizations and the media the opportunity to see for themselves what happened that day, the Republican said. The material is to be published in stages on the website of a committee of the House of Representatives. The faces of private individuals are to be made unrecognizable.
Five people die
With this step, Johnson is reportedly fulfilling a promise he made to the ultra-right in his parliamentary group before the election for the post of leader. They repeatedly and falsely claim that the violent attack was a peaceful demonstration.
Supporters of then President Donald Trump had stormed the seat of parliament in Washington on January 6, 2021. Congress had convened there to formally confirm the victory of Democrat Joe Biden in the presidential election. Trump had previously incited his supporters during a speech. Five people died as a result of the riots.
There had already been a dispute about the surveillance footage in the past. Johnson's predecessor in the chief congressional post, Kevin McCarthy, had given recordings exclusively to the then talk show host at Fox News, Tucker Carlson. The right-wing talk show host showed a few selected images and commented on them in line with Trump's views. Carlson is known for spreading conspiracy theories and was fired from Fox News a few months ago. The head of the Capitol Police, Tom Manger, called Carlson's editing of the video material misleading at the time.
- The publication of the video recordings in the House of Representatives committee's website will provide Joe Biden's administration with an opportunity to scrutinize the events leading up to the Capitol attack, as they aim to promote transparency and understanding within the government.
- During the congressional hearing, the media will be able to cross-reference the newly released video footage with their own investigations, providing the public with a comprehensive account of the events of January 6, 2021, that involved both Donald Trump and his supporters.
- In light of the Capitol attack, the Parliament will likely face further questioning about the security measures in place at such institutions, as well as the role of the media in reporting and interpreting political events, given controversies surrounding selective broadcasting and the spread of misinformation in recent years.
Source: www.dpa.com
