WASHINGTON — Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, the Florida Republican, whom Donald Trump wants to be the next attorney general He spread lies about the United States Attack on the Capitol on January 6 and Jan. 6 defended his claim that he would oversee the defendants’ case if approved.
Trump’s nomination of Gaetz, recently target a federal sex-trafficking investigation that ended without chargesthere is It sent shock waves through Congress and Through the Ministry of JusticeA law enforcement agency that Gaetz himself has repeatedly targeted, including with false allegations.
“Many lawyers and staff are struggling to find the right emotional response to the reality that’s unfolding in front of us,” said a law enforcement source close to the January 6 investigation, who spoke on condition of anonymity to speak candidly about his potential boss. their department.
If nominated and confirmed as attorney general, Gaetz would oversee the sprawling investigation into the Jan. 6 attack and order federal prosecutors to drop ongoing cases, seek reduced or no prison sentences for the Jan. 6 rioters, halt additional arrests, or even close them. can give Down from DOJ’s Capitol Siege Unit. There is that unit pulled forward Over 1,500 events”the most extensive study” in the history of the Department of Justice. Prosecutors have convicted more than 1,100 people in connection with the attack, with more than 600 receiving sentences ranging from a few days to federal prison. 22 years in one case.
Hundreds of rioters have not yet been arrested. NBC News reported last week that the Justice Department was preparing to arrest Gaetz ahead of his announcement.the worst” before Trump took office on January 20, referring to the January 6 riots – those that attacked officers.
Trump said he would “completely” amnesty some, if not allOf the rioters storming the Capitol, he tagged themfighters,” “incredible patriots,” political prisoners and “pledges.” On Thursday, his transition team told NBC News that Trump would “make pardon decisions on a case-by-case basis.”
Trump’s selection of Gaetz, one of the most prominent critics of the federal investigation into the attack, suggests he will seek a dramatic overhaul of the probe. Neither Trump’s transition team nor Gaetz responded to a request for comment for this story.
Nicole Reffitt, a supporter of the Capitol defendants, told NBC News that she was pleased with Gaetz’s selection. Her husband was Guy Reffitt armed He became a participant on January 6 The first Capitol rebel to go to trial and does serves more than seven years in federal prison, in part because he was armed.
“Trump needs to fix what’s already in shambles,” Nicole Reffitt said. “First of all, he needs a wrecking ball to break the crust of corruption. That wrecking ball is Attorney General Matt Gaetz.”
Derrick Evans, January 6 rioter who previously nominatedGaetz gave a shout-out in Friday’s fundraising email.
“We need it warrior in leadership and that’s why I’m endorsing Matt Gaetz for Attorney General,” Evans wrote. “I know him—he’s proven, tested, and one of us.”
Disinformation and rallies
From the beginning of the investigation, Gaetz aligned himself with pro-Trump January 6th rioters and spread disinformation about the attack. detained in pretrial detention.
On January 6, 2021, he falsely claimed on the floor of the House of Representatives that “some people who are trespassing on the Capitol” They were antifa members, not Trump supportersciting a right-wing newspaper report that was later corrected. He joined 146 other Republicans during that session vote to nullify the results of the 2020 elections after the attack. Gaetz too then it is meant He said he spoke with Trump during the Capitol breach.
Six months later, Gaetz and other far-right members of Congress was held On Jan. 6, he held a news conference outside the Justice Department regarding the treatment of prisoners, saying that alleged Capitol rioters were “harassed” and “targeted” by law enforcement. That December he placed A January 6 House committee set up to investigate the attack said there was a “greater threat to America than the J6 rioters.”
Gaetz has repeatedly hosted former Trump White House official Darren Beattie They spread conspiracy theories about the January 6 attackon his podcast. One of Gaetz’ podcasts about Beattie was called Fedsurrection nickname It was created by far-right extremists who described the Capitol attack as an inside job without evidence. Gaetz in another episode with Beattie in October 2021 he said January 6 “was used by America’s most powerful forces to smear and target a political movement that threatens them.”
Gaetz in 2019 was hired Like Beattie senior advisor after being fired Because the Trump administration attended a conference with white nationalists. This January, Gaetz shared A story from Beattie’s website about pipe bombs stayed outside the RNC and DNC In the run-up to the Capitol attack, he suggested a federal “cover-up” without evidence. Gaetz tagged it “READ THE PRESS”.
A right-wing conspiracy theory also spread about Gaetz Ray Eppswas a Trump supporter is unjustly accused Being a federal operative who played a role in the January 6 attack. Epps was charged with the crime in 2023 and was convicted to the probationary periodthe judge noted in his case: “More than 700 people were sentenced in this courthouse for their role on January 6. Neither is a member of Antifa or an FBI agent.”
Gaetz on the first anniversary of January 6 was held another press conference to “expose the truth” about the attack. Later in 2022, Gaetz and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., walked what. its congressional website It was called “the area of the Capitol Complex where federal whistleblower Ray Epps and his team allegedly breached the fencing system for the first time.”
After Gaetz posted a screenshot “Save it for when the full extent of the federal government’s role in J6 is revealed,” wrote one television anchor who called Epps’ conspiracy theory “baseless.”
Gaetz in 2023 participated A rally for the January 6th rioters in Washington, DC, outside the prison where a limited number of the January 6th rioters were pretrial. In most of these casesthe judge found ample evidence that they were violent toward law enforcement or on the run from authorities.
During this live-streamed rally, Gaetz spoke directly to the Capitol inmate by phone. Tami PerrymanAnother supporter of the January 6 defendants, whose girlfriend was among those detained and has been since was convicted.
“I just wanted to say how sorry I am that there are Americans who have to endure this two-tier justice system,” Gaetz told one of the unnamed defendants in jail on Jan. 6. Clip posted by the Gaetz team. “I want us to have a group out there that knows we need to do more and that we’re not doing enough.”
That unidentified Jan. 6 defendant called Gaetz “one of the good few” in Congress. “When you speak up, you’re saying what we think about holding these people accountable,” he told Gaetz.
Just this year, Gaetz presented January 6 bill aimed at giving rioters more leverage resentment hearings, as well as a non-binding resolution declaring the House of Representatives He does not believe that Trump is engaged in insurrection. None of them could get votes in this Congress.
Many could still face charges
Two months before Trump’s inauguration, the FBI continues to make new arrests and the DOJ continues to pursue them in court.
online”mischief huntersThey have identified more than 70 people who are currently on display and have provided evidence to the bureau, who has helped the FBI arrest hundreds of Capitol rioters, told NBC News. The FBI’s Capitol Violence webpage and was tagged as wanted for assault on a federal officer or assault on the media, both felonies.
In the last three days, the FBI has arrested two people on charges of assaulting police officers.
Sources close to the Capitol siege investigation warned NBC News in 2022 that the Justice Department “workforce” to bring the remaining works to the finish line before the deadline expires in 2026.
That timeline is shorter now. Hundreds of additional rioters will likely never be charged, but online scouts hope that the violent rioters already identified could be arrested before Trump takes office, creating a public record no matter who runs the Justice Department.
“It’s not quite there, but it can still be saved!” said a fraudster assisting the FBI investigation.