Ray Epps Charged in Capitol Attack, Debunking Jan. 6 Conspiracy Theory

Ray Epps, the man falsely accused of being a government agent involved in the January 6 Capitol attack, has been charged with disorderly conduct for entering a restricted area on the Capitol grounds. Epps, a former Marine and Trump supporter, became the target of baseless allegations that he helped instigate the violence to discredit Trump and his supporters. The conspiracy theory was promoted by Tucker Carlson and echoed by Republican politicians. Epps sued Fox News for defamation, but the charges filed against him now undermine the conspiracy theory. Epps is one of the few individuals in the mob who never entered the Capitol to be prosecuted, and it remains unclear why the Justice Department decided to charge him now. The unfounded accusations had severe consequences for Epps and his wife, who received death threats and had to sell their property.