Ray Epps' attorney explains why he was removed from the FBI's suspect database

The narrative surrounding Ray Epps, the man seen on video instigating the Capitol riot for two days, is that he spoke with the January 6 select committee and assured them he wasn’t working on behalf of any law enforcement agency, so any implication he was an FBI informant is a conspiracy theory.

We still have a lot of questions, though, and it appears the select committee does too, as they’re having Epps come back for another interview. Didn’t the first one cover it?

NEW: Ray EPPS — the figure at the center of Jan. 6 conspiracy theories pushed by Trump — is slated to sit for a transcribed interview with the Jan. 6 committee on Friday, his lawyer says.https://t.co/MU8t0lpwYL

— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) January 18, 2022

But Rep. Adam Kinzinger already said, “Sorry crazies,” Epps is “just another misled man.” It still seems weird the committee and the FBI would just let him off the hook after so aggressively prosecuting grandmothers who just walked through the open doors of the Capitol building and took selfies. But Epps’ attorney can explain why he was removed from the FBI’s suspect list:

Epps' attorney says Epps called the FBI on Jan. 8. 2021 after a relative told him he had appeared in news reports related to the riot.

That's the reason, the lawyer says, the FBI later removed him from its suspect database.https://t.co/MU8t0lpwYL

— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) January 18, 2022

Epps already met informally with the select committee in November, telling them he had no relationship to the FBI, as Trump allies have theorized.

Friday's interview will be more formal and come less than a week after Trump called out Epps by name. https://t.co/MU8t0lpwYL

— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) January 18, 2022

They’re not uncommon — they’ve happened with a few other 1/6 witnesses I’m aware of and possibly others. It’s an initial approach where the two sides feel each other out about evidence/ground rules/basics of testimony. Very normal part of the accommodation process.

— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) January 18, 2022

Yeah, not to sound like conspiracy theorists, but the “accommodation process” seems to have worked out really well for Epps.

After they already had some practice ?

— ALARM_CLOCK🚨 (@jorge58454907) January 18, 2022

I guess the first interview was a rehearsal

— KevinsChilli69 (@KevinsChilli69) January 18, 2022

I thought he already said he didn’t do it

— jam (@Libertarian247) January 18, 2022

But didn't the Jan 6th Committee already say he was interviewed?

— Lies & Hypocrisy of the LEFT (@LiesHypocrisy) January 18, 2022

But @AdamKinzinger said he did this already

— Charlie 🇺🇸 (@girl19_country) January 18, 2022

The clean up job is in progress…

— Quadratus (@Quadratus18) January 18, 2022

The first testimony was not transcribed?

— Timotay (@TimHansenisu) January 18, 2022

Can ANYONE name a SINGLE CIVILIAN that EVER gets the benefit of the doubt in investigations and gets to speak to the FBI….WITHOUT being transcribed or recorded for their testimony???

Literally NEVER happens 😂🤦‍♂️

— Josh Bradley (@JoshBradley117) January 18, 2022

This is such clumsy damage-control.

Just admit the "informal meeting" never happened.

— A Fateful Haven (@FatefulHaven) January 18, 2022

Why is he meeting with the committee? Why are they not demanding he be prosecuted? Are they meeting with other participants from the capital riot?

— MRM (@MRM845) January 18, 2022

Epps was seen on video inciting violence at the Capitol. If J6 Committee were serious, they would have subpoenaed him, his phone records, emails & text messages long ago. Like what they have done to people who weren’t even in DC on J6.

— Katch22 🍊 (@kalyx2020) January 18, 2022

There's video evidence for Christ's sake!

— poast variant 🗣️🍊 (@poast) January 18, 2022

Conspiracy theories? Epps is on VIDEO, several times over, inciting the crowd. You are desperate and pathetic.

— Bippity (@Bippity37094971) January 18, 2022

No one on that committee will challenge the narrative.

— Steph (@Steph93065In21) January 18, 2022

Gee, there isn’t one fair and honest person on that committee.

— The Big Guy (@umlatt25) January 18, 2022

So, in other words, the transcript will never see the light of day.

— 🇺🇸 red (@burnernotme) January 18, 2022

Lol right, like the FBI isn't going to mysteriously misplace that transcript, for, uhhhhh, national security reasons, yeah that sounds about right.

— Rooster Sanchez (@RoosterSanchez3) January 18, 2022

There’s a reason Epps is drawing so much attention — that explanation from his lawyer for why he was removed from the suspect list is not convincing at all.

Related:

‘Just another misled man’: Rep. Adam Kinzinger puts to rest all doubts about ‘Ray,’ says he apparently broke no laws so was let off https://t.co/cjLQncjJYF

— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) January 12, 2022