DOJ Report Debunks FBI Capitol Riot Conspiracy

A report by the Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz has debunked conspiracy theories suggesting that undercover FBI agents incited the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. The findings confirm that while 26 FBI informants, known as confidential human sources (CHSs), were present in Washington, D.C. on that day, none were undercover agents, and none were instructed to enter the Capitol or engage in illegal activities. Of these informants, four entered the Capitol, and 13 others crossed into restricted areas, but none have been prosecuted. The IG report highlighted the FBI's failure to perform a comprehensive canvass of its field offices for intelligence, a basic step that could have better prepared law enforcement for potential threats. Despite the shortcomings, the FBI took significant steps to identify domestic extremists before the event. The report counters claims by some Trump allies that the FBI played a role in provoking the violence.