The Trump flags were waving in the cold Washington, D.C. wind on Jan. 6. Red "Make America Great Again" hats dotted the steps of the U.S. Capitol. Once they broke through the windows and doors of the 229-year-old building chants "stop the steal" echoed through the halls. Outside a gallows was erected to chants of "Hang Mike Pence."
One year later, Republicans are trying to claim all of those people were really secret liberals, reported the New York Times. They think these secret liberals spent hundreds of dollars on Trump campaign gear, traveled across the U.S. on Republican-organized buses, stood for hours in the cold listening to then-President Trump speak for over an hour, and then walked over a mile to the U.S. Capitol building before raging a stampede inside.
The conspiracy theories began in real-time. Shortly before 8 p.m. one woman only yards from the Capitol grounds ranted, "They’re calling us violent Trump mobs."
"That’s because antifa came here dressed as Trump supporters and started all this," replied a man she was speaking to.
"We didn’t do a thing," another man said after telling them he broke inside the Capitol. "We were there for the Constitution — to make sure democracy was followed."
Fox News hosts like Laura Ingraham, Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity started looking for a scapegoat. They claimed that Antifa was behind the violence, even though not one Antifa person has been discovered on any of the many videos and photos posted online.
"Here they are gearing up for their version of conflict Christmas, otherwise known as Jan. 6 2.0," whined Fox host Greg Gutfeld whined earlier this week mocking coverage of the one-year anniversary. He deemed Jan. 6 as nothing more than "an ugly event that came and went."
The OAN network showed Officer Michael Fanone's testimony and under it read: "FBI ‘Can’t Find Proof’ of Antifa Involvement in Jan. 6th Protests, Despite Mountains of Video Evidence." OAN hasn't provided any evidence of Antifa either.
Newsmax host Steve Cortes, who previously advised the Trump campaign, has spread conspiracy theories that the person who set bombs at the RNC and DNC headquarters was actually an FBI agent and it was all an inside job or "false flag."
Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) dismissed those who beat police officers with hockey sticks, flag poles, fire extinguishers, and batons sd mere "tourists" who are being wrongfully accused by a Justice Department being led by Joe Biden.
Fox host Julie Kelly called the police officers injured during the insurrection nothing more than "crisis actors."
Newsmax host Greg Kelly — son of the former New York City police commissioner Raymond Kelly — attacked officer Michael Fanone because he signed on to be a paid contributor of CNN.
"I just hope they took away his gun and his badge because he doesn’t deserve them," Kelly said. Under the photo on the screen it read, "Fake Cop Becomes Fake News"
"The reimagining of Jan. 6 has not so much evolved as it has splintered into rival, but often complementary, false narratives with a common goal — to shift blame away from Mr. Trump, his supporters and a Republican Party maneuvering to win back control of government," the Times noted.
Read the full report at the New York Times.
IN OTHER NEWS: Jen Psaki explains why Biden didn’t need to call out Trump by name during Jan. 6 speech
Jen Psaki explains why Biden didn’t need to call out Trump by name during Jan. 6 speechwww.youtube.com
