Newsmax dismisses the January 6 committee as its investigation barely begins

Given the chance to show officers testifying about the response to January 6, Newsmax interviewed two people charged in the attack

Written by Jason Campbell

Published

The House of Representatives select committee today commenced its investigation into the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The day’s proceeding was dominated by the emotional opening testimony of police officers who were present during the pro-Trump attack. But conservative cable outlet Newsmax, which infamously blamed the insurrection on anti-fascist activists as it was occurring, now dismissed the investigation as a farce.

This time, Newsmax broke its live coverage of the proceedings to allow former Texas state Rep. Rick Green to falsely blame the violence of January 6 on “FBI informants, antifa, BLM -- very radical anti-Trump people.” Green also promulgated the common conservative talking point of blaming Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi for the violence on January 6.

From the July 27, 2021, edition of Newsmax's National Report

RICK GREEN (FORMER TEXAS STATE LEGISLATOR): Well, on the bright side, we're finally hearing Democrats say nice things about police officers, so there is that. Where were these guys over the last year -- 576 violent clashes, 2,000 police officers injured, billions of dollars in property damage, dozens, not one or two, dozens of people killed and the Democrats didn't have anything nice to say about the police. Then, in fact, Kamala Harris encourage people to bail out the folks that were creating that violence. And yet, people arrested on the January 6 event can't get bail. So there's definitely a two-tiered justice system.

Look, the important question here is if this was a real investigation, we'd be asking why in the world -- who gave the stand down order -- why in the world was there not enough police officers there? And I got to say, one of the officers said, you know, Donald Trump was egging them on instead of sending help. Donald Trump wanted more military presence -- that wanted military presence there, and more police officers there, and it was turned down. So why did Nancy Pelosi allow this situation to happen in the first place? And why are we not asking the questions about all the video we've seen of Capitol police officers literally removing the barricades and inviting people into the Capitol? What they're after here is to take the violent -- the ones that should be put in jail for the violence and attacking police officers -- taking those few and trying to make it look like anybody that ever supported Donald Trump was a part of that. In fact, that was FBI informants, antifa, BLM -- very radical anti-Trump people, we already know that -- that were involved in this. And they're trying to make it look like anybody that ever supported Trump was part of that. We cannot allow that false narrative to take place. And they're ignoring the failure of the decision-makers. I want to know who gave the stand down order. That's the question that should be asked.

Host John Bachman also cast doubt on the committee, saying it “does not look like a fair and balanced proceeding.”

From the July 27, 2021, edition of Newsmax's John Bachman Now

JOHN BACHMAN (HOST): And I'm not here to condemn or, you know, even discount what happened to these officers. I heard their testimony this morning, you know, and I'm -- you know, I want to know why more wasn't done to give them what they needed to actually hold back this riot that day. But Robin, this does not look like a fair and balanced proceeding here. 

After finishing an interview with two men charged for participating in the insurrection, Bachman said their words were “definitely a different perspective on the events that day than what we heard from this obviously biased panel.”

From the July 27, 2021, edition of Newsmax's John Bachman Now

JOHN BACHMAN (HOST): Definitely a different perspective on the events that day than what we heard from this obviously biased panel, this investigation, the 1/6 special committee.

Finally, host Joe Pinion dismissed the entire commission as a “kangaroo court.”

From the July 27, 2021, edition of Newsmax's American Agenda

JOE PINION (HOST): Thane, I want to ask you a quick question here because how can we look at this as anything other than a kangaroo court if the person at the center of these proceedings, the speaker of the House, is the only person who was allowed to pick the people who will be asking the questions?

Newsmax has consistently lied about the events of January 6 and showed sympathy for the insurrectionists, and the network is continuing that pattern now that Congress is investigating the Capitol attack.