Ray Epps has been the object of conspiracy theories regarding the January 6 Capitol since the beginning, and that has been especially true on and because of Fox News, he and his lawyers have maintained. Speaking with 60 Minutes on Sunday, Epps said Fox host Tucker Carlson is “obsessed” with him.
Correspondent Bill Whitaker interviewed Epps and his wife on Sunday’s 60 Minutes on CBS, and the former Donald Trump, who himself espoused conspiracy theories and took part in the events of January 6, talked about how the right-wing theories about him being a federal agent sent to infiltrate and instigate at an otherwise peaceful protest has affect him.
And part of that discussion focused on Fox News coverage.
“He’s obsessed with me,” Epps said of Carlson. “He’s going to any means possible to destroy my life and our lives.”
“Why?” asked Whitaker.
“To shift blame on somebody else,” Epps said. “If you look at it, Fox News, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Ted Cruz, Gaetz, they’re all tellin’ us before this thing that it was stolen. So you tell me, who has more impact on people, them or me?”
Epps has previously sought an apology and retraction from Carlson for his show’s coverage, which returned to Epps again recently when airing previously unseen footage from that day. Carlson used the clips to describe the events as peaceful, saying it showed participants were “not insurrectionists” but “sightseers.”
“Epps – once a loyal Fox News watcher – told us he doesn’t understand how he got cast as the villain,” says Whitaker in the clip. “The Epps’ version is more mundane: they believed the 2020 election had been stolen from Donald Trump… and considered January 6th a legitimate protest.”
The couple say they have faced death threats and constantly “relive” the events of January 6.
Bill Whitaker: What do you think when you see this now?
Ray Epps: Brings back some bad memories. It’s hard to see our Capitol under attack.
It’s been more than two years since the storming of the Capitol, but Ray and his wife Robyn told us they relive January 6th every day of their lives.
Robyn Epps: Some people have said, “Well, just let it go, and let it die down.”
Ray Epps: It doesn’t.
Robyn Epps: What they don’t understand is it doesn’t.
Tucker Carlson: What exactly was the role of Ray Epps in the chaos of January 6th?
The theory Epps, a former member of the Oath Keepers, was an FBI informant who incited the crowd on January 6th bubbled up from a right-wing news site called Revolver News – run by a former Trump speechwriter…
Darren Beattie: He is the smoking gun of the entire Fed-surrection.
And landed on Fox News primetime…
Laura Ingraham: According to a new investigation from Revolver, Epps may have led the breach team that first entered the Capitol on January 6th…
The convoluted conspiracy theory made its way to Capitol Hill.
Matt Gaetz: It’s not the Proud Boys who engage in the initial breach. It’s Ray Epps at that precise moment.
Thomas Massie: How did Ray Epps know that there were gonna be pipe bombs?
Ted Cruz: Ms Sanborn. Who is Ray Epps?
That question has animated Fox News host Tucker Carlson for nearly two years.
Tucker Carlson: Ray Epps? He is on video several times encouraging crimes, riots, breaches of the Capitol…
Carlson has focused on Epps more than 20 times on his top-rated show … a half dozen times so far this year.
Ray Epps: He’s obsessed with me. He’s going to any means possible to destroy my life and our lives.
Bill Whitaker: Why?
Ray Epps: To shift blame on somebody else. If you look at it, Fox News, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Ted Cruz, Gaetz, they’re all tellin’ us before this thing that it was stolen. So you tell me, who has more impact on people, them or me?
Epps – once a loyal Fox News watcher – told us he doesn’t understand how he got cast as the villain. The epps’ version is more mundane: they believed the 2020 election had been stolen from Donald Trump… and considered January 6th a legitimate protest.
Watch the clip above, via 60 Minutes on CBS.
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