A recent report from Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz has unveiled new findings regarding the FBI's involvement during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
According to Fox News, the report outlines the deployment and activities of 26 confidential human sources at the event, none of whom were instructed to engage in unlawful actions.
Released by Inspector General Michael Horowitz, the thorough review examined the FBI's procedures for handling confidential human sources in the lead-up to the disturbance at the Capitol during the Electoral Certification. The findings suggest that while the FBI did have a noteworthy number of informants in the crowd, the agency itself maintained a secondary role in intelligence gathering and event security on that day.
The FBI assigned only three confidential human sources to be present on January 6; however, a larger number of informants, 23 to be exact, attended independently. Out of these, several crossed into unauthorized areas, with one source entering the Capitol itself and eleven others venturing into restricted zones surrounding it. Crucially, the report verifies that none of these actions were sanctioned by the FBI.
The Department of Homeland Security, which did not elevate the event to a top security classification, primarily oversaw the security measures that day, relegating the FBI to a supporting role. This backdrop contributes to the broader discussion about the division of responsibilities and preparedness for significant national events.
In response to the findings, experts advised the FBI to overhaul its approach to event preparation for circumstances not designated as National Special Security Events (NSSE) or having a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR). Specifically, the Inspector General recommended that FBI field offices enhance coordination to ensure a clearer division of responsibilities.
The reports also prompted the FBI to commit to improving these procedures ahead of the 2025 Electoral Certification, which officials have already marked as an NSSE, implying a heightened level of security and preparedness.
Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz shared the conclusions of the report in testimony before Capitol Hill earlier in the year, stressing the FBI's official stance on the activities of its informants. He clarified that the FBI neither authorized the informants to commit crimes nor instructed them to incite others to do so.
The FBI declared, "Today’s report also details our findings regarding FBI CHSs who were in Washington, D.C., on January 6. Our review determined that the FBI did not authorize any of these CHSs to enter the Capitol or a restricted area or to break the law on January 6, nor did the FBI direct any CHS to encourage others to commit illegal acts on January 6."
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan expressed contrary views, interpreting the findings differently and indicating a discrepancy between the treatment of confidential human sources and other participants of the January 6 event. Jordan raised concerns about agency overreach and the potential weaponization of intelligence assets against citizens.
Jordan's comments reflect ongoing debates about the role and boundaries of national security agencies within domestic affairs, discussions that the release of such reports tends to amplify.
The unveiling of the report's findings underscores ongoing challenges in the interface between law enforcement agencies and national security, bringing to light the intricate balance of proactive intelligence gathering and the safeguarding of civil liberties.
In conclusion, the Justice Department's report on the FBI's use of informants during the Capitol riot paints a complex picture of agency coordination and individual actions. It calls for improvements in planning and communication across agencies to better address future national security challenges, without overstepping the rights of the American populace.
