The tour of a building near the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 5, 2021, “raises concerns,” according to the head of the House of Representatives panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol.
On June 15, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), chair of the House Select Committee, released video footage and still images showing individuals with Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) on the day before the breach inside the Rayburn, Longworth, and Cannon House Office Buildings, which contain offices of members of Congress.
A man who was part of the tour appears to take photographs of a staircase, while multiple people snap pictures of a tunnel that leads to the Capitol, according to the newly published materials.
In the letter, Thompson reiterated a request to Loudermilk for an interview to ask questions regarding the tour.
Thomas Manger, chief of the police force, said, “We train our officers on being alert for people conducting surveillance or reconnaissance, and we do not consider any of the activities we observed as suspicious.”
Manger said Loudermilk led a tour of about 15 people but that there was no evidence the group went to the Capitol or entered any tunnels leading to the Capitol, noting that police officers were blocking the entrances at the time.
“As Capitol Police confirmed, nothing about this visit with constituents was suspicious. The pictures show children holding bags from the House gift shop, which was open to visitors, and taking pictures of the Rayburn train.”
Loudermilk said the Jan. 6 panel didn’t contact him before releasing the missive. The same pattern played out in May, when Thompson and Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), vice chair of the committee, attempted to link the Loudermilk tour to alleged reconnaissance tours that members led in the days leading up to the Capitol breach.
“This type of behavior is irresponsible and has real consequences—including ongoing death threats to myself, my family, and my staff,” Loudermilk stated.
The congressman has thus far declined requests to be interviewed by the committee, which is dominated by Democrats and includes only two Republicans, both of whom are harsh critics of former President Donald Trump.
Thompson, meanwhile, also released video footage taken on Jan. 6 outside the Capitol allegedly by one of the men who were part of the tour. In later footage, the same man is heard apparently making threats to Democrats.
“While we had hoped to show you the video evidence when you met with us, and since you have thus far declined, the Select Committee provides the video in question for your review,” Thompson wrote, sharing a link to the video.
The man in the video does not appear to have been charged.
Loudermilk stated, “Nowhere that I went with the visitors in the House Office Buildings on January 5th [was] breached on January 6th; and, to my knowledge, no one in that group was criminally charged in relation to January 6th.”
