On Wednesday’s CBS Evening News, anchor Norah O’Donnell and congressional correspondent Seth MacFarlane erroneously linked Republican Congressman Barry Loudermilk (GA) to an alleged advanced reconnaissance inside the Capitol building prior to the January 6 riots at the Capitol. This despite Capitol Police stating that nothing suspicious or out of the ordinary was spotted on surveillance cameras.
Not letting facts get in the way, O’Donnell hyped the report claiming “there's some new developments in the January 6 investigation. The House Select Committee today released stunning new video that's raising questions about whether there was advanced reconnaissance inside the capitol the day before the insurrection.”
She then went to the January 6 obsessed MacFarlane who claimed “the committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol is focusing on the man in the gray sweatshirt. Seen on surveillance video taking photos of staircases and hallways in the Capitol complex on January 5, the day before the attack.” Adding that “a day later, they say he was recording this video amid a crowd marching to the capitol.”
MacFarlane hyped the footage showing the tour allegedly led by Loudermilk “taking pictures of security checkpoints.” He also reported that “CBS News reached a member of the congressman's visiting group, who also said it was not a reconnaissance mission” yet he still regurgitated the committee’s talking points that “the group stayed for several hours on a day the complex was closed to the public.”
It wasn’t until the tail end of the segment that MacFarlane revealed that the Capitol Police poured cold water on the Democrat Party’s newest non-controversy: “with the committee focused on this video, Congressman Loudermilk points to a report earlier this week from Capitol Police in which they say they reviewed the actions of that group from January 5 previously and found nothing suspicious.”
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CBS Evening News
6/15/2022
6:37:13 p.m. EasternNORAH O'DONNELL: Back here in Washington, there's some new developments in the January 6 investigation. The House Select Committee today released stunning new video that's raising questions about whether there was advanced reconnaissance inside the capitol the day before the insurrection. We're also learning about what two key advisers to then-Vice President Mike Pence will say at tomorrow's hearing. CBS' Robert Costa will have more on that in a minute. But first, CBS' Scott Macfarlane will start us off with that new video.
SCOTT MACFARLANE: The committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol is focusing on the man in the gray sweatshirt. Seen on surveillance video taking photos of staircases and hallways in the Capitol complex on January 5, the day before the attack. A day later, they say he was recording this video amid a crowd marching to the capitol.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: We're coming in like white on rice. For Pelosi, Nadler, Schumer. Even you, AOC. We're coming to take you out. Pull you out by your hair.
MACFARLANE: The committee says he was part of a tour group led by Georgia Republican Barry Loudermilk. Some taking pictures of security checkpoints. The congressman denied any wrongdoing.
REP. BARRY LOUDERMILK: I'm totally opposed and I condemn that kind of language. But no one in that group showed that type of aggression that day. I mean, they were just-- they were just here visiting.
MACFARLANE: CBS News reached a member of the congressman's visiting group, who also said it was not a reconnaissance mission, but the committee said the group stayed for several hours on a day the complex was closed to the public. And photographed and recorded areas of the complex not typically of interest to tourists. Pennsylvania Democrat Brandon Boyle says this photo is a spot he's never seen photographed before and was near a sensitive area.
REP. BRENDAN BOYLE: That specific stairwell was not too far away from where a large concentration of members were taken that afternoon while the insurrection was still going on in the capitol.
MACFARLANE: With the committee focused on this video, Congressman Loudermilk points to a report earlier this week from Capitol Police in which they say they reviewed the actions of that group from January 5 previously and found nothing suspicious.
