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THE INSURRECTION PROTECTION COMMITTEE IS AT IT AGAIN

Rep. Jim Jordan’s insurrection protection committee is at it again today. Jordan invited witnesses to testify who have trafficked in conspiracy theories about January 6th and the 2020 election and the president of a partisan group representing two of them.

Jordan invited Empower Oversight President Tristan Leavitt to testify to the Weaponization subcommittee. Empower Oversight, whose founder was described as a “partisan combatant willing to discard norms and indulge in conspiratorial thinking,” represents Steve Friend and Marcus Allen. Empower Oversight has also represented a previous Jordan witness: former FBI analyst George Hill who embraced conspiracy theories that January 6th was a “set up.”

Former FBI agent Steve Friend was suspended from the FBI because he refused to participate in cases connected to January 6th suspects, including a SWAT raid of a member of the Three-Percenter movement, an anti-government group with a history of violence towards citizens and law enforcement. The FBI also said Friend downloaded documents from the FBI computer systems to an “unauthorized” flash drive. Friend is a regular contributor to an online publication run by an “early and prominent promoter” of QAnon, he has appeared on Big Lie conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell’s streaming platform, and he has received financial support from close Trump ally Kash Patel.

The FBI revoked former Staff Operations Specialist Marcus Allen’s top secret security clearance after it found he “expressed sympathy for persons or organizations that advocate, threaten or use force or violence.” The FBI said Marcus Allen sent an email linking to a website that spread the conspiracy theory that federal agents instigated the attack on the Capitol, and Allen commented that it raised “serious concerns” about the federal government’s participation in the riot. The FBI also said Allen failed to provide fellow agents with relevant information about a January 6th suspect and the case had to be reopened when a different agent found publicly available information that the suspect had assaulted police officers at the Capitol. The conservative activist group Judicial Watch, which is also representing Allen, even suggested in a press release that Allen’s views about what happened on January 6th were “contrary” to the FBI’s official accounts of that day.

Jordan also invited former FBI Special Agent Garret O’Boyle to testify. House Democrats revealed that O’Boyle declined to say that Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick died as a result of January 6th, and he likened acceptance of the Covid-19 vaccine to the actions of a Nazi police force. He also refused to provide Committee Democrats with copies of his FBI suspension notice and pay suspension notice. Jesse Binnall, who has been described as Trump’s “top election fraud lawyer,” has represented O’Boyle. Binnall has fueled Trump’s Big Lie, falsely claimed that 1,500 dead people had voted in Nevada in 2020, and defended a group tied to Sidney Powell in a lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems. Binnall also told an appellate court that Trump should be immune from January 6th lawsuits and claimed Trump did not incite the crowd to violence on January 6th. O’Boyle was reportedly connected to Binnall through vocal Trump ally Kash Patel, who O’Boyle said gave him an undisclosed sum of money.

The only thing House Republicans continue to demonstrate is the lengths to which they will abuse their authority to protect former President Trump.

Witnesses Who Trafficked In January 6th Conspiracy Theories And Their Counsel Testify To Congress

EMPOWER OVERSIGHT PRESIDENT TRISTAN LEAVITT, WHO WAS REPRESENTING STEVE FREIND AND MARCUS ALLEN, PLANNED TO TESTIFY TO THE WEAPONIZATION SUBCOMMITTEE

May 18, 2023: Tristan Leavitt, President Of Empower Oversight, Testified To The House Select Subcommittee On The Weaponization Of The Federal Government. “The Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government will hold a hearing on Thursday, May 18, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. EST. The Committee will hear from three FBI whistleblowers and will examine abuses seen at the Bureau and how the FBI has retaliated against whistleblowers.   WITNESSES: Garret O’Boyle, Whistleblower; FBI Special Agent Steve Friend, Whistleblower; former FBI Special Agent Marcus Allen, Whistleblower; FBI Staff Operations Specialist Tristan Leavitt, President, Empower Oversight; former Member of the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board.” [U.S. House Committee on Judiciary, Hearing, 5/18/23]

  • Empower Oversight Is Representing Former FBI Special Agent Steve Friend. “The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG) has contradicted House Democrats’ claim about whistleblower and former FBI Special Agent Steve Friend, a group representing Friend announced in a March 15 press release. House Judiciary Democrats released a 316-page report early March challenging the credibility of whistleblowers who sat for transcribed interviews with the House Judiciary Committee, alleging, among other things, that both the DOJ-OIG and Office of Special Counsel had rejected Friend’s claim. In a March 13 letter sent to Empower Oversight, a nonprofit that helps whistleblowers document and report corruption, DOJ Assistant Inspector General Sean O’Neill corrected the record, assuring the group that Friend’s claims ‘remain under assessment.’” [Daily Caller, 3/16/23]
  • Empower Oversight Is Representing Former FBI Analyst, Marcus Allen. “Judicial Watch announced today that Marcus Allen, a decorated veteran, FBI analyst and client of Judicial Watch, will provide testimony on Thursday, May 18, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. to a House Judiciary Committee’s Select Subcommittee hearing titled ‘Hearing on the Weaponization of the Federal Government.’ […] Mr. Allen is also represented by Tristan Leavitt and Jason Foster of Empower Oversight (https://empowr.us/).” [Judicial Watch, Press Release, 5/15/23]

Empower Oversight Founder Jason Foster Is Known As A “Partisan Combatant Willing To Discard Norms And Indulge In Conspiratorial Thinking”

ProPublica Reported Jason Foster’s Critics Thought He Was A “Partisan Combatant Willing To Discard Norms And Indulge In Conspiratorial Thinking As He Pursues Investigations Favorable To Republicans.” “For Foster’s critics, and they include Republicans as well as Democrats, his provocative work on the Trump-Russia investigation is just the latest chapter in the career of a partisan combatant willing to discard norms and indulge in conspiratorial thinking as he pursues investigations favorable to Republicans.” [ProPublica, 3/28/18]

  • Jason Foster Is The Founder And Chair Of Empower Oversight. “With more than two decades of experience conducting oversight and investigations on Capitol Hill, Jason Foster has represented four different congressional committees in hundreds of disputes with the Executive Branch over access to documents and witnesses in a broad array of contexts over the years.” [Empower Oversight, Accessed 5/17/23]

FORMER FBI SPECIAL AGENT STEVE FRIEND PLANNED TO TESTIFY AT WEAPONIZATION SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING

May 18, 2023: Steve Friend, Former FBI Special Agent, Testified To The House Select Subcommittee On The Weaponization Of The Federal Government. “The Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government will hold a hearing on Thursday, May 18, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. EST. The Committee will hear from three FBI whistleblowers and will examine abuses seen at the Bureau and how the FBI has retaliated against whistleblowers.   WITNESSES: Garret O’Boyle, Whistleblower; FBI Special Agent Steve Friend, Whistleblower; former FBI Special Agent Marcus Allen, Whistleblower; FBI Staff Operations Specialist Tristan Leavitt, President, Empower Oversight; former Member of the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board.” [U.S. House Committee on Judiciary, Hearing, 5/18/23]

Steve Friend Was Suspended From The FBI Because He Refused To Participate In Cases Connected To January 6th – He Said He Did Not Think The Suspects Were Guilty Of Committing Crimes

One Of The FBI Whistleblowers Rep. Jim Jordan Relied On Was Suspended From The FBI Because He Refused To Participate In Cases Connected To January 6th Because He Did Not Think The Suspects Were Guilty. “A key part of the political nature of the Justice Department, as Republicans see it, is reflected by the supposed mistreatment of Jan. 6 rioters. One of Jordan’s FBI whistleblowers is a special agent in Florida who was suspended after he refused to participate in any cases connected with the attack on the Capitol partly because he doesn’t think the rioters are guilty. Jordan said the agent disclosed ‘that the Washington field office is deliberately manipulating Jan. 6 case files to make it appear that domestic violence extremism is on the rise,’ and that the agent had been suspended. But according to the FBI whistleblower’s statement to Congress — which Johnson published on his Senate website last year — the suspension occurred after he repeatedly refused to participate in arrests connected to Jan. 6 because he didn’t think the suspects were guilty.” [Huffington Post, 2/9/23]

Steve Friend Refused To Participate In Operations Targeting Members Of The Three-Percenter Movement, A Known Anti-Government Group With A History Of Violence Against Citizens And Law Enforcement

Steve Friend Refused To Participate In A SWAT Raid Of A January 6th Suspect – Notably The Suspect Was A Member Of The Three-Percenter Movement. “Mr. Friend has said he refused to take part in a S.W.A.T. raid of a Jan. 6 suspect facing misdemeanor charges, which at the time he called an ‘excessive use of force,’ to which he was a ‘conscientious objector.’ The suspect, Tyler Bensch, was accused of being a member of a right-wing militia group connected to the Three Percenter movement. Documents in Mr. Bensch’s case indicate that on Jan. 6, 2021, he posted a video of himself outside the Capitol wearing body armor and a gas mask and carrying an AR-15-style rifle.” [New York Times, 3/2/23]

  • The Suspect Posted A Video Of Himself Outside The Capitol Wearing Body Armor And A Gas Mask And Carrying An AR-15 Style Rifle. “What Mr. Friend omitted from his account was that while Mr. Bensch was charged with only misdemeanors, documents in his case say that on Jan. 6, he posted a video of himself outside the Capitol wearing body armor and a gas mask and carrying an AR-15-style rifle. The documents also say that witnesses later told the F.B.I. that they had seen photographs of Mr. Bensch carrying a similar rifle at other times.” [New York Times, 5/17/23]
  • The FBI Said Steve Friend “Espoused An Alternative Narrative About The Events At The U.S. Capitol” To Supervisors When Refusing To Participate In The Arrest Of The Suspect. “According to the letter, Mr. Friend ‘espoused an alternative narrative about the events at the U.S. Capitol’ during his communications with his supervisors about refusing to participate in the arrest of Mr. Bensch.” [New York Times, 5/17/23]

 Steve Friend Testified About Being Asked To Surveil A Person Who Attended A School Board Meeting – The Person In Question Was A Member Of The Three Percenter Movement And Under Counterterrorism Investigation And Was Later Arrested. “Mr. Friend also testified about being asked to surveil a person attending a school board meeting, touching on a claim promoted by Republicans that the government mistreated conservative parents. But according to the report, Mr. Friend conceded during his interview that the man being tracked was a Three Percenter who was under counterterrorism investigation. He was later arrested with Mr. Bensch and three other individuals.” [New York Times, 3/2/23]

  • Southern Poverty Law Center Said Three Percenters Engage In Paramilitary Training And Organizing Under The Belief That A Small Force Can Overthrow A Tyrannical Government – Their Actions Have Repeatedly Led To Violence Against Citizens, Law Enforcement, And Residents. “Three Percenters often draw parallels between the U.S. government today and the British government in the 1700s, arguing that the current U.S. government is tyrannical and actively working to infringe on Americans’ Constitutional rights and liberties. They believe a small force of armed individuals can overthrow a tyrannical government, and many Three Percenters engage in paramilitary training and organizing to do so. Three Percenterism is at its core a vanguard extremist movement that claims to be ready to carry out armed resistance to perceived tyranny. Their perceptions of tyranny emanate from the radical conspiracy theories and paranoia rooted in the decades-old antigovernment extremist movement, and have repeatedly led to violence against America’s law enforcement, citizens and residents.” [Three Percenters, Southern Poverty Law Center, accessed 3/11/23; Anti-Defamation League, accessed 3/11/23]

The FBI Said Steve Friend Downloaded FBI Documents To An Unauthorized Flash Drive

The FBI Said Steve Friend Downloaded Documents From The FBI Computer Systems To An “Unauthorized Removable Flash Drive” In September 2022. “The letter also noted that in September 2022, Mr. Friend downloaded documents from F.B.I. computer systems to ‘an unauthorized removable flash drive.’ The letter did not specify what sorts of documents Mr. Friend had taken with him.” [New York Times, 5/17/23]

Steve Friend Received Financial Support From Trump Ally Kash Patel

Steve Friend Testified That He Received Financial Support From Trump Loyalist, And Former High Ranking Official In The Trump Administration, Kash Patel – Patel Sent Friend $5,000 Almost Immediately After Connecting. “Mr. O’Boyle and Mr. Friend both testified that they had received financial support from Kash Patel, a Trump loyalist and former high-ranking official in the former president’s administration. Mr. Friend said Mr. Patel sent him $5,000 almost immediately after they connected in November 2022 and that Mr. Patel has helped to promote Mr. Friend’s forthcoming book on social media.” [New York Times, 3/2/23]

  • Kash Patel Was Described As One Of Former President Trump’s “Staunchest Loyalists.” “Over the past year, one of Donald Trump’s staunchest loyalists, a rising star on the right named Kash Patel, has been soliciting donations and raising money for ‘Fight With Kash,’ a charity he launched after leaving the Trump administration two years ago.” [ABC News, 3/8/22]
  • CNBC Reported That Kash Patel Became An “Influential Voice Arguing That [President Trump] Should Not Accept His Election Loss To President Joe Biden.” “Patel served on the National Security Council during the Trump administration, and in the weeks following the 2020 presidential election, he became an influential voice arguing that the president should not accept his election loss to President Joe Biden.” [CNBC, 11/3/22]

Steve Friend Appeared On Conspiracy Theorist Mike Lindell’s Streaming Platform

HEADLINE: “Whistleblowers Steve Friend And Kyle Seraphin Discuss Corruption Within The FBI” [Anni Cyrus Unfiltered, 1/29/23] (video)

  • Anni Cyrus’ Show Aired On Lindell TV Every Weekday At 3:30pm ET. According to Lindell TV, the Live Up to Freedom with Aynaz Anni Cyrus show aired on the platform Monday through Friday at 3:30pm ET. [Lindell TV, Shows, Accessed 5/17/23]
  • My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell Was One Of The “Most Vocal Boosters” Of Conspiracy Theories About The 2020 Election. “Lindell, the MyPillow CEO and a close ally of former President Donald Trump, has emerged as one of the most vocal boosters still pushing false claims about the 2020 election. In a series of so-called documentaries, Lindell has advanced an increasingly outlandish theory that foreign hackers broke into the computer systems of election offices like Clark County to switch votes – in what he has described as the ‘biggest cyber-crime in world history.’” [CNN, 8/5/21]

Steve Friend Is A Regular Contributor To An Online Publication Run By A QAnon Conspiracy Theorist Where He Downplayed The Plot To Kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer

Steve Friend Is A Contributor To UncoverDC.

[UncoverDC, Accessed 5/17/23]

  • Tracy Beanz Is The Editor-In-Chief Of UncoverDC. “Tracy Beanz is an investigative journalist who places a strong focus on politics. While writing for UncoverDC, she has brought the intricate details of several major stories to light, including corruption between Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Andrew McCabe who threatened the NY Office of the FBI during the Clinton email investigation. Tracy was one of the first journalists to conduct an hour-long face to face interview with George and Simona Papadopoulos the day after his release from prison and is known for her unbiased in-depth coverage of the spying scandal surrounding the candidacy of President Donald Trump, and beyond.” [UncoverDC, Accessed 5/17/23]
  • Southern Poverty Law Center Said Tracy Beans Was An “Early And Prominent Supporter Of The QAnon Conspiracy Theory.” “Other high earners include Tracy Diaz, who has trafficked in a number of conspiracy theories. Diaz, known online as ‘Tracy Beanz,’ is a former Ron Paul staffer who has been widely reported as an early and prominent promoter of the QAnon conspiracy theory that falsely holds that the world is run by a cabal of pedophiles. More recently, Diaz has promoted conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 pandemic. In a video guest appearance in February 2021, Diaz claimed the news media had exaggerated the pandemic as part of a broader conspiracy, which she explained as a bid for ‘power.’” [Southern Poverty Law Center, 6/3/22]

Steve Friend: “How Has Utilizing A Dozen Undercover Agents And Informants To Entrap And Criminally Charge A Small Group Of Men With Conspiring To ‘Kidnap’ The Governor Of Michigan Endeared The FBI To America?” According to a post by Steve Friend: “Wray calls for law enforcement agencies to ‘better engage with communities we serve to earn their trust and cooperation.’ Did Wray seriously believe that deploying the FBI’s hostage rescue team to aid the execution of a search warrant at the home of a former American president would earn trust and cooperation from the public? How has utilizing a dozen undercover agents and informants to entrap and criminally charge a small group of men with conspiring to ‘kidnap’ the governor of Michigan endeared the FBI to America? Does the FBI’s complete failure to achieve any perceivable progress in the identification and apprehension of the January 6th RNC/DNC pipe bomber warrant public praise and adulation?” [UncoverDC, Steve Friend, 1/11/23]

FORMER FBI STAFF OPERATIONS SPECIALIST MARCUS ALLEN PLANNED TO TESTIFY TO THE WEAPONIZATION SUBCOMMITTEE

May 18, 2023: Marcus Allen, Former FBI Staff Operations Specialist, Testified To The House Select Subcommittee On The Weaponization Of The Federal Government. “The Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government will hold a hearing on Thursday, May 18, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. EST. The Committee will hear from three FBI whistleblowers and will examine abuses seen at the Bureau and how the FBI has retaliated against whistleblowers.   WITNESSES: Garret O’Boyle, Whistleblower; FBI Special Agent Steve Friend, Whistleblower; former FBI Special Agent Marcus Allen, Whistleblower; FBI Staff Operations Specialist Tristan Leavitt, President, Empower Oversight; former Member of the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board.” [U.S. House Committee on Judiciary, Hearing, 5/18/23]

The FBI Suspended Marcus Allen’s Security Clearance Because He Expressed Sympathy For “Persons Or Organizations That Advocate, Threaten Or Use Force Or Violence”

The FBI Suspended Marcus Allen’s Top Secret Security Clearance After It Found He “Expressed Sympathy For Persons Or Organizations That Advocate, Threaten Or Use Force Or Violence.” “Mr. Allen’s top-secret security clearance was revoked after the bureau found that he had ‘expressed sympathy for persons or organizations that advocate, threaten or use force or violence,’ the letter said.” [New York Times, 5/17/23]

  • Months After January 6th, The FBI Said Marcus Allen Sent An Email From His Bureau Account To Colleagues Urging Them To “Exercise Extreme Caution And Discretion In Pursuit Of Any Investigative Inquiries Or Leads Pertaining To The Events Of” January 6th. “F.B.I. investigators determined that Mr. Allen had sent an email from his bureau account to several colleagues months after the Capitol attack, urging them to ‘exercise extreme caution and discretion in pursuit of any investigative inquiries or leads pertaining to the events of’ Jan. 6, the letter said.” [New York Times, 5/17/23]

The FBI Said Marcus Allen Sent An Email Linking To A Website That Spread The Conspiracy Theory That Federal Agents Instigated The Attack On The Capitol On January 6th

Marcus Allen Sent An Email Linking To A Website That Spread The Conspiracy Theory That Federal Agents Infiltrated Crowds Gathered At The Capitol On January 6th – Allen Commented It Raised “Serious Concerns” About The U.S. Government’s Participation In The Riot. “Mr. Allen also sent an email linking to a website stating that ‘federal law enforcement had some degree of infiltration among the crowds gathered at the Capitol,’ leading Mr. Allen to comment that this supposed fact raised ‘serious concerns’ about the U.S. government’s participation in the riot.” [New York Times, 5/17/23]

The FBI Said Marcus Allen Failed To Provide Relevant Information To Fellow Agents Investigating January 6th About Suspects When Asked To Conduct Open Source Research

FBI Investigators Said Marcus Allen Reported That He Found No Information In Open Source Research That A January 6th Suspect Had Engaged In Criminal Activity Or Had Any “Nexus To Terrorism,” But Another Employee Found Publicly Available Information That The Suspect Assaulted Police Officers At The Capitol. “F.B.I. investigators also found that Mr. Allen, who filed a lawsuit against Mr. Wray last year contesting the initial suspension of his clearance, failed to provide relevant information to fellow agents investigating the riot about people who allegedly took part in the attack, the letter said.  The letter noted that when another agent asked Mr. Allen to conduct open source research about a Jan. 6 suspect, he reported back that he had found no information that the person had engaged in any criminal activity or had any ‘nexus to terrorism.’ Based on Mr. Allen’s reports, the letter said, the other agent closed the case, but it was later reopened after a different F.B.I. employee discovered publicly available information showing that the target of the inquiry had assaulted police officers at the Capitol.” [New York Times, 5/17/23]

Conservative Activist Group Judicial Watch Is Representing Marcus Allen In His Lawsuit Against The FBI

Judicial Watch, A Conservative Activist Group, Was Representing Marcus Allen In A Lawsuit Against The FBI. “A conservative activist group has filed a lawsuit against the director of the FBI on behalf of a suspended federal employee living in Lancaster. […] The lawsuit was filed by the conservative activist group Judicial Watch, which has frequently backed conservative causes. ‘We are not a conventional law firm,’ the group boasts in its voice message while advising potential clients it does not help people with typical legal challenges. ‘Judicial Watch does investigate government corruption.’” [Post & Courier, 12/16/22]

Judicial Watch Suggested Marcus Allen’s Views About What Happened On January 6th Contradicted Official FBI Accounts About The Attack On The Capitol

Judicial Watch: “The FBI Revoked His Security Clearance Because Apparently The FBI Believes That Any Views Contrary To Its Own Regarding What Occurred On January 6 Constitutes Disloyalty To The United States.” “Judicial Watch represents Allen in a lawsuit against FBI Director Christopher Wray for violating Allen’s constitutional rights by falsely accusing him of holding ‘conspiratorial views,’ stripping his security clearance, and suspending him from duty without pay (Marcus O. Allen v Christopher Wray (No. 22-cv-04536)). The FBI revoked his security clearance because apparently the FBI believes that any views contrary to its own regarding what occurred on January 6 constitutes disloyalty to the United States.” [Judicial Watch, Press Release, 5/15/23]

EMPOWER OVERSIGHT ALSO REPRESENTS FORMER FBI ANALYST GEORGE HILL WHO REPORTEDLY TESTIFIED ABOUT MATTERS OF WHICH HE HAD LITTLE FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE

Empower Oversight Served As Legal Counsel For Former FBI Analyst George Hill. “Hill retired from the bureau in October 2021, according to Empower Oversight, his legal counsel. Empower Oversight said Hill ‘retired from the FBI on good terms having been decorated for his leadership role in the Boston Marathon Bombing Task Force.’ He left after spending 30 years working in federal public service, Empower Oversight said.” [Breitbart, 3/6/23]

House Democrats Said George Hill, Who Claimed A Financial Institution Provided The FBI With Evidence Potentially Relevant To January 6th, Had No Knowledge Of The Origins Of Supposed Evidence, Never Used The Evidence Himself, And Never Looked At The Actual Document Containing Information. According to a report by House Judiciary Committee Democrats about witnesses Rep. Jim Jordan brought to testify to the Weaponization subcommittee: “Witness George Hill, who retired from the Boston Field Office as a supervisory intelligence analyst in October 2021, claimed to have learned that a financial institution provided the FBI with evidence it believed may be relevant to the January 6 Capitol attack investigations. He had no knowledge of the actual origins of this supposed evidence, never used the evidence himself, and never looked at the actual document containing the information. In fact, he did not even work on January 6 cases himself—at most, he supervised intelligence analysts who did research in support of ‘less than a dozen’ cases.7 Committee Democrats cannot reasonably find this testimony reliable. In any event, that a large financial institution may have provided evidence to the FBI in the aftermath of the attack on the Capitol is hardly newsworthy, and certainly not evidence of FBI misconduct.” [U.S. House Judiciary Committee Democrats Report, 3/2/23]

  • House Democrats: “That A Large Financial Institution May Have Provided Evidence To The FBI In The Aftermath Of The Attack On The Capitol Is Hardly Newsworthy, And Certainly Not Evidence Of FBI Misconduct.” According to a report by House Judiciary Committee Democrats about witnesses Rep. Jim Jordan brought to testify to the Weaponization subcommittee: “Witness George Hill, who retired from the Boston Field Office as a supervisory intelligence analyst in October 2021, claimed to have learned that a financial institution provided the FBI with evidence it believed may be relevant to the January 6 Capitol attack investigations. He had no knowledge of the actual origins of this supposed evidence, never used the evidence himself, and never looked at the actual document containing the information. In fact, he did not even work on January 6 cases himself—at most, he supervised intelligence analysts who did research in support of ‘less than a dozen’ cases.7 Committee Democrats cannot reasonably find this testimony reliable. In any event, that a large financial institution may have provided evidence to the FBI in the aftermath of the attack on the Capitol is hardly newsworthy, and certainly not evidence of FBI misconduct.” [U.S. House Judiciary Committee Democrats Report, 3/2/23]

George Hill Embraced Conspiracy Theories That A Federal Informant Instigated Trump Supporters To Attack The Capitol On January 6th

George Hill Embraced A Conspiracy Theory That An Arizona Man Was A Federal Informant Who Helped Instigate The Attack On The Capitol On January 6th. “The report also said that Mr. Hill had embraced a conspiracy theory that an Arizona man named Ray Epps was a federal informant who helped to instigate the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Prominent Republicans — including Mr. Trump — have widely promoted the claim, which Mr. Epps denies and the House Jan. 6 committee determined to be unfounded.” [New York Times, 3/2/23]

George Hill Claimed January 6th Was A “Set Up,” That There Was A “Larger Democrat Plan Using Their Enforcement Arm, The FBI” And He Described The FBI As “The Brown Shirt Enforcers Of The DNC.” “Mr. Hill has claimed on Twitter that the Jan. 6 attack was a ‘set up,’ and that there was ‘a larger #Democrat plan using their enforcement arm, the #FBI.’ He also described the F.B.I. as ‘the Brown Shirt enforcers of the @DNC,’ making an apparent reference to Nazi storm troopers to describe the federal law enforcement agency and its relationship to the Democratic National Committee.” [New York Times, 3/2/23]

George Hill Tweeted “Insurrection My A$$.” “Democrats sought to highlight Hill’s ‘bias’ about the chain of events surrounding the January 6 riot by sharing in their report numerous tweets by Hill. Hill tweeted, for instance, ‘insurrection my a$$’ and that the riot was a ‘set up’; however, Hill wrote all of the Democrats’ cited tweets after he left the FBI.” [Breitbart, 3/6/23]

Weaponization Subcommittee Witness Received Money From Vocal Trump Ally And Used Big Lie Attorney

FORMER FBI SPECIAL AGENT GARRETT O’BOYLE PLANNED TO TESTIFY TO THE WEAPONIZATION SUBCOMMITTEE

May 18, 2023: Garret O’Boyle, Former FBI Special Agent, Testified To The House Select Subcommittee On The Weaponization Of The Federal Government. “The Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government will hold a hearing on Thursday, May 18, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. EST. The Committee will hear from three FBI whistleblowers and will examine abuses seen at the Bureau and how the FBI has retaliated against whistleblowers.   WITNESSES: Garret O’Boyle, Whistleblower; FBI Special Agent Steve Friend, Whistleblower; former FBI Special Agent Marcus Allen, Whistleblower; FBI Staff Operations Specialist Tristan Leavitt, President, Empower Oversight; former Member of the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board.” [U.S. House Committee on Judiciary, Hearing, 5/18/23]

GARRET O’BOYLE APPEARED TO BELIEVE CONSPIRACY THEORIES ABOUT JANUARY 6TH AND COVID-19 VACCINES

Garret O’Boyle Declined To Say That Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick Died As A Result Of January 6th. “Garret O’Boyle declined to say that Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick died as a result of the actions of rioters during the attack on the Capitol. He compared COVID-19 vaccine acceptance to the actions of Reserve Police Battalion 101, a Nazi police force.” [U.S. House Judiciary Committee Democrats Report, 3/2/23]

Garret O’Boyle Likened Acceptance Of The Covid-19 Vaccine To The Actions Of A Nazi Police Force. “Garret O’Boyle declined to say that Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick died as a result of the actions of rioters during the attack on the Capitol. He compared COVID-19 vaccine acceptance to the actions of Reserve Police Battalion 101, a Nazi police force.” [U.S. House Judiciary Committee Democrats Report, 3/2/23]

GARRET O’BOYLE’S ATTORNEY WORKED TO OVERTURN 2020 ELECTION RESULTS IN NEVADA AND REPRESENTED TRUMP IN JANUARY 6TH CASES

Garret O’Boyle Was Being Represented By Jesse Binnall, A Former Trump Campaign Attorney Who Worked To Overturn The 2020 Election Results In Nevada And Served As A Go-To Attorney For Trump In January 6th Litigation. “Garret O’Boyle, a third FBI whistleblower who spoke with committee staff, is represented by Jesse Binnall, former Trump campaign attorney who worked to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Nevada; Binnall now acts as one of Trump’s go-to attorneys for Jan. 6-related litigation.” [Rolling Stone, 3/2/23]

  • Daily Beast Described Jesse Binnall As Trump’s “Top Election-Fraud Lawyer.” “Former President Donald Trump and his top election-fraud lawyer, Jesse Binnall, have a number of things in common—they both falsely believe the election was stolen, they hobnob with some of the right’s most unhinged conspiracy theorists, and they routinely complain that they’re the focus of a witch hunt. But another similarity has flown under the radar: Both men avoid paying taxes.” [Daily Beast, 5/6/22]
  • Jesse Binnall Falsely Claimed In Sworn Senate Testimony That 1,500 Dead People Had Voted In Nevada In 2020. “While Trump’s top lawyers have come and gone, Binnall has stepped into the vacuum and, so far, held on. He received his first paycheck the day before the 2020 election, and has expanded his services since then. Those services include fueling Trump’s Big Lie about a stolen election month after month in various courts and on social media. After receiving that first check, Binnall immediately proceeded to sling lies about voter fraud. At one point he falsely claimed—in sworn Senate testimony—that 1,500 dead people had voted in Nevada. (His election fraud work in that state may have also run afoul of privacy laws and U.S. Postal Service regulations, Salon reported.)” [Daily Beast, 5/6/22]
  • Jesse Binnall Defended A Group Tied To Sidney Powell In A Lawsuit With Dominion Voting Systems. “Binnall also defends a group tied to conspiracy theorists Sidney Powell and L. Lin Wood—called ‘Defending the Republic, Inc’—in the $1.3 billion lawsuit that Dominion Voting Systems brought against Powell last year. State and federal filings list him as an agent on spin-off groups as well.” [Daily Beast, 5/6/22]
  • Jesse Binnall Told An Appellate Court That Former President Donald Trump Should Be Immune From January 6th Lawsuits And Claimed Trump Did Not Incite The Crowd To Violence That Day. “Former President Donald Trump is arguing that he should be immune from lawsuits that say he is to blame for the chaos at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Lawyer Jesse Binnall told an appellate court that Mr. Trump did not incite the crowd in a speech near the White House that day. Instead, he said Mr. Trump’s call to ‘fight’ referred to political pressure, according to USA Today. ‘President Trump’s speech falls well within the broad scope of absolute immunity suggested by [the Department of Justice]. Absolute immunity aims to prevent the President from being subjected to the process of civil litigation,’ Mr. Binnall wrote to a three-judge panel on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.” [Washington Times, 3/24/23]

GARRET O’BOYLE WAS CONNECTED TO HIS ATTORNEY THROUGH VOCAL TRUMP ALLY KASH PATEL WHO ALSO GAVE HIM MONEY

Garret O’Boyle Said He Was Connected To Jesse Binnall Through Vocal Trump Ally Kash Patel. “O’Boyle told staff he’d been connected to Binnall through Kash Patel, a former Trump administration official and one of Trump’s most vocal defenders in his post presidency.” [Rolling Stone, 3/2/23]

Garret O’Boyle Received An Undisclosed Sum Of Money From A Nonprofit Run By Vocal Trump Ally Kash Patel. “Both O’Boyle and Friend said they received payments from Patel through Fight with Kash, a nonprofit organization Patel established to provide ‘veteran and law enforcement financial support,’ according to Patel’s website. Friend received $5,000, he told congressional investigators; O’Boyle declined to share the amount.” [Rolling Stone, 3/2/23]

  • Kash Patel Was A Person Of Interest In Investigations Into Whether Trump Improperly Sought Help From The Ukrainians To Boost His 2020 Re-Election Chances, And He Pushed Trump To Dispute The Results Of The 2020 Election. “Friend received financial support from former Trump administration official Kash Patel, receiving $5,000 from Patel ‘shortly after’ the two met in September 2022. Patel served on Trump’s National Security Council and was suspected of being an independent backchannel to Ukraine. Patel became a person of interest in investigations into allegations that Trump improperly sought help from the Ukrainian government to boost his chances for reelection. Patel pushed Trump to dispute the results of the 2020 election and remains close to Trump, serving as a personal adviser and holding a seat on Trump’s social media company’s board.” [Monitoring Influence, Empower Oversight, Accessed 4/21/23]

GARRET O’BOYLE REFUSED TO PROVIDE COMMITTEE DEMOCRATS WITH HIS SUSPENSION NOTICE AND PAY SUSPENSION NOTICE

Garret O’Boyle Refused To Provide Committee Democrats With Equal Access To His Suspension Notice And Pay Suspension Notice, Which Would Likely List The Reason For His Suspension. “O’Boyle also repeated his belief that he’d been suspended by the FBI for his contact with Congress. When Democratic counsel asked O’Boyle to share his suspension notice to prove that, however, O’Boyle refused. He also refused to share his pay suspension notice, which would also have likely listed a reason, as well as the estimated 50 documents he had previously shared with congressional Republicans.” [Rolling Stone, 3/2/23]