CNN: “Fox News, right-wing websites and Republican lawmakers are promoting a new false flag conspiracy that the FBI orchestrated the deadly assault on the US Capitol. The haywire theory originated from an article published Monday by Revolver News, a right-wing website. From there, it was picked up by Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who used his opening segment on Tuesday night to slam the FBI, saying it played a role in the January 6 attack. Several Republican lawmakers quickly piled on. They entered the article into the congressional record, tweeted about the Fox News segment, condemned the FBI agents who supposedly ‘organized and participated’ in the Capitol attack, and demanded answers from the FBI director. But here’s the problem: The underlying article was nothing more than a conspiratorial web of unproven claims, half-truths and inaccurate drivel about perceived bombshells in court filings.”
“Legal experts laughed off Carlson’s convoluted breakdown of how court documents supposedly revealed that ‘FBI operatives were organizing the attack.’ Twitter even fact-checked Carlson’s comments on Wednesday afternoon, calling them a ‘baseless suggestion.’ But the right-wing disinformation echo-chamber was already at full blast, and the false flag theory went viral. These theories are just the latest example of right-wing figures deflecting responsibility for the deadly Capitol riot away from former President Donald Trump and his supporters. Many GOP officials and conservative outlets have promoted false theories that the attack was instigated by Democrats, supporters of Black Lives Matter, or members of the far-left Antifa movement.”