Investigators for the House Select Committee investigating the January 6th domestic terrorist attack on Congress have requested an interview with Republican Georgia Congressman Barry Loudermilk based on the fact that he gave tours of the Capitol on the day before the assault, Politico reports.
“We believe you have information regarding a tour you led through parts of the Capitol complex on January 5, 2021,” Democratic Chair Bennie Thompson of Mississippi and Republican Vice Chair Liz Cheney of Wyoming wrote in its invitation to testify sent to Loudermilk.
After more than two dozen Democratic members of the House reported unusual tours going through the Capitol before the assault, Republicans on the House Administrative Committee, of which Loudermilk is a member, said they reviewed surveillance footage of the days before the attack and declared that “no tours, no large groups, no one with MAGA hats on” had been invited into the buildings by GOP staff. That appears to have been a lie.
The Republican claim was also contradicted by members of their own caucus. After first denying giving anyone a tour, Republican Colorado Congresswoman and supporter of the state’s Free Penises in Bowling Alleys movement led by her husband Lauren Boebert admitted to giving a tour to family members after being sworn in on January 3rd; she refuses to answer if she gave tours to anyone before that.
The Capitol complex was closed to the public due to the pandemic at the time in question, so the only way members of the public could have legally been through the building was if they were on a tour led by a staff member or a Congressperson.