Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz revealed that the number of federal assets present at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, is unlikely to be disclosed until after the upcoming November election.
During a Congressional hearing on Wednesday, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) expressed frustration, saying he has been “continuously stonewalled” by Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray regarding the count of “federal assets, such as confidential human sources” involved in the Capitol riot.
When asked by Massie about the number of confidential human sources operating on Capitol grounds, Horowitz responded that this information would be included in his long-delayed report on January 6, commissioned shortly after the event. Although Massie pushed for clarity, asking if there were more than a hundred such sources, Horowitz declined to answer directly, citing the draft status of the report and the need for a classification review.
The Kentucky republican also questioned how many informants were compensated for their travel. The Department of Justice Inspector General responded, saying he couldn't recall the exact number.
Posting on X, Massie suggested the number of FBI informants involved in the protests could be surprisingly high. “Today I asked DOJ Inspector General why his J6 report has taken almost 4 years and won’t come out before the election. The number of FBI informants participating in the January 6th 2021 protest will shock folks,” Massie wrote. He promised to share more details from the hearing later.
Horowitz added that the report would likely not be finalized before the election, leaving voters without key information as they head to the polls. Previously, former Capitol Hill Police Chief Steven Sund had mentioned that a “fair amount of law enforcement” was embedded in the crowd on January 6, including operatives from Homeland Security Investigations.
