Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz released a report Thursday revealing the FBI used dozens of confidential human sources in the lead up to former President Donald Trump’s speech at the Ellipse on January 6, 2021 and ahead of the congressional certification of the 2020 presidential election results at the U.S. Capitol. Horowitz also noted some of these sources were on the ground in Washington D.C. on January 6, but not authorized to enter the U.S. Capitol or to encourage attendees of Trump’s rally to commit illegal acts.
“Our review determined that none of these FBI CHSs was authorized by the FBI to enter the Capitol or a restricted area or to otherwise break the law on January 6, nor was any CHS directed by the FBI to encourage others to commit illegal acts on January 6,” Horowitz’ office released in a statement.
Many informants illegally entered the U.S. Capitol anyway, but have not been charged.
“None of the CHSs who entered the Capitol or a restricted area has been prosecuted to date,” the report states.
From the IG’s office:
Twenty-six FBI CHSs were in Washington, D.C. on January 6 in connection with the events of January 6.
The OIG determined that three of those CHSs had been tasked by FBI field offices to report on specific domestic terrorism case subjects who were possibly attending the events of January 6. One of these three CHSs entered the Capitol during the riot. The other two entered the restricted area around the Capitol.
Twenty-three additional FBI CHSs were in Washington, D.C., and attended January 6 events, but we determined that these CHSs did so on their own initiative and were not tasked by FBI field offices to attend the events. Of these 23 CHSs, three CHSs entered the Capitol during the riot and an additional 11 entered the restricted area around the Capitol.
The remaining nine CHSs who attended the events of January 6 did not enter the Capitol or the restricted area or otherwise engage in illegal activity.
Although many of the 26 CHSs who attended January 6 events had provided information relevant to the January 6 Electoral Certification before that day, the sources’ information was no more specific than, and was consistent with, other sources of information that the FBI and its WFO had received about the potential for violence on January 6, including from other sources, tips the FBI received, and from social media. A few of the 26 CHSs also provided information about the riot as it occurred.
During congressional testimony last year, outgoing FBI Director Christopher Wray refused to confirm — multiple times — whether confidential sources were used on or in the lead up to January 6.
Ahead of the report’s release, Wray submitted his resignation this week — which will go into effect before Trump in inaugurated for a second term on January 20, 2025.
