Senators Question Government Witnesses on Domestic Terrorism, Misleading Video Misrepresents ‘Catching Ray Epps’
In a recent Senate hearing focused on domestic terrorism, Senators Tom Cotton and Sheldon Whitehouse questioned government witnesses. However, a video circulating on Facebook misleads viewers about the content of the hearing and falsely claims to have caught Ray Epps, a supporter of former President Donald Trump who was present at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
The video’s caption reads, ‘WE CAUGHT RAY EPPS’ Wray HIDES LIKE RAT After Witness ACCIDENTALLY Admit To FBI ‘Jan. 6 C..rime (sic). However, the video is miscaptioned, as no one in the video admits to a crime and no reference to catching Ray Epps is made. Additionally, FBI Director Christopher Wray does not appear in the video.
During the hearing, Senators Cotton and Whitehouse questioned Matthew Olsen, the assistant attorney general for national security, and Jill Sandborn, the former executive assistant director of the FBI’s national security branch. The senators discuss Ray Epps’ presence during the January 6 riots, but no admission of catching him is made.
It is worth noting that Ray Epps has not been charged in connection with the Capitol riot, despite various baseless claims made by conservatives, including former President Donald Trump.
This video is an example of false framing, a type of misinformation where inaccurate and provocative titles are paired with congressional footage to mislead viewers. Previous debunking efforts have revealed numerous instances of such misleading content.
USA TODAY reached out to the individual who shared the video on Facebook for comment, but no response has been received as of yet.
At USA TODAY, our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.
In conclusion, a video circulating on Facebook misrepresents a Senate hearing on domestic terrorism and falsely claims the capture of Ray Epps, a supporter of former President Donald Trump. The video’s caption and content are misleading, as no admission of a crime or reference to catching Ray Epps is made. It is important to remain critical of misleading information and ensure accurate reporting of events.
