DOJ inspector general does not deny FBI informants were among Jan 6 crowd
Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz on Wednesday did not deny that federal government confidential human sources were in the crowd at the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz on Wednesday did not deny that federal government confidential human sources were in the crowd during the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
Horowitz was testifying on Capitol Hill on Wednesday morning before the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. The Department of Justice watchdog testified alongside an FBI whistleblower and the president of Empower Oversight, Tristan Leavitt.
The hearing was set to focus on how the FBI has used its security clearance adjudication process to allegedly purge its ranks of conservatives and whistleblowers, and allegedly punish those with views contrary to that of FBI leadership.
Horowitz, though, testified that he had "not made such a finding."
However, Horowitz’s office is currently working on a review of the Justice Department’s actions surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Horowitz was forced to answer questions about that review from Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who questioned whether federal assets and confidential human sources were present on Jan. 6 at the Capitol.
Horowitz explained his review was put on pause due to ongoing criminal investigations into individuals who participated in the riot but re-initiated his investigation last year.
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"Do you have evidence of the number of confidential human sources that were operating on the Capitol grounds on Jan. 6?" Massie asked.
"Our report will include the information in that regard," Horowitz replied.
When pressed on "how many" confidential human sources were present, and on whether there were "more than 100," Horowitz did not disclose the information.
"I’m not in a position to say that, both because it is in draft form, and we have not gone through the classification review," Horowitz said. "And so I need to be careful."
Horowitz, though, said he hoped the report would be made public in "the next couple of months," but likely after Election Day.
"I doubt it would be done in time for the election," Horowitz said.
When asked if it could be completed before the inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025, Horowitz replied: "That is certainly my hope and my sure hope."
"What we do know is you’re going to expose that there were confidential human sources at the Capitol," Massie said. "Can you tell us today how many went into the Capitol?"
Horowitz replied, "I’ll have that information in the report."
"The report, I'm not able to speak to information in there, but just because it's in draft and we get a response from the department and the FBI, but also because I don't know yet what's classified and not classified," Horowitz said.
Massie pressed Horowitz further and asked how many confidential human sources were "reimbursed for travel."
"As I sit here, I don’t recall the number," Horowitz said.
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