The Jan. 6 Committee on Wednesday released new footage of a man outside the Capitol on Jan. 6 making violent verbal threats against top Democratic lawmakers — who the day before had been taken on a tour of House office buildings by Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga.
The man is heard in a video outside the Capitol threatening Democrats Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
In the days after the deadly riot, Democratic lawmakers raised concerns about tours given of the Capitol complex, which had been closed to members of the public due to pandemic restrictions.
The surveillance footage released Wednesday shows Loudermilk giving a tour to a small group — some wearing red caps — as some individuals take photos of Capitol staircases, tunnels and security checkpoints that are used by lawmakers and staff members daily.
The video does not identify the man. Or provide any evidence that he or other members of the tour Loudermilk led entered the Capitol complex on Jan. 6, when a mob of supporters of Donald Trump tried to block his election defeat.
The video includes pictures the Jan. 6 committee says the attendees of Loudermilk’s tour took, including the outside of Nadler’s office and what appears to be an office directory for the Judiciary Committee, with the photos of Democratic lawmakers.
“There is no escape Pelosi, Schumer, Nadler — we’re coming for you,” the man says in the video. “We’re coming in like white on rice, for Pelosi, Schumer Nadler, even you AOC, we’re coming to take you out, and pull you out by your hairs. How about that Pelosi.
“Might as well make yourself another appointment. When I get done with you, you’re gonna need a shine up on top of that bald head.”
Loudermilk initially denied that he gave a tour on Jan. 5, 2021; when more evidence came out, he denied any wrongdoing. The Georgia Republican, an ally of Trump, has refused to meet with the Jan. 6 committee investigating the attack on the Capitol.
On Tuesday, the Capitol Police Chief Manager said in a letter that the Loudermilk tour was not suspicious and that the group never entered the Capitol building itself, though individuals were seen in the footage taking photographs of the underground tunnel system connecting House offices with the Capitol.
In a statement accompanying the new video footage, Jan. 6 Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., repeated his request that Loudermilk answer questions about the 10-person tour group.
“Based on our review of surveillance video, social media activity, and witness accounts, we understand you led a tour group through parts of the Capitol complex on January 5, 2021. That group stayed for several hours, despite the complex being closed to the public on that day,” Thompson said.
“Individuals on the tour photographed and recorded areas of the complex not typically of interest to tourists, including hallways, staircases, and security checkpoints.”
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
