Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) claimed it would be a “security risk” to release all the tapes from the Capitol riots on January 6.
Raskin appeared on The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer on Friday, where he disagreed with House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) decision to release the tapes. Johnson had announced earlier that day that the public would have access to them “immediately.”
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“This was an effort to placate the right wing, which has been making this absurd demand for a very long time,” Raskin said. “Beyond the partisan nature of it, it’s a security risk what they are doing. The reason why the Capitol Police have opposed releasing tens of thousands of hours from every House office building, every Senate office building, every part of the Capitol is because it’s like giving a diagram to future insurrectionists and terrorists and anybody who wants to invade our body.”
Raskin was a member of the Jan. 6 committee, which oversaw the testimonies of over 1,000 witnesses from that day. The Maryland Democrat implied that the committee’s “complete report” was enough information for the public.
“If the speaker thinks it can be done safely or securely, why doesn’t he rely on the Capitol Police to determine what should be given out and what shouldn’t be given out?” Raskin went on. “Because that’s the principle concern here which is security.”
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Some 5% of the footage has already been deemed too sensitive for the public as it depicts confidential information “related to the building architecture.” Private citizens’ faces will also be blurred.
Should anyone in the public decide to watch the footage in the Capitol building, which will be available for reservation beginning Monday, they will not be allowed to bring their cellphones into the showing.
