WASHINGTON — The Jan. 6 Committee on Wednesday released new footage of a man who on Jan. 6 outside the Capitol made violent verbal threats against top Democratic lawmakers and 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 any 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, Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger 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 systems that were used to conduct evacuations of the Capitol on Jan. 6.
In a lengthy statement on Wednesday, Loudermilk called the Jan. 6 panel's focus on the tour a "smear campaign," and suggested the group had taken photos of the Rayburn subway lawmakers use to get to and from votes and included children who had just visited the House gift shop.
"The Capitol Police already put this false accusation to bed, yet the Committee is undermining the Capitol Police and doubling down on their smear campaign, releasing so-called evidence of a tour of the House Office Buildings," Loudermilk said in a statement.