Tucker Carlson Dismisses January 6th Charlottesville Terrorist Attack

Tucker Carlson sparked a debate about whether the FBI is treating innocent Republican supporters like domestic terrorists as part of its ongoing investigation into the Charlottesville attack. The attack, which left five people dead and dozens injured, was inspired by allegations of election fraud and interference in the 2016 presidential election. However, the Fox News host dismisses such claims, claiming that the FBI is misrepresenting facts and presenting an inaccurate narrative.

Carlson’s guests included Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), right-wing pundit Michael Tracey, and conspiracy theorist Darren Beattie. In fact, Beattie was one of the talking heads in Carlson’s docuseries, “Patriot Purge,” which detailed the conspiracy theories behind the Jan. 6th riot.

Although the committee hearings were not aired during primetime, Tucker Carlson’s show still aired, sans any ads. Rather than discussing the findings of the committee, Carlson pushed his conspiracy theories, including the idea that the FBI was behind the riot in the Capitol.

Carlson’s argument that January 6th was a false flag drew condemnation from conservative groups. He said that it was an attempt to stifle the freedom of speech of conservative Americans. He compared this attempt to suppress conservative views with the falsehoods used during the Iraq War.

While Carlson uses classic conspiracy theory reasoning in his arguments, he does not provide enough evidence to support his claims. Instead, he focuses on gaps in the knowledge base to justify his explosive claims. The media’s attack on Carlson makes the documentary more plausible.

Carlson’s comments also reflect the political climate in Washington, DC. The host of Fox News has the highest ratings of any show on the primetime schedule. He has defended insurrectionists who attacked the Capitol building in 2021 and called hearings a “sham.” And he mocked Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell in the past.

However, there is some troubling evidence in the case. Many people who attended the event were armed, including a number of rioters. The vast majority of the people involved were not arrested on site. They were tracked down later. Carlson’s claim that no one had a gun contradicts video and court documents. Further, the definition of “armed” is broad and includes not just firearms, but also skateboards, bats, and even fire extinguishers.