House Speaker Kevin McCarthy Allows Lawyers Representing Capitol Insurrection Defendants Access to Security Footage

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s office announced on Tuesday that lawyers representing defendants charged in the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol will be granted access to security footage. This comes as McCarthy has faced scrutiny for allowing Fox News host Tucker Carlson to view the video before it was released more widely.

McCarthy defended his decision to give Carlson exclusive access to the footage, citing the precedent set by the Jan. 6 committee. He said that he would release the footage to other outlets and the public as soon as possible.

In response to a request from a group of news organizations, including NBC News, MSNBC and CNBC, McCarthy’s spokesman Mark Bednar said that the House Administration’s subcommittee on oversight is making arrangements to provide access to the footage for any attorney representing a defendant.

McCarthy’s decision to give Carlson exclusive access to the footage has been met with criticism from some who argue that the footage should be released to the public and other news outlets. However, McCarthy has maintained that he is following the precedent set by the Jan. 6 committee and that the footage will be released as soon as possible.