Ray Epps, within the purple Trump hat, middle, gestures to others as folks collect on the West Entrance of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. Los Angeles Occasions through Getty Picture
A person who marched on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, filed a defamation lawsuit Wednesday in opposition to Fox Information, accusing the community of “telling a fantastical story” about how he “was an undercover FBI agent.”
In the declare, James Ray Epps, who now lives in Utah, says Fox Information informed a narrative “during which Ray Epps — who was a Donald Trump supporter that participated within the protests on January sixth — was an undercover FBI agent and was answerable for the mob that violently broke into the Capitol and interfered with the peaceable transition of energy for the primary time on this nation’s historical past.”
Fox had didn't challenge a public assertion on the go well with. The Deseret Information requested remark from Fox however didn't obtain a right away response.
“Fox, and notably, Mr. (Tucker) Carlson, commenced a years-long marketing campaign spreading falsehoods about Epps,” the go well with states. Epps’ lawsuit comes after Fox agreed to pay $787.5 million to Dominion Voting Methods in a defamation case.
The go well with didn't specify the damages Epps is looking for.
A two-time Trump voter and former member of the Oath Keepers, Epps went to Washington, D.C., to attend the protests, after which participated within the riot on the Capitol, per CBS Information. Later, a idea surfaced on social media, claiming Epps was an FBI informant.
The FBI issued an announcement, per CBS Information, which mentioned, “Ray Epps has by no means been an FBI supply or an FBI worker.”
Video footage of Epps on the eve of the march on the Capitol and on Jan. 6 later circulated. On Jan. 5 he mentioned in a video, “I’m most likely gonna go to jail for this. Tomorrow, we have to go into the Capitol. Peacefully.” Then, on Jan. 6 a video information Epps “talking with a protester named Ryan Samsel on the first barricade, simply earlier than Mr. Samsel helped to breach it,” per the go well with.
Later, this footage resurfaced. The go well with claims that the editor of “Revolver” superior “the false story that Epps was a federal agent planted as a provocateur to set off the Capitol violence on January sixth.”
The lawsuit states that Carlson went on the “Redacted” podcast and mentioned, “Ray Epps clearly was working for anyone. He was not a pure civilian.”