Jan. 6 figure Epps tells House panel he has no ties to law enforcement agencies

Ray Epps, accused by some of being part of an FBI operation to stage the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, has told the special House committee investigating the incident that he has no ties to the agency or other branches of law enforcement.

"Mr. Epps informed us that he was not employed by, working with, or acting at the direction of any law enforcement agency on January 5th or 6th or at any other time, and that he has never been an informant for the FBI or any other law enforcement agency," a committee aide said Tuesday after Epps was interviewed by panel members. 

On Tuesday, Republican Sens. Ted Cruz, of Texas, and Tom Cotton, of Arkansas, made reference to and asked about Epps during the questioning of FBI official Jill Sanborn on Capitol Hill.

Sanborn repeatedly refused to comment on Epps and did not respond to claims from Cruz that the FBI could have incited the events of Jan. 6, 2021.

Epps, the FBI and the Justice Department have not spoken publicly about the accusations.

Theories about Epps' role stem from a number of places, including his addition to, then mystery removal from the FBI's "most wanted" list following the riot, as well as several videos of him on Jan. 5 appearing to encourage a crowd to go into the Capitol the following day.