Gohmert: Jan. 6 ‘wasn’t just right-wing extremists’

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) appeared to downplay the deadly Capitol attack on Jan. 6 during a conference this past weekend that was attended by many QAnon conspiracy supporters, saying “it wasn’t just right-wing extremists.”

As The Washington Post reports, Gohmert pushed the debunked claim that leftist activists played a role in the Jan. 6 attack while speaking at an event titled “For God & Country Patriot Roundup” on Saturday.

“Some of us think Pearl Harbor was the worst attack on democracy, some of us think 9/11 was the worst attack,” Gohmert said. “Some of us think that those things were worse attacks on democracy.”

The Texas congressman later posted a photo posing with a QAnon promoter who claims to have been at the Jan. 6 attack, the Post reports.

Gohmert has previously attempted to downplay the severity of the Jan. 6 attack, saying in May that there was no evidence that the riot was an “armed insurrection” despite many photos shared on social media showing rioters carrying weapons into the Capitol and many being charged with unlawful possession of firearms.

While speaking on the House floor, Gohmert, a staunch ally of former President Trump, argued that the FBI was “unfairly” targeting Trump supporters and accused the Department of Justice of “criminalizing political protests, but only political protests by Republicans or conservatives.” 

At the same conference, former national security adviser Michael Flynn was seen in a video suggesting a Myanmar-like coup “should happen” in the U.S.

When asked by an audience member why a coup like the one that happened in Myanmar couldn’t happen in the U.S., Flynn responded, “No reason. I mean, it should happen here.”

Flynn later denied suggesting a military coup should take place in the country.

He said in a Telegram post on Monday that there is “NO reason whatsoever for any coup in American, and I do not and have not at any time called for any action of that sort.”

The idea that Trump will use the military to overthrow the government and reclaim power is an extremely popular idea among QAnon supporters. Many believed that Trump would use the military to prevent Biden from assuming power before or on Inauguration Day.