WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has released a new video of the January 6 insurrection, showing U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls in the House chamber, flanked by a Capitol security guard aiming his pistol at rioters on the other side of a door trying to break through. The video was released ahead of the third anniversary of the deadly riot after a request by NBC News. In the video, the Richmond Republican is seen shouting through shattered window panes, expressing his disgust at the violent actions of the rioters.
Nehls, a former law enforcement officer, can be heard chastising the rioters, saying, “I’ve been in law enforcement in Texas for 30 years, and I’ve never had people act this way. I’m ashamed!” Despite his condemnation of the violence, Nehls has since downplayed the significance of the attack and defended many of the rioters who have been prosecuted.
Critics argue that former President Donald Trump bears responsibility for inciting the attack, while defenders maintain that he called on rally attendees to protest peacefully. Nehls, who has remained a staunch supporter of Trump, has denied any insurrection took place on January 6, 2021, and has criticized the House investigation into Trump’s role in the attack as partisan.
Nehls has also offered qualified defense of many of the rioters in the months after the attack, and has been a vocal advocate for Trump, pitching him as the only figure who can unify a fractured Republican party.
On Jan. 6, 2021, protesters, seeking to stop the certification of the 2020 election results, stormed the Capitol after rallying near the building with Trump. For weeks, Trump had spread misinformation about the election, culminating in the desperate rally that turned into a violent attack on the Capitol. The House impeached Trump for his role in the attack, with 10 Republicans joining all Democrats in the move. No Texas Republicans voted for impeachment.