RENDERING A PUBLIC SERVICE: Here is where to see the January 6th Tapes

On November 17th, US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson announced he was making the January 6th Capitol Building file footage public. He did so. Here is where you go to view it.

NOTE: You cannot use Safari to view these. Google Chrome does work, and presumably other major browsers will as well.

Credit to Rollcall.com for simply giving its readers the link, shown below:

House Administration Committee’s website

The Public Policy Committee’s document on the access to these files is worth noting, so we have reprinted the document in full here. The video clips linked above are part of the last section of this document, and apparently will be added to as review continues.

Committee on House Administration Access to USCP Video From January 6, 2021 Page 1 of 2

Overview: Outside access to review U.S. Capitol Police security footage in person and online public reading room

• Starting November 20, 2023, the Committee on House Administration (CHA) will allow access to terminals by all U.S. citizens and U.S. lawful permanent residents.
• Viewers will be asked to leave cell phones, cameras, and recording devices outside the room and must agree, in writing, not to record footage from terminals.
• Access will be subject to time restrictions to enable CHA staff to administer this access.
• Access to footage or provision of video clips will be subject to CHA’s discretion and is final, not subject to appeal. Neither the limited grant of access to the footage nor the limited provision of video clips by CHA makes or shall be interpreted to make this footage a public record for any purpose, including but not limited to the common law right of access, or any other open records laws.
• CHA will establish an online public viewing room that will contain all U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) video clips that are released under this policy (except with respect to certain security-sensitive footage) and will be available to the public.
• These policies do not apply to Members of Congress

Process for viewing footage

• Terminals will be available on weekdays except for holidays from 9 am to noon and 1 pm to 4 pm, Eastern Time.
• Only U.S. citizens and U.S. lawful permanent residents are permitted to access terminals and footage. Proof of citizenship or lawful permanent residency must be provided to staff before access to footage will be granted.
• Prospective viewers must email CHA staff (CHAREP.OversightRequests@mail.house.gov) to request an appointment time for terminal access.
• Each appointment is first come, first served.
• Priority access will be given to Members of Congress, defendants charged with crimes related to January 6, 2021, and their counsel, and individuals who were physically harmed on January 6, 2021, at the United States Capitol and their counsel, U.S. news outlets (not limited to press accredited through congressional galleries), non-profit organizations, and the general public, in that order.

Process for requesting clips after terminal review:

• Terminal viewers will be permitted to request video clips of USCP video subject to the following criteria:
  • 1. Each outlet, organization, or individual can request 10 clips per week.
  • 2. Each clip can be no longer than 10 minutes in length.
  • 3. The total length of clips per request can be no more than 60 minutes.
  • 4. Clips will be released based on the following parameters:
    • Category 1. Clips will be released if the same clips have already been made public by the federal government, news media, or documentary films (i.e., not by private citizens on social media).
      • CHA staff will keep a list of public clips described above. Requesters may also point CHA staff to a previous public release (by the federal Page 2 of 2 government, news media, or in documentary films (i.e., not by private citizens on social media)) if not found on the CHA list.
    • Category 2. Clips will be released if from a camera previously identified by USCP as “non-sensitive” and do not show footage that, in the determination of CHA staff, would raise security concerns, such as footage showing officers defusing bombs or other tactical situations.
      • CHA staff will make every effort to blur individuals’ faces from Category 2 footage.
      • CHA may seek advice from USCP with respect to the sensitivity of such clips.
    • Category 3. Clips will generally not be released if from a camera previously identified by USCP as “sensitive.”
      • Exceptions: If such clips are (a) also Category 1 clips, or (b) in the determination of CHA staff the public interest of the clips outweighs the security sensitivity of the clips.
      • CHA staff will make every effort to blur individuals’ faces from Category 2 footage.
      • CHA may seek advice from USCP with respect to the sensitivity of such clips.
• Defendants charged with crimes related to January 6, 2021, at the United States Capitol and their counsel, and individuals who were physically harmed on January 6, 2021, at the United States Capitol and their counsel, may request footage that would otherwise not be released due to security-sensitivity or other concerns if they certify to CHA, in writing, that:
  • 1. The requested footage was not made available to them by prosecutors;
  • 2. The requested footage contains potentially exculpatory information; and
  • 3. The requested footage will be used exclusively for their or their client’s legal representation and will not be shared publicly.

Online Public Viewing Room: General public access to review USCP video clips:

• After clips have been released according to the procedures above, the clips will be uploaded to a “public viewing room” maintained by CHA.  The public viewing room will also include any clips already released before these procedures were put into place.
• Clips will not be associated with a particular requester.
• Access to the public viewing room will be available via the CHA website. Public access to the viewing room will terminate at a time to be determined by the CHA.

(A video, to be later attached, gives some of my own comment on this issue and the general situation regarding American leadership efforts to either reveal or hide information about what they are doing, but I want to keep the focus clear in this piece, lest I obfuscate and give opinions about this material, which I have to watch, myself. – SH)

CHA Subcommittee Reading Room

U.S. House of Representatives Committee on House Administration

CHA Subcommittee Reading Room

U.S. House of Representatives Committee on House Administration