The video shows a GOP congressman leading a visit to the Capitol complex the day before the January 6 attack

Washington – House Select Committee Investigating January 6 Assault on Capitol Wednesday released new surveillance footage showing Republican Rep. Barry Loudermilk leading a group of people on a tour of the Capitol complex the day before ‘attack, with some of the guests. document locations such as stairs, security checkpoints, and hallways.

The committee asked Loudermilk last month for information on a tour he led through the Capitol complex before the assault. Loudermilk denied ever visiting the Capitol on January 5, when it was closed to tourists due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following a review of security footage, U.S. Capitol police determined last month that there was “no evidence” that Loudermilk led the group to the Capitol and said “we do not consider any of the activities which we observed to be suspicious. “

But the committee suggested otherwise in a letter to Loudermilk on Wednesday. The new footage shows the congressman leading “a journey of about ten people directed by you into the areas of the Rayburn, Longworth and Cannon House office buildings, as well as the entrances to the tunnels leading to the United States Capitol,” he said. write committee chair Bennie Thompson. . The group stayed “several hours,” he wrote, and some “photographed and recorded areas of the resort that are not usually of interest to tourists.”

Some of the people on the tour would join the January 6 demonstration near the White House and the march after the Capitol, the committee said, and one of the men on the tour made “disturbing” threats against the members of Congress. The panel did not say whether any of the tour participants entered the Capitol on the day of the attack.

The select committee of the House investigating the January 6 assault on the Capitol released new surveillance footage showing Republican Rep. Barry Loudermilk leading a group of people on a visit to the Capitol complex the day before the attack. House Committee on January 6 / US Capitol Police Surveillance Video

“The select committee has learned that some people you sponsored at the resort attended the demonstration at the Ellipse on the morning of January 6, 2021,” Thompson wrote. “According to video recordings from that day obtained by the select committee, the individual who appeared to photograph a staircase in the Longworth House office building filmed a colleague with a flagpole that appeared to have an end He spoke to the camera, saying, “It’s for a certain person,” as he makes an aggressive stabbing motion. While standing near the Capitol grounds, the same person made a video that contained detailed and disturbing threats against specific members of Congress.

“The week following January 6, 2021, members urged law enforcement leaders to investigate sightings of‘ groups outside the complex ’on January 5, 2021 that‘ appeared to be associated with the demonstration in the White House the next day. ” Thompson continued. “The select committee’s review of the surveillance footage showing the route described above is consistent with these observations.”

The January 6 video recording released by the committee appears to show one of the men on the tour making threats against members of Congress.

“We come in like white on rice,” the individual says in the video. “For Pelosi, Nadler, Schumer, even you, AOC. We’re coming to get you out. We’re going to pull your hair out.”

Surveillance footage shows a route led by Loudermilk to areas of the house’s office buildings, as well as to the entrances to the Capitol tunnels.

The people of the route photographed / recorded areas that are not usually of interest to tourists: corridors, stairs and security checks. pic.twitter.com/Rjhf2BTdbc

– Commission of January 6 (@ January6thCmte) June 15, 2022

Loudermilk has refused to meet with the committee and has harshly criticized the publication of the images in a statement on Wednesday.

“This false narrative that the Committee and the Democrats continue to push, that Republicans, myself included, conducted reconnaissance visits is arguably false. Nowhere did I go with visitors to the House office buildings on the 5th. January 6 was breached on January 6, and as far as I know, no one in this group was criminally charged in connection with January 6, “he said. “Once again, the committee sent this letter to the press and they did not contact me. This kind of behavior is irresponsible and has real consequences, including the ongoing death threats to myself and my family. and my staff “.

A Loudermilk constituent who was on tour on Jan. 5 and has spoken to the Jan. 6 committee told CBS News that he came to Washington, DC, for Trump’s rally with other voters who were in contact. with Loudermilk. The constituent denied it was a “reconnaissance tour”.

“That’s the furthest thing from the truth,” that person said. “Honestly, it’s a disgusting complaint. It was January 5th and no one had any idea what would happen on January 6th.”

The constituent said they did not enter the Capitol building.

“[Rep. Loudermilk] he gave us a tour of his office and I don’t know exactly what buildings they were in and that was all, “the person said.” I was very excited to meet a representative from Congress. I was quite impressed with the life of a congressman and the amount of work they do. “

In Thompson’s letter to Loudermilk on Wednesday, he again called for the Republican member to meet with the committee as soon as possible.

Michael Kaplan contributed to this report.

Assault on the United States Capitol

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Kathryn Watson is a political journalist for CBS News Digital based in Washington, DC

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