Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) made the claim in an interview with Newsmax on Tuesday, saying he suspects the FBI "planted more than 200 agents in the crowd," some of whom entered the Capitol "dressed as Trump supporters before the doors opened."
Higgins also accused the FBI of sending "ghost buses" full of informants to the Capitol and of inciting and facilitating violence by infiltrating online groups of Trump supporters opposed to COVID-19 restrictions.
FBI Director Christopher Wray dismissed Higgins' allegations at a Congressional hearing in November, saying the violence at the Capitol was not part of any FBI-organized operation. "If you're asking whether the violence on Capitol Hill on January 6 was part of an operation organized by FBI sources or agents, the answer is an emphatic no," Wray said.
Higgins' comments were met with backlash on Twitter, with many users criticizing Higgins for spreading conspiracy theories and undermining the investigation into the Capitol riot. Some users also noted that Higgins was at the Capitol on January 6 and posted a video on Facebook saying he was "armed" and ready to "repel any effort to take over the government."
The "200 FBI" issue has also reignited debate, particularly among Trump supporters, about the FBI's role in monitoring and investigating domestic extremism. Some critics have accused the FBI of political bias and censorship, while others have defended the agency's efforts to prevent and prosecute terrorism.
