Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz released a report revealing that 26 confidential human sources were present at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, though only three were specifically tasked by the FBI to attend.
The report confirmed that none of the FBI’s confidential sources were authorized or directed to break the law, enter restricted areas, or encourage illegal acts during the events of that day, Fox News reported.
Most confidential sources attended on their own initiative, with three entering the Capitol and 11 entering restricted areas, but investigators found no evidence of FBI undercover employees embedded in the protest crowds. The FBI played a supporting role during the event, as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had not designated it a high-security event.
Horowitz noted that the FBI took significant steps to prepare for its role, but his report recommended clarifying protocols for handling similar events in the future.
The FBI accepted these recommendations and highlighted ongoing efforts to coordinate with other agencies for future high-security events, including the 2025 electoral certification and inauguration.
The report sparked criticism from Rep. Jim Jordan, who accused the FBI of treating confidential sources leniently compared to other individuals charged for their actions on January 6. Jordan also linked the report to broader concerns about perceived government weaponization against the public.
“This report confirms what we suspected,” House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, told Fox News Digital. “The FBI had encouraged and tasked confidential human sources to be at the capitol that day. There were 26 total present. Four entered the Capitol and weren’t charged, which is not the same treatment that other Americans received.”
In related developments, Jordan referenced another inspector general report this week about FBI surveillance of congressional staff during the Trump-Russia investigation, further fueling his critique of the bureau.
The timing of the reports coincided with FBI Director Christopher Wray’s announcement of his resignation next month.
“When Chris Wray first got there back in 2017, the FBI was spying on congressional hill staffers, including the guy who is slated to replace him, and then the day after he announces he’s leaving, this report comes out and confirms what so many of us suspected, that there were these confidential human sources present on Jan. 6,” Jordan told Fox News.