Just-released Jan. 6 videos show Capitol Police officer lied in Oath Keepers trial, Blaze Media investigative journalist says



Just-released U.S. Capitol closed-circuit TV video clips from Jan. 6, 2021, show Capitol Police Special Agent David Lazarus gave false testimony in the Oath Keepers trial, Blaze Media investigative journalist Steve Baker reported.

What's the background?

Baker penned an analysis in October calling into question Lazarus' testimony — which helped convict the Oath Keepers — noting that time-stamped CCTV videos Blaze News observed show Lazarus in other parts of the Capitol complex at the time he said he witnessed now-former Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn interacting with Oath Keepers on Jan. 6.

Baker and others could view the Jan. 6 videos only on Washington, D.C., House subcommittee terminals in a limited and restricted capacity. What's more, at the time of Baker's Oct. 4 analysis, Blaze News was permitted to publish only a single Jan. 6 screenshot of Lazarus in the Capitol after then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted the previous day, putting video permissions on hold.

By early November, U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Georgia) released multiple Jan. 6 video screenshots of Lazarus' movements in the Capitol, telling Baker in a statement that he did so because "an allegation of a Capitol Police officer lying under oath is very serious and must be fully investigated."

On Nov. 17, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said nearly all Capitol security videos from Jan. 6 — nearly 40,000 hours' worth — will be made available online to the public. Johnson's announcement followed Blaze News editor in chief Matthew Peterson's appeal to the speaker to release all the videos.

On Friday, Baker said Blaze News finally received permission to publish the Lazarus video clips, which appear in a new video BlazeTV published Monday morning titled, "The Truth about January 6: Part III: David Lazarus: Proof of Perjury."

— (@)

Baker's announcement was a response to Tarik Johnson — a former Capitol Police lieutenant — who noted on X that his sources informed him that "USCP Chief J Thomas Manger has decided NOT to investigate the allegation that USCP Special Agent David Lazarus gave false testimony in the Oath Keepers trial."

What about the just-released CCTV clips from Jan. 6?

In Monday's BlazeTV video, Baker breaks down Lazarus' whereabouts in the Capitol complex in a detailed, minute-by-minute fashion using the time-stamped video clips recorded on Capitol CCTV cameras.

While Lazarus testified that he saw Dunn with the Oath Keepers — a claim that Baker said "bolstered" Dunn's testimony — Baker reported that Lazarus "couldn't have" seen Dunn with the Oath Keepers because the CCTV videos show Lazarus "was in another building a quarter of a mile away" at that time.

What's more, Baker said that newly released videos showing Lazarus' whereabouts were "never released" to Oath Keepers' defense attorneys at the time of the trial.

"This should rock the Capitol Police," Baker said in Monday's BlazeTV video. "We received messages from our sources at the [Department of Justice] in Washington that they were 'terrified' of this story."

Then there's the screenshot Baker obtained of an internal email he said was passed between Capitol Police leadership. Baker said they "were concerned about the traction" the story was receiving.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

The screenshot of the email's conclusion reads, "Something for us to keep an eye on to see if it develops or not."

Baker retorted, "Now this is interesting about the Capitol Police that they're more worried about the traction of their story than they are worried about the lie that their special agent told on the stand in the Oath Keepers' trial."

Capitol Police did not immediately reply to Blaze News' request for comment on the newly released Capitol CCTV videos of Lazarus.

Here's BlazeTV's video, "The Truth about January 6: Part III: David Lazarus: Proof of Perjury":

Anything else?

Baker's investigative efforts also resulted in two additional analyses, both focusing on Dunn: "January 6 and the N-word that wasn't" and "Harry Dunn's account of January 6 does not add up. At all."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Blaze News investigative writer calls foul on 'hero' Capitol cop Harry Dunn, Capitol Police, the press, Democrat congressman



Blaze News investigative journalist Steve Baker is alleging he's uncovered major irregularities involving U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, the Capitol Police, the press, and a Democrat congressman.

What are the details?

First off, Baker alleges that Dunn — hailed as a "hero" after Jan. 6 — is the author of a headline-grabbing, anonymous 2021 letter, penned on Capitol Police letterhead, which took issue with minority members of Congress who contended there was no need to form a Jan. 6 commission.

The existence of the letter came to light May 19, 2021, in numerous mainstream media accounts — but not who wrote it.

Image source: Steve Baker

In addition, Baker alleges that U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland) encouraged Dunn to write the letter. Baker told Blaze News that Raskin should have been "fully aware that it's a violation of Capitol Police regulations for Dunn to take political stances in representation of the department."

Baker also alleges that:

  • Dunn violated many departmental directives against using USCP time and resources for political purposes.
  • The Capitol Police have known Dunn wrote the letter, initiated an investigation on and disciplinary action against Dunn, and kept Dunn's connection to the letter from public knowledge.
  • Dunn worked with members of the Capitol press pool in crafting the language of the letter.
  • Dunn's actions likely disqualified him from testifying before the Jan. 6 commission and in the Oath Keepers trial and that his actions were kept from attorneys for the Oath Keepers.

Bradford L. Geyer — an attorney who represented now-imprisoned Oath Keeper Kenneth Harrelson — issued a pointed statement to Blaze News about these allegations.

"Similar to Steve Baker's exposure of the fabricated testimony by David Lazarus, U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn also provided inaccurate testimony that led to the wrongful convictions of innocent Americans, including Sergeant Kenneth Harrelson (retired). The impact of this false testimony on the trial cannot be overstated, and regrettably, neither individual has faced any repercussions for corrupting the justice process. It's almost a stroke of luck that Dunn was allowed to testify. As I had anticipated, the line prosecutors handling the case were likely unaware that Dunn had received support from the D.C. press corps in crafting and spreading the letter, which was designed to appear as an official communication. This alone should have been a firing offense," Geyer told Blaze News, adding that "despite their serial lies, both Harry Dunn and Agent Lazarus were commended, while wrongly convicted Americans languish in prison."

The U.S. Capitol Police, Dunn, and Raskin's office on Monday did not immediately reply to Blaze News' request for comment regarding Baker's allegations.

Baker outlined in a pair of X threads (here and here) last week what he noted his investigation uncovered.

What else?

CNN published a story about the anonymous letter on May 19, 2021, noting significantly that the letter was not an official statement from the Capitol Police — and that a USCP spokesman said the department does not know where the letter came from.

“The U.S. Capitol Police does NOT take positions on legislation,” the department said in a statement, CNN added.

— (@)

CNN also said it spoke to the officer who wrote the letter and claimed it represented the view of 40 to 50 officers. While CNN didn't reveal the identity of the officer, the cable news network quoted the officer as saying, “It needed to be out there. It needed to be done." CNN added that it could not independently verify that other officers supported the letter.

What's more, CNN noted in its May 19, 2021, story that Rep. Raskin’s chief of staff circulated the anonymous letter to other chiefs of staff with a note saying, “Mr. Raskin has been in discussions with several rank-and-file Capitol Police officers who are his constituents. He has listened to them describe their physical and emotional traumas which, for some, have led to months of mental anguish.”

CNN also reported that the note said, "Attached is a letter from unnamed officers (who remain anonymous because they are afraid of retribution for speaking out) about their profound disappointment in the current politics surrounding the vote on the January 6th commission. Mr. Raskin is hoping your bosses will read this letter, and consider the sentiments behind it, before the vote.”

Anything else?

Baker's first Jan. 6 analysis came in October, following countless hours in a House subcommittee office looking at frame after frame of Jan. 6 closed-circuit video — and it had him wondering: Did the security chief for then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi perjure himself in the Oath Keepers trial?

Soon after, the slow pace of getting an unrestricted look at everything recorded on video prompted Blaze Media editor in chief Matthew Peterson's appeal to House Speaker Mike Johnson to release all the videos. On Nov. 17, Johnson did just that.

Baker's investigative efforts also resulted in two additional analyses, both focusing on Dunn: "January 6 and the N-word that wasn't" and "Harry Dunn's account of January 6 does not add up. At all."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!