Carlson, the most popular primetime host on cable news, claims that the Biden administration is using the insurrection as a pretext to persecute, imprison and otherwise mistreat Americans who disagree with Democrats.

That’s the central argument of Carlson’s three-part “Patriot Purge” series on Fox Nation, the cable giant’s streaming service. Carlson even says that the assault on the U.S. Capitol was probably concocted inside the federal government in order to justify a war on conservatives.

Carlson concludes the series with a chilling line to his followers: “They’re pushing you toward violence. … But don’t fall for it.”

The gravity of Carlson’s charges and the size of his platform and influence justify a detailed examination of his claims, and of the evidence he provides in support of them.

That examination shows Carlson makes alarming claims that are built on flimsy or inaccurate evidence, or does not consider information that contradicts his narrative. Ultimately, he uses legitimate concerns — about FBI abuses of power in the past, about the ability of the government to conduct digital surveillance, and about treatment of prisoners — to weave a story about Jan. 6 that ends up making claims that aren’t supported by facts.