You’ve likely already heard that after more than two years of delays, Speaker Kevin McCarthy has released the full body of video from the January 6 riots to Fox News, specifically to Tucker Carlson. This predictably has liberals and their faithful legacy media transcriptionists setting their hair on fire. There are accusations of dark conspiracies making the rounds, along with claims that the release of the video represents a national security threat. One of the first out of the gate was MSNBC’s Steve Benen. He released a lengthy screed making McCarthy sound like Benedict Arnold handing the blueprints for West Point to the Hessians.

Just so we’re all clear about the nature of the process, the video tapes in question are official government materials. They don’t belong to one member, one party, or one cable channel; they belong to all of us. And yet, there’s the new House speaker, who apparently made a unilateral decision to give one controversial Fox News host exclusive access to 41,000 hours of surveillance footage.

You can immediately see two aspects of Benen’s argument that are laughable at best. The first is the idea that the footage represents “official government material” that belongs “to all of us.” If that footage belongs to all of us, where were MSNBC’s complaints for the more than two years that the Democrats in the House (and particularly on the J6 committee) sat on the footage, only releasing select pieces that painted the rioters in the worst possible light? Benen is also clearly upset that his network wasn’t chosen to receive the video first. But the government grants exclusive first access to material on a daily basis.

Benen goes on to claim that Tucker is the last person you would want to have the video. Why? Because he “lacks credibility on the issue.”

Part of the problem with McCarthy’s move is that Carlson lacks credibility on the issue. As Axios’ report noted, Carlson has “repeatedly questioned official accounts of 1/6, downplaying the insurrection as ‘vandalism.’” CNN’s report added, “[H]e has devoted significant airtime to the false claim that liberal ‘deep state’ partisans within the FBI orchestrated the insurrection as a way to undermine former President Donald Trump. He has conducted sympathetic interviews with some of the rioters who were subsequently charged by the Justice Department.”

Apparently, anyone in the press who “questions official accounts” about the riots “lacks credibility.” After all, why would we ever question official accounts coming from this White House or the Democrats in Congress? (I’ll give you all a moment to stop gagging.) In reality, there is plenty to question and the video needs to be reviewed by someone without an incentive to maintain the mainstream narrative. How many FBI agents and/or their paid plants were in the vanguard of the rioters as they approached the building? How many of the people who are now facing years in prison literally did nothing more than walk around the building like tourists? If you think the public doesn’t deserve answers to those questions, you have no business being in either the government or the media.

And how is the release of the videos to Fox News a “national security issue?” That’s the claim being made by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who presumably has had the chance to see all of it himself. (Raw Story)

One national security expert is warning that “McCarthy provided access to this video to the biggest propagandist for those who attacked the Capitol.”

“I write with respect to public reports that extreme MAGA Republicans in the House have provided tens of thousands of hours of sensitive Capitol security footage to a FOX News personality who regularly peddles in conspiracy theories and Pro-Putin rhetoric,” Leader Jeffries says in a “Dear Colleague” letter, posted by ABC News’ Lauren Peller.

I’m still not seeing how releasing video from inside The People’s House to the people is a security issue. I suppose one could try to make the argument that the videos will reveal where the cameras are located. But we’re not talking about the inside of NORAD or one of our nuclear silos here. It’s the Capitol Building. They give free tours of the place to thousands of people every day. And if you didn’t already know there were security cameras operating 24/7 all around the property, I would question whether you would be safe buying a bus ticket to travel there on your own.

Most of the coverage of this news also makes the release of the video sound sinister, as if McCarthy was trying to do all of this in secret. But if any of these critics bothered to actually watch Tucker Carlson Tonight, they would know that Tucker announced that he had gotten access to the files immediately after receiving them. He has people reviewing them and plans to start covering the pertinent bits next week. (Obviously, it’s a lot of material to go through, much of which will be irrelevant.)

Whatever happened to the idea that the media was supposed to be in favor of maximum transparency from the government? Shouldn’t a full house cleaning be in order regarding the events of January 6? Perhaps not, at least if you have a private agenda to protect.