FACT CHECK: Did Jim Jordan Announce That Ray Epps Will Testify Against The FBI?
A post shared on Facebook claims Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan announced that Capitol rioter Ray Epps will testify against the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Verdict: False
There is no evidence on Jordan’s verified social media or any media reports announcing Epps will testify against the FBI.
Fact Check:
Epps became a target of online conspiracy theories alleging that he secretly worked for the government after he attended the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, according to NBC News. Epps said these claims have affected his life greatly and caused his grandchildren to be bullied, the Guardian reported.
A Facebook post claims Jordan has announced that Epps will testify against the FBI. The post mentions David “Niño” Rodriguez, a boxer who regularly tweets about right-wing conspiracy theories.
“Breaking News!” the post reads. “Jim Jordon…Just announced that Scum bag RAY EPPS just flipped and will testify agäinst FBI involvment (sic) on Jan/06.” The claim was also shared on Twitter where it garnered over 4,500 retweets.
……Breaking News….Jim Jordon…just announced that RAY EPPS just flipped and will testify agäinst FBI involvment on Jan/06…….watch as they now start to testify against each other-OMG..💥😱💥
— samuel lawrence AKA fatman007 (@ruggy006) February 28, 2023
Check Your Fact found no posts involving Epps on Jordan’s website or verified social media accounts. Likewise, there are no credible news reports about Jordan making such an announcement. (FACT CHECK: Did Jim Jordan ‘Snap’ At Alejandro Mayorkas?)
Check Your Fact has reached out to Jordan’s office and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.
Rodriguez has not shared this claim on his Twitter, but has shared several tweets regarding Jan. 6. One post Rodriguez retweeted claims Speaker Nancy Pelosi was in contact with Epps before the event.
RETWEET if you think Pelosi should be investigated for her role in J6 pic.twitter.com/16zR9lWzUM
— 🇺🇸🇺🇸Josh Dunlap🇺🇲🇺🇲 ULTRA-MAGA (@JDunlap1974) March 12, 2023
This is not the first time misinformation involving Epps has spread online. Check Your Fact previously debunked a claim that Epps’ wife works for the company that owns Dominion Voting Systems.