The laws of physics are figured out by geniuses after years of scientific observations and experiments that are run again and again.
And while you will not find it in any physical science textbook, those of us who live in our desert paradise know that along with Newton’s laws of motion and Archimedes’ principle there is (or should be) an indisputable theorem stating that any national political scandal MUST have an Arizona connection.
Which brings us these days to the case of former Arizona resident Ray Epps.
The New York Times recently reported that Epps planned to sue Fox News for defamation.
Fox News peddled ‘destructive conspiracy theories’
That suit was filed in Delaware Superior Court. It accuses Fox of “creating and disseminating destructive conspiracy theories” about Epps and of recklessly disregarding the truth to a degree that Epps and his wife were forced to flee Arizona.
This came after recently fired Fox host Tucker Carlson, in numerous episodes, pushed the theory that Epps was a secret government agent tasked with inciting Jan. 6, 2021, protesters at the U.S. Capitol as a way of discrediting Donald Trump and his MAGA minions.
The backlash from those reports was so severe and threatening that Epps and his wife, Robyn, fled the state, leaving their Queen Creek home and the Western-themed wedding venue they operated.
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Ray Epps was at the Capitol on Jan. 6 – but he wasn’t working with law enforcement
The lawsuit says Fox told “a fantastical story in which Ray Epps – who was a Trump supporter that participated in the protests on January 6th – was an undercover FBI agent and was responsible for the mob that violently broke into the Capitol and interfered with the peaceful transition of power for the first time in this country’s history.”
Epps testified before the House committee that investigated the insurrection.
After his appearance, the House Jan. 6 committee said on Twitter: “Epps informed us that he was not employed by, working with, or acting at the direction of any law enforcement agency on Jan 5th or 6th or at any other time, & that he has never been an informant for the FBI or any other law enforcement agency.”
Epps is a two-time Trump voter. A true believer.
He was captured on camera on Jan. 6, 2021, urging people to march on the Capitol.
He also is heard pleading for calm when things turned violent.
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Tucker Carlson has since spread lies about Epps
He never entered the Capitol and has not been charged with a crime. Although, sadly, that fact only added fuel to the conspiracy fire spread by Carlson.
Epps didn’t speak to The Times, but he spoke briefly some time back to The Arizona Republic’s Anne Ryman, telling her, “I didn’t do anything wrong,” and that in urging people to go to the Capitol “the only thing that meant is we would go in the doors like everyone else. It was totally, totally wrong the way they went in.”
No evidence has ever been presented to suggest Epps was operating for the government, but this didn’t stop Carlson or Fox News from mentioning him again and again.
The lawsuit says, “Fox, and particularly Mr. Carlson, commenced a years-long campaign spreading falsehoods about Epps. Those lies have destroyed Ray’s and (his wife’s) lives. As Fox recently learned in its litigation against Dominion Voting Systems, its lies have consequences.”
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‘Crazies’ were there before the reports
Epps’ claim, if successful, would not come close to matching the $787 million settlement Fox News reached with Dominion Voting Systems. (And yes, of course there was an Arizona connection to the Dominion case.)
But the discovery phase that comes with an Epps lawsuit could lead to more damning internal Fox communications like those that were exposed with the Dominion lawsuit.
That could rile the Trump cult even more. But, hey, Epps already was forced from his home.
After Carlson made his name so well known to the Fox audience, Epps said, “The crazies started coming out of the woodwork.”
Actually, no.
The crazies had long before come out of the woodwork.
Epps may not have recognized it at the time, but they were with him that day at the Capitol.
EJ Montini has been a news columnist at The Arizona Republic/azcentral.com, where this column first ran, since 1986. Reach him at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com
