As RedState previously reported, disgraced former Congressman-turned-Twitter keyboard warrior Adam Kinzinger took to the popular social media platform Monday to rise to the defense of Ray Epps, who appeared on “60 Minutes” Sunday, where a predictably sympathetic portrayal of his actions on the day of the Capitol riot took place.
To recap, Kinzinger was triggered by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who commented on the Epps “interview” and, as he has before, raised several questions people want answers to about Epps’ role in the events of January 6, 2021:
“Ray Epps is the only person I’ve seen on video January 5th and January 6th urging and directing people to go into the Capitol. In a text message on January 6th he bragged that he orchestrated it. Why do democrats and the media portray him as the victim? So bizarre.”
And it’s not just Democrats and the media who have banged the “victim” drum about Epps since that day. NeverTrumpers including Kinzinger have as well, and in Kinzinger’s case specifically, he’s done it on numerous occasions for reasons he has yet to explain.
Massie’s tweet prompted yet another defense of Epps from Kinzinger, who strangely continues to portray Epps as someone who is being unfairly targeted by a supposed Republican smear campaign.
“I hope he sues you,” Kinzinger tweeted Monday night. “You have ruined a man’s life who trusted you. You’re a sick man.”
Like many others, Massie was confused by Kinzinger’s claim that Epps “trusted you” and inquired about it:
This is just bizarre. Trusted me to do what? https://t.co/alXkefLOIp pic.twitter.com/kugPvNOuEt
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) April 24, 2023
Kinzinger’s laughable response was to accuse Massie of being a “sell out” and to claim in so many words without evidence that Epps simply got “caught up in a conspiracy” that was not of his own making:
You know exactly what I mean. You Ted and MTG had the trust of him and others, and when you said the election was stolen they believed you.
They went to Jan 6. Ray gets caught up in a conspiracy, and you’re happy to spread it. You’re not dumb Tom, just a sell out.
In an update to the story, Massie, of course, didn’t let Kinzinger’s accusation slide. On Tuesday, Massie brought the receipts to counter Kinzinger, reminding him that not only did he not dispute the election results, but also that he had urged conservatives not to come to Washington, D.C. to protest them:
There’s only one problem with your story: it’s a total fabrication. I didn’t say the election was stolen, nor did I contest the electors sent to us by the states. In fact, I co-write a letter, published on Jan 3, to encourage people NOT to come to DC.https://t.co/Xz389sFUAs https://t.co/C5BTdE2rvk
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) April 25, 2023
Kinzinger’s response was evidence of his defeat, as he pulled a random social media user’s post and blamed what the person’s post said on Massie:
These are your people you’re trying to please Massie. And you’re feeding into this with the Epps lie.
You don’t seem to be saying that it was a trump inspired insurrection, and you keep pointing to Epps. So spare me. Of course you’re playing to the base and failing to lead. https://t.co/YXrQHDEY5H pic.twitter.com/ISpK8dhnvR
— Adam Kinzinger #fella (@AdamKinzinger) April 25, 2023
In other words, Massie stumped Kinzinger’s BS argument and the best Kinzinger can do is pull some random Twitter user’s comment and blame it on Massie. Maybe we should pull up some of Kinzinger’s more fringe supporters’ comments and tie them to him?
This is all so very dumb, but it’s also what happens when you’re someone like Kinzinger whose 15 minutes of fame expired once the J6 Committee’s final “report” was released – and then promptly buried.
Now he’s reduced to trolling his former colleagues on Twitter from the outside for attaboys and RTs from members of the Very Online Left and partisan media figures who outside of his Trump/GOP bashing do not care at all about anything Adam Kinzinger, who actually is a sellout, has to say.
As for Massie, he’s right to continue to raise the issue of Epps’ involvement (and the continued defenses of him) in the Capitol riot, including whether Epps was acting in some type of “informant” role with a federal agency, something the FBI will seemingly deny – but only when they’re not under oath.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of RedState.com.
Flashback: Adam Kinzinger’s Smear Campaign Against a Critic Falls Apart After ‘Receipts’ Come Due
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