Jan. 6 Committee Trashes Book by Former Staffer

Republican Denver Riggleman is eager to share his insider perspective
By Mike L. Ford,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 26, 2022 2:38 PM CDT
Jan. 6 Committee Trashes Book by Former Staffer
Denver Riggleman, a Republican candidate for Virginia's 5th District, speaks during a forum at the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance in Lynchburg, Va., Monday, Oct. 22, 2018.   (Taylor Irby/The News & Advance via AP)

Days before it's scheduled to deliver a final public hearing, the House Select Committee on the Jan. 6 Capitol attack got an unwelcome surprise Sunday from an ex-staffer. Per the Washington Post, Denver Riggleman, a former House member and "Never Trump" Republican who worked briefly as a technical advisor to the committee, is quite eager to share what he and his publisher say are "shocking details" via a new unauthorized book about the investigation. The committee—which according to the Post has always "gone to extraordinary lengths to prevent unauthorized leaks" and unwarranted hype—quickly downplayed Riggleman’s role and the quality of his information.

Appearing on 60 Minutes to promote his book, Riggleman claimed he was privy to troves of phone records, emails, and text messages uncovering a "roadmap to an attempted coup," with clear ties between the Trump Administration and far-right groups and activists working to overturn the 2020 election. Among the more explosive details, Riggleman cited a Jan. 6 phone call from the White House switchboard directly to a rioter. Per the Hill, Riggleman—also a former Air Force officer and NSA contractor—said the call raised a "red flag" thanks to his experience in military intelligence, and he insinuated that the committee may not be delving deeply enough into such connections.

In a statement, the committee pointed out that Riggleman resigned back in April, saying he was going to work for a nonprofit helping Ukraine. And though he previously told other staffers he would not write about his committee work this year, that’s exactly what he’s done. "Mr. Riggleman had limited knowledge of the committee’s investigation" because he "departed from the staff in April prior to our hearings and much of our most important investigative work," a committee spokesman told CNN. Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a committee member, further downplayed Riggleman’s information, saying "a lot has happened" and all the information Riggleman relayed "has been followed up on and in some cases didn’t really [pan] out." Riggleman's book, The Breach, is set to be released Tuesday; the committee's final hearing airs Wednesday. (More Jan. 6 hearings stories.)

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