OPINION | This article contains the author's opinion.
Billionaire business mogul Elon Musk argued on social media that surveillance video footage showed Capitol Police on January 6th, 2021 opening doors for Jacob Chansley, also known as the QAnon Shaman, as Chansley calmly walks along the officers and appears to thank them.
Reacting to the footage, Musk said, “Chansley got 4 years in prison for a non-violent, police-escorted tour!? Dave Chapelle was violently assaulted on stage by a guy with a knife. That guy got a $3000 fine & no prison time.”
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Despite the video evidence, Mark Zuckerberg’s official fact-checkers on Facebook and Instagram claimed it is false to argue police assisted Chansley. Zuckerberg is the CEO of Meta Inc., which is the parent company of Facebook.
Chansley got 4 years in prison for a non-violent, police-escorted tour!?
Dave Chapelle was violently assaulted on stage by a guy with a knife. That guy got a $3000 fine & no prison time. https://t.co/qDRWxozD8B
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 10, 2023
In seven words, Musk fired back at the fact-checkers, “But who are you going to believe?”
“Instagram ‘fact-checkers’ or your own lying eyes!?” Musk added.
“The Capitol Police literally opened the Senate chamber door for him on camera!” Musk said. “But who are you going to believe, Instagram “fact-checkers” or your own lying eyes!?”
The Capitol Police literally opened the Senate chamber door for him on camera!
But who are you going to believe, Instagram “fact-checkers” or your own lying eyes!?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 11, 2023
Many people have responded to the release of the January 6th footage by Fox News host Tucker Carlson, including President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and others. Donald Trump Jr. expressed agreement with Musk’s remarks on Instagram.
“It’s literally all on video!!!” Trump Jr. wrote. “And yet the fact checkers are still marking it as false information on places like the Blaze.”
“You literally can’t make it up anymore. You’ve seen me criticize these organizations on here plenty but now it’s getting ridiculous and hopefully everyone sees just how biased they actually are,” Trump Jr. said. “I imagine this will get fact checked even though I’m pointing out that their fact checking things that other people are calling total BS on we need some objectivity in the ‘fact checking.'”
35-year-old Chansley was ultimately released after serving 2 years in prison. He was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in federal prison.
Chansley became famous for appearing at the US Capitol shirtless while wearing a horned coyote-fur headdress. \
Chansley’s release from prison came 14 months early following the public release of the surveillance video footage.
Critics argue this controversy provides an example of how the U.S. justice system has been weaponized for political purposes. The footage remained hidden for roughly two years under Democrat control of Congress until Republicans regained power and Rep. Kevin McCarthy replaced Democrat Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House.
Chansley has reportedly moved to a halfway house in Phoenix, Arizona.