Ray Epps, an avid supporter of former President Donald Trump and a frequent figure in Fox News segments, has filed a defamation lawsuit against the network. The lawsuit, filed in Delaware Superior Court, accuses Fox News of spreading destructive conspiracy theories and deliberately disregarding the truth.
Epps claims that Fox News used him as a scapegoat following the January 6, 2021 assault on the US Capitol. The network allegedly propagated a fantastical story in which Epps, a Trump supporter who participated in the protests on that day, was portrayed as an undercover FBI agent responsible for the violent breach of the Capitol and the interruption of the peaceful transition of power.
Epps, who voted for Trump in both 2016 and 2020, acknowledges being present outside the Capitol on January 6. He accuses Fox News of providing a platform to claims that he was a federal agent planted as a provocateur to instigate the violence. His lawsuit specifically targets former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, accusing him of leading a years-long campaign of falsehoods that have had devastating effects on Epps’ and his wife’s lives.
After the Capitol riot, Carlson mentioned Epps on his Fox News show more than 20 times, asserting that Epps had encouraged crimes and breaches of the Capitol on multiple video occasions. In an interview on CBS’ “60 Minutes,” Epps explained that he attended the Capitol protest because he believed the election had been stolen from Trump. However, he claims to have advocated for peaceful protests inside the Capitol and regrets some of the remarks he made. There is no evidence of Epps committing any acts of violence or entering the Capitol building that day.
Epps alleges that the threats and harassment he faced following the riot forced him to sell his ranch and go into hiding with his wife in a 300-square foot recreational vehicle in the Rocky Mountains. The FBI has publicly stated that Epps was neither a source nor an employee of the agency. However, Epps expects to face criminal charges for his role in the Capitol mob, which he believes were influenced by the relentless attacks from Fox News and Tucker Carlson.
In his lawsuit, Epps emphasizes that he is not a federal agent but rather a loyal Fox News viewer and Trump supporter. He argues that if the Department of Justice had charged him in 2021, Carlson would have portrayed him as a hero. The lawsuit seeks a trial and compensatory and punitive damages from Fox News.
As of now, there has been no immediate response from Fox News or Epps’ civil attorneys regarding the lawsuit.
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