Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images, Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images
- Elon Musk called for the release of 'QAnon Shaman' Jacob Chansley, jailed over the Capitol riot.
- Musk cited videos aired by Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
- Fact-checkers noted that the videos leave out important context, leading to unsubstantiated claims.
Elon Musk called for the release of "QAnon Shaman" Jacob Chansley, who was sentenced to 41 months in prison for his role in the Capitol riot.
"Free Jacob Chansley," the Tesla CEO and Twitter owner tweeted on Friday while sharing a video of Chansley outside the Capitol telling protesters that Trump had told people to go home.
A Twitter user responded to Musk by commenting that he was part of the "MAGA movement."
"I'm not part of MAGA, but I do believe in fairness of justice," Musk responded. "Chansley was falsely portrayed in the media as a violent criminal who tried to overthrow the state and who urged others to commit violence."
"But here he is urging people to be peaceful and go home. And the other video shows him calmly walking in the Capitol building, being escorted by officers and then thanking the officers."
Musk referred to footage that was recently aired by Fox News host Tucker Carlson and has now widely circulated on social media, in which Chansley can be seen walking through the Capitol building with police officers.
The Associated Press said that claims that police escorted Chansley throughout the Capitol building were false, as court documents and video footage show that he broke into the building and was not accompanied at all times.
The outlet added that the footage aired by Carlson left out important context.
Politifact also noted that Chansley was followed by Capitol Police inside the building and repeatedly ignored officers' orders and requests to leave, per his signed plea agreement.
According to a timeline of events by the Department of Justice, Chansley was one of the first 30 people to enter the Capitol building on January 6, 2021. He sat on the dais that then-Vice President Mike Pence had recently occupied.
A White House spokesperson said that Carlson was "not credible" after he aired previously unseen footage from the Capitol riot and made misleading claims that it was a "peaceful" gathering.
Chansley became one of the most recognizable Capitol rioters after photographs surfaced of him sporting a distinctive horned headdress and red, white, and blue face paint.
He was sentenced in November 2021 after he struck a deal to plead guilty to one count of obstruction for his role in the insurrection.