What to make of Ohio candidates invoking Jan. 6 conspiracy theories? [Video]

The following article was originally published in the Ohio Capital Journal and published on News5Cleveland.com under a content-sharing agreement.

With Ohio’s primary elections around the corner, there’s been a notable rise in January 6 conspiracy theorizing among a handful of the state’s Republican candidates. Some peddle the idea that FBI informants provoked an otherwise peaceful crowd. Others, that those convicted of crimes are hostages or political prisoners. Still others suggest investigators are covering up information about pipe bombs left at the Republican and Democratic National Committee headquarters.

It follows a steady campaign by lawmakers like Ohio Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan and conservative media figures to downplay the event and cast doubt on those investigating it. Jordan, for instance, argued the bipartisan January 6 committee’s chief goal was to discredit the conservative political movement. Ohio Republican U.S. Rep. Max Miller suggested the committee was intended as a distractionfrom the withdrawal from Afghanistan while Ohio Republican U.S. …