Ray Epps sent a cease-and-desist letter to Tucker Carlson demanding that the Fox Host retract comments speculating about his role in the January 6th riot.

Carlson has frequently discussed theories that Epps, who has never faced charges, acted as a provocateur or government agent when he exhorted Trump supporters to go "into the Capitol."

Cease and desist

A lawyer for Epps, Michael Teter, sent a letter to Carlson and Fox News accusing the host and his network of making "claims about Mr. Epps that lack any foundation in fact."

"Mr. Carlson and Fox News guests and contributors have incorrectly called Mr. Epps a federal agent, accusing him of acting as a provocateur of the riots," Teter wrote.

Epps and his wife have been targeted with "harassment, intimidation, and abuse" as a result of Carlson's commentary, Teter claimed. He demanded that Carlson make an on-air apology.

"We expect that you will give the same airtime in retracting these falsehoods as you spent amplifying them. Further, Mr. Carlson and Fox News must issue a formal on-air apology for the lies you have spread about Mr. Epps," Teter wrote.

Epps "lied"

Earlier this month, Carlson said that Epps "lied" to the January 6th committee about his whereabouts during the riot.

Carlson played previously unseen footage given to him by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Ca.) that showed Epps in the crowd half an hour after he claimed he had left the Capitol to go to his hotel room.

The January 6th committee "protected" Epps, whom they saw as an "ally," Carlson said.

"We also showed you video that proves Ray Epps, the mysterious protester who encouraged others to breach the Capitol, lied to the January 6 Committee about where he was on that day, but for some reason, the committee protected him anyway. He was not considered an insurrectionist. He was their ally."

Mystery lingers

For reasons that aren't entirely clear, the committee has treated Epps differently than other January 6th protesters who have been painted in broad strokes as "domestic terrorists" or "insurrectionists."

The committee appeared to readily accept Epps' narrative about his role in the unrest following an interview in which he denied ties to federal law enforcement.

Epps said he was unaware that a riot had begun when he sent a text to his nephew saying he "orchestrated" the chaos.

"Epps informed us that he was not employed by, working with, or acting at the direction of any law enforcement agency on Jan 5th or 6th or at any other time, & that he has never been an informant for the FBI or any other law enforcement agency," the committee tweeted.