1 in 4 Americans say the FBI spurred January 6: poll

• A new poll shows an alarming number of Americans continue to believe conspiracies about the Capitol riot.
• 1 in 4 Americans say it is "definitely or probably true" that the FBI instigated the attack, per the poll.

A sizable portion of Americans continue to believe in the unfounded conspiracy theory that the FBI agents egged on the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, according to a new poll.

A Washington Post-University of Maryland poll found that a quarter of Americans say it is either "definitely or probably true" that federal law enforcement officials instigated the attacks, despite repeated denials and multiple investigations showing no evidence to support the unfounded theory. The findings underline how nearly two years later, misinformation about the attack that took place during a critical moment in the peaceful transition of power continues to take hold nationwide.

Multiple investigations into the Capitol riot have shown no evidence of anything remotely resembling the type of FBI involvement put forward by many right-wing commentators. Some claims have been thoroughly debunked, including the possibility of Ray Epps being a federal agent.

Of the various subgroups, Americans who voted for former President Donald Trump were by far the largest believers in FBI involvement with 44% believing that it is "definitely or probably true" that the bureau "organized and encouraged" the attack. In comparison, just 10% of voters who supported President Joe Biden supported that theory.

Trump has promised to pardon a "large portion" of people convicted of offenses related to the Capitol riot. He has also promised apologies for many as well.

FBI Director Christopher Wray has appeared exasperated at times during congressional testimony when asked about the theories. He has stressed on multiple occasions that his bureau's agents did not encourage rioters to stage the most disastrous attack on the Capitol in modern memory.

"I will say this notion that somehow the violence at the Capitol on January 6 was part of some operation orchestrated by FBI sources and agents is ludicrous and is a disservice to our brave, hardworking, dedicated men and women," Wray told House lawmakers in July.

The FBI has been at the core of investigating the riot. The bureau undertook one of largest manhunts in its history, resulting in charges against more than 1,200 people and over 900 convictions thus far, per PBS.

As for January 6's staying power in politics look no further than the fact that multiple people connected to the riot have run for office, including Congress. Derrick Evans, a former West Virginia state lawmaker who screamed on a live stream about entering the Capitol, is currently running for a House seat in the state.

Evans is believed to be the first person who served prison time related to January 6 to seek elected office, according to The Associated Press.

The poll was December 14-18 among a random national sample of 1,024 U.S adults. The margin of error for the full sample is +/- 4.1 percentage points.