The tale of Ray Epps is instructive. A friend of mine in Arizona actually knows the guy and is amused by all the attention he's getting.

The conspiracy industry has Mr. Epps as some kind of Capitol riot mastermind and it is true that he actively encouraged demonstrators to besiege the Capitol a year ago. It's on tape. But old Ray, as I reported yesterday, was smart enough not to trespass himself. He apparently never entered the building.

As the conspiracy goes, Ray is somehow connected to the FBI or something and that's why he hasn't been arrested. He's a "false flag" hombre who set up the actual trespassers.

While it is true that Ray Epps may have "incited" a riot, his defense would be freedom of speech. With more than 700 folks arrested for actually entering the Capitol, it is not hard to see why the feds did not go after Ray. Not a shutdown case. Why waste time and money on an indictment you could lose.

In real life, Ray is rumored to be a member of "The Oathkeepers," a far-right crew. He's a former Marine who does handyman work in Arizona. Or at least used to before he became Serpico.

Don't want to trivialize this but I do want to guide my audience away from the non-stop conspiracy industry. It's a never-ending wasteland where money is made by charlatans.

Ray Epps did reportedly testify before that bogus House panel investigating January 6, and those pinheads should release the transcript of the under-oath testimony by the "Oathkeeper." That's legitimate. We the people should see it.

But the guy is not 007. With apologies to Sean Connery.

See you beginning at six eastern for the No Spin News.