BLS Nominee Under Scrutiny After January 6 Footage

White House says E.J. Antoni was a bystander who wandered toward the Capitol after seeing news footage.

BLS Nominee Seen Among Crowd Outside Capitol January 6

WASHINGTON — E.J. Antoni, a Heritage Foundation economist nominated to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics, appears in videos from January 6 outside the Capitol. The White House describes him as a bystander who wandered over after seeing coverage on the news and says he did not cross barricades or enter the building. Footage places him on the west side of the Capitol about an hour after protesters breached barricades, and he was seen leaving the grounds rather than entering the building.

Antoni was in Washington that day for in-person meetings with his then-employer at an office blocks away from the Capitol. NBC News reached him for comment but could not get a response. The White House has said there was no crossing of barricades and no participation in demonstrations, framing the day as a routine moment in the broader confirmation process.

The White House framing treats this as routine background in a confirmation fight, but the imagery feeds a sharper question about the independence and credibility of the BLS. Nominees tied to think tanks or partisan circles can face heightened scrutiny over potential biases, even if officials insist the leadership will remain nonpartisan. The episode also underscores how public perception matters in the vetting of a data agency that shapes policy debates on unemployment, wages, and inflation. Anti or pro politics aside, the crucial issue is whether the agency can operate free from outside influence.

Highlights

Trust in how officials handle this moment will shape public confidence in the science of labor data.