As did the Australian ABC!!!

ABC gives thousands of taxpayer dollars to Capitol Hill rioter for footage

A man indicted on six federal charges in the US for his involvement in the Capitol riots on January 6 was paid thousands of dollars from the ABC for his footage of the siege.

Remittance advice from the national broadcaster shows taxpayers spent $2375 to buy footage from disgraced Capitol Hill rioter and anti-Trump activist John Sullivan.

Sullivan was captured on camera encouraging rioters to "we gotta get this s—t burned.”

Sky News host Andrew Bolt said there were “very serious questions” for the ABC after the documents revealled the public broadcaster paid Mr Sullivan after he was charged.

Mr Sullivan was indicted last week by a federal grand jury on six charges including obstruction of a civil proceeding, civil disorder, and disorderly conduct.

Federal police also accused the self-described anti-Trump activist of actively encouraging the siege.

The ABC’s flagship current affairs program Four Corners last week ran a report on protesters rioting at the US Capitol.

“The reporter, Sarah Ferguson, was clear that this was all the work of wicked right wingers,” Mr Bolt said.

Mr Bolt approached the ABC to respond on the issue, but the public broadcaster has not replied.

The ABC was not alone in bankrolling the rioter with US media companies CNN and NBC paying $35,000 for the footage.