Top U.S. Capitol security officials apologise for 'failings' in Jan. 6 attack

[webfact]

Top U.S. Capitol security officials apologise for 'failings' in Jan. 6 attack

By Makini Brice and Richard Cowan

 

The U.S. Capitol building can be seen from behind high security measures in Washington, U.S., January 25, 2021. REUTERS/Leah Millis

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top U.S. Capitol security officials apologised on Tuesday for "failings" during the deadly attack on the building by followers of then-President Donald Trump in a bid to stop the certification of Joe Biden's election victory.

 

The officials specifically acknowledged a number of missteps: conflicting intelligence, inadequate preparation and insufficient mobilization of partner agencies, and called for improving accountability systems and communications structures.

 

"I am here to offer my sincerest apologies on behalf of the Department," said Yolanda Pittman, the acting chief of Capitol Police, according to a prepared statement for the U.S. House of Representatives' Appropriations Committee.

 

"The Department failed to meet its own high standards as well as yours," she added.

 

About one dozen officials from agencies including the FBI, National Guard, Justice Department and U.S. Capitol Police briefed House appropriators who are looking into the events of Jan. 6.

 

Afterward, Democratic Representative Tim Ryan told reporters that police officers guarding the Capitol were ordered not to use lethal force against the angry mob that pushed its way into the Capitol to commit violent acts and damage the historic building.

 

"That was the directive they were given," Ryan said, adding that once a lockdown was ordered at the Capitol and adjacent buildings, it was not fully enforced.

 

"You still had people blowing in and out ... that whole entire thing needs to be reviewed," said Ryan, who chairs a House Appropriations subcommittee that oversees U.S. Capitol Police and its funding.

 

Ryan emphasized that a series of investigations were still in early stages, with many unanswered questions.

 

He said the force's budgets will be reviewed, noting that officers did not have enough riot gear and other equipment to deal with the mob. Public hearings are expected.

 

Pittman said many of the officers suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder after the assault in which five people died, including one Capitol police officer. Pittman said the death of a second officer was indirectly linked.

 

She and Timothy Blodgett, the acting U.S. House of Representatives' sergeant at arms, said security officials were working to do more to boost protection of the U.S. Capitol, the seat of government.

 

Pro-Trump supporters stormed the building following Trump's urgings at a rally near the White House to go to the Capitol. Trump was subsequently impeached by the House on a charge of incitement and the trial in the Senate is scheduled to begin the week of Feb. 8.

 

The then-chief of the Capitol Police and House and Senate sergeants at arms stepped down.

 

In the weeks since the attack, security has been heightened around the Capitol and in Washington in general, with eight-foot-high fencing surrounding the Capitol's perimeter and National Guard troops brought in for Biden's inauguration on Jan. 20.

 

Some 5,000 National Guard troops will remain in Washington through mid-March.

 

Ryan said the FBI was making progress in sifting through some 200,000 pictures and videos of the riot, along with many tips from citizens who recognized rioters at the scene.

 

(Reporting by Makini Brice and Richard Cowan; editing by Grant McCool)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-01-27

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[Tug]

Imo the capital police dident receive the needed back up in a timely manner and were left to fend for themselves for far to long a true fubar in every sense of the acronym 

[Jeffr2]

Place the blame where it belongs. Trump and Pence.

[mrfill]

'failings' ? Do you mean 'assistance' ?

[CharlieH]

Reported post removed.

 

Please use correct format when posting.

[herfiehandbag]

11 hours ago, Tug said:

Imo the capital police dident receive the needed back up in a timely manner and were left to fend for themselves for far to long a true fubar in every sense of the acronym 

Well it was either "fubar" as you say, or the restrictions under which they were forced to operate, and the inability to summon reinforcements (or perhaps being denied reinforcements) was a deliberate act - urgent telephone calls going unanswered and so on...

 

If one is to believe some reports, Mr Pence was unable to get an answer to his calls whilst sheltering in the place of safety (basement), yet some members of Congress sheltering with him were able to call the mob inside the building to reveal their whereabouts. If nothing else it suggests that there were those amongst the mob who were waiting for those calls. There really is a need for a proper public inquiry into the whole business., will there be one? There are mechanisms in the UK for such enquiries - Royal Commissions - do similar mechanisms exist in the US?

Edited January 27, 2021 by herfiehandbag

[ExpatOK]

They worked for Pelosi and McConnell.  That says it all.

 

These "failings" were highly suspicious.

 

 

Edited January 27, 2021 by ExpatOK

[candide]

55 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

Well it was either "fubar" as you say, or the restrictions under which they were forced to operate, and the inability to summon reinforcements (or perhaps being denied reinforcements) was a deliberate act - urgent telephone calls going unanswered and so on...

 

If one is to believe some reports, Mr Pence was unable to get an answer to his calls whilst sheltering in the place of safety (basement), yet some members of Congress sheltering with him were able to call the mob inside the building to reveal their whereabouts. If nothing else it suggests that there were those amongst the mob who were waiting for those calls. There really is a need for a proper public inquiry into the whole business., will there be one? There are mechanisms in the UK for such enquiries - Royal Commissions - do similar mechanisms exist in the US?

Is it related?

Arizona lawmakers who were in D.C. during Capitol riot won't release records from phones

https://eu.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2021/01/26/mark-finchem-anthony-kern-wont-release-phone-records-capitol-riot/4265465001/

[placeholder]

13 minutes ago, ExpatOK said:

They worked for Pelosi and McConnell.  That says it all.

 

These "failings" were highly suspicious.

Sure. Pelosi and McConnell were very hands on in running the Capitol Police. In fact, they have no functional role at all. There's a board with 4 members that runs the Capitol police.

You would also know that the Pentagon delayed authorizing sending the National Guard to help.

In fact, if you pay attention to the real news at all, you would know that there were many reasons that the national guard showed up late. But if you want to really know the facts of the situation just consult ex-President Trump's version...just kidding

AP FACT CHECK: Trump distorts record on National Guard in DC

TRUMP: “I immediately deployed the National Guard and federal law enforcement to secure the building and expel the intruders.” — video released Thursday night.

THE FACTS: That’s not at all what happened. While Trump was involved in discussions in the days prior to the Wednesday rioting about the National Guard response, he was not part of the decision-making that day. 

https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-national-guard-in-dc-c4c8f14643b6254e261aa0be0841e9e2

[PattayaJames]

2 hours ago, placeholder said:

Sure. Pelosi and McConnell were very hands on in running the Capitol Police. In fact, they have no functional role at all. There's a board with 4 members that runs the Capitol police.

You would also know that the Pentagon delayed authorizing sending the National Guard to help.

In fact, if you pay attention to the real news at all, you would know that there were many reasons that the national guard showed up late. But if you want to really know the facts of the situation just consult ex-President Trump's version...just kidding

AP FACT CHECK: Trump distorts record on National Guard in DC

TRUMP: “I immediately deployed the National Guard and federal law enforcement to secure the building and expel the intruders.” — video released Thursday night.

THE FACTS: That’s not at all what happened. While Trump was involved in discussions in the days prior to the Wednesday rioting about the National Guard response, he was not part of the decision-making that day. 

https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-national-guard-in-dc-c4c8f14643b6254e261aa0be0841e9e2

 

Fact check from anonymous sources LOL

 

Trump was not involved, according to two people familiar with the discussions who were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

[placeholder]

1 hour ago, PattayaJames said:

 

Fact check from anonymous sources LOL

 

Trump was not involved, according to two people familiar with the discussions who were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Here's a not so anonymous source. The Acting Secretary of Defense:

"In a statement Wednesday, Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller did not mention working with Trump. He said he "spoke separately with the Vice President [Mike Pence] and with Speaker Pelosi, Leader McConnell, Senator Schumer and Representative Hoyer about the situation at the U.S. Capitol."

https://www.newsweek.com/fact-check-did-trump-call-national-guard-after-rioters-stormed-capitol-1560186

[PattayaJames]

On 1/27/2021 at 11:28 PM, placeholder said:

Here's a not so anonymous source. The Acting Secretary of Defense:

"In a statement Wednesday, Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller did not mention working with Trump. He said he "spoke separately with the Vice President [Mike Pence] and with Speaker Pelosi, Leader McConnell, Senator Schumer and Representative Hoyer about the situation at the U.S. Capitol."

https://www.newsweek.com/fact-check-did-trump-call-national-guard-after-rioters-stormed-capitol-1560186

 

Seems like Trump would be calling Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy.

 

"Maryland Governor Larry Hogan received a call from Representative Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) from an "undisclosed bunker" to send support but was stalled by the Pentagon.

...

As he continued to mobilize his troops, Hogan waited 90 minutes before getting a call from Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy that federal authorization was granted for his National Guard to go to the Capitol. The DCNG is under the president's control, but the commanding authority is delegated to the Secretary of the Army.

 

"I can't tell you what was going on on the other end, on the decision-making process," Hogan said. "There's been lots of speculation in the media about that, but I'm not privy to what was going on inside the White House or inside the Pentagon."

Edited January 29, 2021 by onthedarkside
formatting for quoted content corrected

[placeholder]

On 1/27/2021 at 11:46 PM, PattayaJames said:

 

Seems like Trump would be calling Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy.

 

"Maryland Governor Larry Hogan received a call from Representative Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) from an "undisclosed bunker" to send support but was stalled by the Pentagon.

...

As he continued to mobilize his troops, Hogan waited 90 minutes before getting a call from Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy that federal authorization was granted for his National Guard to go to the Capitol. The DCNG is under the president's control, but the commanding authority is delegated to the Secretary of the Army.

 

"I can't tell you what was going on on the other end, on the decision-making process," Hogan said. "There's been lots of speculation in the media about that, but I'm not privy to what was going on inside the White House or inside the Pentagon."

 

Seems like Miller spoke with the VP but not the President. Hmmm. And do you realize that Trump claimed that he immediately deployed the National Guard and now in the version you cite there was a long delay. Do you also contend that Trump wasn't watching via TV what was going on? That the President of the United States wasn't aware that that the capitol had been breached by rioters?

[candide]

[Trump]  did not ask them to stop, he did it only one hour later.

 

https://abcnews.go.com/US/timeline-pro-trump-protesters-stormed-capitol/story?id=75096094

Edited January 29, 2021 by onthedarkside
quote of hidden post removed / fair use violation edited

[thaibeachlovers]

6 hours ago, ExpatOK said:

They worked for Pelosi and McConnell.  That says it all.

 

These "failings" were highly suspicious.

 

 

Indeed. Had the Capitol police done their job BEFORE the demonstration and put up some of that fencing BEFORE the demonstration, and reinforced their numbers BEFORE the demonstration ( like they did for the previous demonstrations ) they could have avoid the chaos, and the crowd entering.

No entry into the Capitol building, no "insurrection", no second impeachment, etc etc etc.

 

One could be excused for thinking that the lack of security ( which hasn't been explained sufficiently yet ) has IMO played to the benefit of the Democrats ( McConnell's involvement is not known presently, but I'm sure he is not a Trump ally ) that are now fixated in ensuring a ban on Trump standing for president in 2024 - they must be really scared of him returning to spend so much time and effort of an impeachment trial for an ex president.

However, they missed the boat on getting the trial done speedily, and every day that passes ( hopefully ) reduces the chances they have of a conviction.

Edited January 27, 2021 by thaibeachlovers

[Jeffr2]

On 1/27/2021 at 7:57 PM, ExpatOK said:

They worked for Pelosi and McConnell.  That says it all.

 

These "failings" were highly suspicious.

 

 

No conspiracy theories, please.

 

The head of the capitol police resigned.  Wonder why?  Connect the dots....place the blame properly.  And it's not Pelosi and McConnell as you wrongly suggest.

 

https://www.foxnews.com/us/capitol-police-apologizes-congress-target-riot

 

Capitol Police apologizes, admits advanced intel showed Congress was target before insurrection

...

'We knew there was a strong potential for violence,' Pittman [the acting chief of police] said."

...

Former Chief Steven Sund ‒ who resigned after the riot ‒ had put in a request on Jan. 4 for the Capitol Police Board to declare a state of emergency and authorize a request to secure National Guard support. But the board denied his request and instead encouraged Sund to contact the DC National Guard to determine how many Guardsmen could be sent to the Capitol on short notice, which he did."

 

 

Edited January 29, 2021 by onthedarkside
quoted material formatting corrected

[Stargeezr]

I am hopeful that the New President and his party will charge all of the people who were in the Capital building illegally.

 

I also hope that they all lose their passports for

at least 5 to 10 years, so that they are the USA's problem. Put them all on a no fly list as well. 

 

These low lifes need to be kept inside the USA, as none of them are real patriots as they think they are.  The USA should shut down all the groups that were in the building as well, take away their club houses and such and sell them off.

  Bunch of losers they all are.

Geezer

Edited January 29, 2021 by onthedarkside
formatting

[Jeffr2]

23 hours ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

I am hopeful that the New President and his party will charge all of the people who

were in the Capital building illegally. I also hope that they all lose their passports for

at least 5 to 10 years, so that they are the USA's problem. Put them all on a no fly list

as well.  These low lifes need to be kept inside the USA, as none of them are real

patriots as they think they are.  The USA should shut down all the groups that were

in the building as well, take away their club houses and such and sell them off.

  Bunch of losers they all are.

Geezer

A domestic terrorist threat was just issued in the US.  Yup.  White supremacists.  Probably mostly Trump supporters.  Who would have guessed....

 

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/dhs-federal-alert-system-1st-time-year-warn/story?id=75517886

 

DHS uses federal alert system for 1st time in a year to warn of domestic terrorist threat

 

"Using a federal system designed to warn all Americans about terrorist threats to the U.S. homeland, the Department of Homeland Security has issued a warning that anger "fueled by false narratives," especially unfounded claims about the 2020 presidential election, could lead some inside the country to launch attacks in the coming weeks.

 

 

"Information suggests that some ideologically-motivated violent extremists with objections to the exercise of governmental authority and the presidential transition, as well as other perceived grievances fueled by false narratives, could continue to mobilize to incite or commit violence," according to a bulletin issued Wednesday through the DHS National Terrorist Advisory System -- or NTAS."

 

Edited January 29, 2021 by onthedarkside
quoted material formatting corrected

[ExpatOK]

4 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

No conspiracy theories, please.

 

The head of the capitol police resigned.  Wonder why?  Connect the dots....place the blame properly.  And it's not Pelosi and McConnell as you wrongly suggest.

 

https://www.foxnews.com/us/capitol-police-apologizes-congress-target-riot

 

Capitol Police apologizes, admits advanced intel showed Congress was target before insurrection

 

'We knew there was a strong potential for violence,' acting chief of police said

 

Former Chief Steven Sund ‒ who resigned after the riot ‒ had put in a request on Jan. 4 for the Capitol Police Board to declare a state of emergency and authorize a request to secure National Guard support. But the board denied his request and instead encouraged Sund to contact the DC National Guard to determine how many Guardsmen could be sent to the Capitol on short notice, which he did.

 

 

The lower level people always take the fall.  Everyone in government knows that.

[Jeffr2]

3 hours ago, ExpatOK said:

The lower level people always take the fall.  Everyone in government knows that.

Ummm...that was the HEAD of the capitol police.  Hardly the lowest person.

 

But yes, the GOP is doing all it can to protect the criminals who were at the top of the ladder.

[ExpatOK]

 

Now some members of Congress want more police protection.  Maybe they should hire a social worker to help them deal with it.  Next time don't defund the police.

 

"Protecting Members in their District is much harder because local law enforcement agencies are stretched and limited, and often don't have sufficient staffing or money to provide regular protection to Members,' they wrote in a letter."

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/house-members-say-theyre-targets-ask-for-better-security/

 

[Jeffr2]

5 hours ago, ExpatOK said:

 

Now some members of Congress want more police protection.  Maybe they should hire a social worker to help them deal with it.  Next time don't defund the police.

 

"Protecting Members in their District is much harder because local law enforcement agencies are stretched and limited, and often don't have sufficient staffing or money to provide regular protection to Members," they wrote in a letter."

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/house-members-say-theyre-targets-ask-for-better-security/

 

The police were defunded under Trump's watch.  Remember, Biden wasn't president them.  Right?  Connect the dots...

 

And, members of congress are carrying guns onto the floor of the house.  A violation of the rules.  And, many members of congress have gotten death threats.  From Trump supporters.  Who would have guessed?

 

So yes, they need more protection because of Trump and his sycophants violent remarks.  Protection that will cost us taxpayers more money.  Stop the violent remarks!  What's wrong with that?

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, Jeffr2 said:

The police were defunded under Trump's watch.  Remember, Biden wasn't president them.  Right?  Connect the dots...

LOL. I'm pretty sure police forces are a STATE responsibility. Far as I know, Trump wanted MORE police, not less.

[Jeffr2]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

LOL. I'm pretty sure police forces are a STATE responsibility. Far as I know, Trump wanted MORE police, not less.

That's what he said.  But as we know, he told many lies.  Doesn't matter what he said.  What did he do?  He cut funding.

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/live-blog/first-presidential-debate-trump-biden-n1241282/ncrd1241490#blogHeader

 

"His budget calls for a $400 million cut in local law enforcement assistance," Biden said, reiterating his own opposition to defunding the police. 

 

That is mostly true, although Biden actually undercounts the proposed cuts. While Trump has opposed calls from some Democrats to reduce police funding in response to the deaths of George Floyd and other Black Americans over the summer, the Trump administration's budget proposal does, indeed, call for big cuts for several police programs."

 

Edited January 29, 2021 by onthedarkside
shortened for fair use

[Jeffr2]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

LOL. I'm pretty sure police forces are a STATE responsibility. Far as I know, Trump wanted MORE police, not less.

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/12/17004432/trump-budget-police-cops-hiring-2019

 

Trump said, “I love the police.” But his budget slashes funding that helps hire more cops.

 

Trump’s words don’t seem to match his policy.

...

"But when it comes to putting that love into policy, Trump may not be as generous. In his 2019 budget plan, the Trump administration proposes a nearly 50 percent cut to the COPS Hiring Program, which helps hire local police officers.

 

The program was started in 1994 by the Clinton administration and Congress. It was originally planned to be a six-year program that would hire or redeploy 100,000 more police officers, but the policy proved so popular that it’s been extended every year since then."

 

Edited January 29, 2021 by onthedarkside
quoted material formatting corrected

[onthedarkside]

There's a lot of very sloppy news content quoting going on in this thread, making it difficult to clearly distinguish between posters' own comments and the 3rd party content being quoted.

 

If you're going to quote news content, please follow the forum's policy on doing so:

 

"14) You will not post any copyrighted material except as fair use laws apply (as in the case of news articles). Please only post a link, the headline and the first three sentences [although any 3 sentences in context are acceptable]."

 

Beyond that, you need to clearly indentify quoted material via quotation marks or other means. Do not change or add highlighting to quoted material. If you're leaving out some portion of quoted material, indicate so via ellipses or other means.

 

[pegman]

It will be interesting to hear what the great Lt. General Russel Honoré comes up with in his investigation. At one point he was assigned to the Pentagon to prepare plans for the protection of federal buildings in Washington, D.C. He knows the lay of the land. This guy walks the walk, not just talks the talk. 

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/video/retired-lt-gen-russel-honoré-to-head-investigation-of-capitol-riot/vi-BB1cNspd

[Jeffr2]

12 minutes ago, pegman said:

It will be interesting to hear what the great Lt. General Russel Honoré comes up with in his investigation. At one point he was assigned to the Pentagon to prepare plans for the protection of federal buildings in Washington, D.C. He knows the lay of the land. This guy walks the walk, not just talks the talk. 

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/video/retired-lt-gen-russel-honoré-to-head-investigation-of-capitol-riot/vi-BB1cNspd

Shep was the only reason I use to watch Fox.  Great reporter.  Honest and fair.