More than 30 House Democrats signed a letter suggesting that several Republican colleagues may have helped Capitol rioters by providing them with visits to the United States Capitol on January 5, but have not yet carried out their accusations, following investigations by Fox News .
On Wednesday, House Democrats called for an immediate investigation into “suspicious behavior” and access they claimed was granted to visitors to the U.S. Capitol the day before the riot. Thirty-four legislators led by Rep. Mikie Sherrill, DN.J. – which was the first time in public with the allegations of the “reconnaissance” trip – urged the Capitol Police and the House and Senate arms sergeants to examine the matter in a letter.
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“I also intend to see those members of Congress who incited him, those members of Congress who had groups passing through the capital that I saw on January 5 for recognition the next day. Those members of Congress who incited the violent crowd. Members of Congress who have tried to help our president undermine our democracy, I will see to it that they are held accountable, “Sherrill said on Tuesday.
Fox News reached out to dozens of lawmakers for comment.
Trump supporters gesture to the US Capitol Police in the corridor outside the Senate chamber after violating the Capitol corridors in Washington, Wednesday, January 6, 2021. (AP Photo / Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Deputy Andre Carson, D-Ind., Signed the letter and told Fox News that he believes his and Sherrill’s concerns “should be fully investigated.”
“Although I did not see everything Congresswoman Sherrill witnessed, after speaking with her, I was very alarmed by her description of what she witnessed and described,” Carson told Fox News in a statement. “In addition to my own observations, I believe that these concerns should be fully investigated.”
The letter does not mention any member or team that may have led the alleged “reconnaissance” trips, as Sherrill described them, nor does it give further details on why the visitors looked suspicious.
“Visitors found by some of the members of Congress in this letter appeared to be associated with the White House demonstration the next day,” wrote lawmakers. “The members of the group that attacked the Capitol seemed to have an unusually detailed knowledge of the layout of the Capitol Complex. The presence of these groups within the Capitol Complex was indeed suspect.”
Representative Kim Schrier, D-Wash., Who did not sign the letter, told JD Durkin of Cheddar that the protesters who entered the Capitol appeared to have internal knowledge of the Capitol building.
“The perpetrators, terrorists, managed to find places on Capitol Hill that I probably couldn’t find,” she said.
The House’s majority representative, James Clyburn, DS.C., supported this in an interview with CBS News, noting that there was “activity outside my home office, where most people don’t know where it is.”
“The office with my name on the door has not been touched,” added Clyburn. “But the office where I do most of my work, they were on that floor and outside that door.”
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Clyburn said “someone inside these buildings was an accomplice in this,” recalling that he heard reports that Congress officials saw protesters being admitted through the side doors.
Fox News contacted Clyburn’s office, but did not respond immediately.
Schrier, however, had no problem betting on a general guess as to who might be involved in the visits the day before the riot.
“The fact that there is any tour going on a Capitol during a COVID pandemic when no one is allowed, unless personally escorted by a member of Congress,” she said, “suggests that if there was internal knowledge, that some of my colleagues may have been co-conspirators. “
With the White House in the background, Representative Mo Brooks, R-Ark., Speaks on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC, at a rally in support of President Donald Trump called “Save America Rally “. (AP Photo / Jacquelyn Martin)
Some Republican members of Congress who were staunch allies of President Trump have backed off.
Representative Mo Brooks, R-Ala., Was criticized for speaking at the “Save America” rally in Washington, DC, on January 6, but his office told Fox News that he hadn’t been on a tour since last year.
“Congressman Brooks has not conducted any tours of the Capitol since access to the Capitol was severely restricted in the winter / spring period of 2020 due to COVID-19 and regular tours of the Capitol have been stopped,” a Brooks spokesman said. Fox News.
Freshman MP Lauren Boebert, who was criticized for tweeting “Today is 1776” hours before the United States Capitol was invaded, told Fox News that she also did not give tours to the public.
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“Due to COVID-19, I did not take a tour of the Capitol, except to show my children where I will be working while away from home,” Boebert said in a statement on Thursday.
Fox News’ David Aaro contributed to this report.