WASHINGTON (AP) – Federal watchdogs launched a comprehensive review of how the FBI, the Pentagon and other law enforcement agencies responded to the US Capitol riot, including whether there were failures in information sharing and other preparations that left the historic symbol of democracy vulnerable to attacks by a crowd of supporters of President Donald Trump.
The investigations, carried out by the inspectors general of the Justice, Homeland Security, Interior and Defense departments, carry the potential to generate fierce criticism of how the government dealt with a deadly Capitol violation, in which Trump’s armed soldiers invaded the police and came in close contact with the elected officials. The analysis will cover everything from whether the FBI shared information adequately with other law enforcement agencies about the potential for violence to how the Pentagon mobilized for the January 6 crisis.
The initiation of multiple and simultaneous investigations occurs at a time when failures in the government’s preparation, coordination and response are gaining focus more than a week after the turmoil. Capitol Police, for example, said they only prepared for First Amendment activity on Capitol Hill the day lawmakers met to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory over Trump, although Trump himself has for weeks encouraged his supporters to come to Washington and had called them to “fight like hell” at a rally just before the riot.
The Pentagon said the Capitol Police declined an offer of help days before the riot. As soon as it became clear on the day of the event that their help would be needed, the Department of Defense had to strive to bring in a larger force to support the police.
An FBI official who initially said there was no intelligence suggesting out-of-control violence, later acknowledged that the bureau was aware of a warning on an Internet message board, although the official said the message was not attributable to an individual. .
At the Department of Justice, the inspector of general investigation will examine whether the information has been appropriately shared by Justice to other agencies, including the Capitol Police, about the potential for violence.
The inspector general said that “it will also assess whether there are any weaknesses in the DOJ protocols, policies or procedures that have negatively affected the ability of the DOJ or its components to prepare effectively and respond to US Capitol events on January 6 “
The review will almost certainly include an intelligence assessment that the Department of Justice – and particularly the FBI – collected before and after the turmoil. This happens days after the FBI admitted that one of its field offices had compiled an internal bulletin that warned of potential violence directed at Congress.
The Washington Post reported that the January 5 report from the FBI’s field office in Norfolk said that the bulletin detailed threats by extremists to commit a “war”.
Steven D’Antuono, the assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Washington field office, said that as soon as he received the notice, the information was quickly shared with other law enforcement agencies through the Joint Terrorism Task Force in Washington, A.D
The inspector general office of the Department of Homeland Security said it would analyze the response from its component agencies, focusing in part on the Intelligence and Analysis Office. This unit issues alerts to security agencies across the country.
In the meantime, the Interior Department’s internal supervisory body will review the Park Police’s actions at Ellipse, the site of Trump’s speech to supporters at a pre-riot rally.
And the DOD’s inspector general announced that he is launching a review of the Pentagon’s “roles, responsibilities and actions” to prepare for and respond to the protest in which Trump spoke and the subsequent Capitol insurrection.
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Associated Press writers Ellen Knickmeyer and Ben Fox contributed to this report.