House Democrats call for investigation into “suspicious” Capitol tours the day before the riot

House Democrats call for investigation into “suspicious” Capitol tours the day before the riot

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A coalition of more than 30 House Democrats is calling for an investigation into the “suspicious” Capitol trips that took place on the eve of last Wednesday’s deadly attack by a crowd of Trump supporters.

The coalition led by Rep. Mikie SherrillRebecca (Mikie) Michelle SherrillFive centrist Democrats oppose Pelosi for president in a tight vote Pelosi wins as mayor for the fourth time in a dramatic vote LIVE COVERAGE: votes from the House to nominate the president MORE (DN.J.) sent a letter to the acting weapons sergeant Timothy Bodgett, Senate acting weapons sergeant Jennifer Hemmingway and Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman requesting an “immediate investigation into suspicious behavior and access granted to visitors to the Capitol Complex on Tuesday, January 5, 2021 – the day before the attacks on the Capitol. ”

Lawmakers claim to have witnessed “an extremely high number of outside groups in the complex on January 5, which is unusual, as public tours of the Capitol ended in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.”

They also wrote that some of the visitors found by lawmakers “seemed to be associated” with the “Stop the Steal” rally that took place at the White House the next day, when Congress was certifying the elected president Joe BidenJoe Biden A growing number of Republican lawmakers say they support impeachment. House approves measure asking Pence to remove Trump Disney, Walmart says they will block donations to lawmakers who opposed Electoral College resultsvictory at the Electoral College.

“The members of the group that attacked the Capitol appeared 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 ”, write the lawmakers.

“Given the events of January 6, the ties between these groups within the Capitol Complex and the attacks on the Capitol need to be investigated,” they added.

The letter was sent after Sherrill said on Tuesday during a live broadcast on Facebook that she witnessed colleagues leading people on “reconnaissance tours”From the Capitol before the attack, which left five people dead and the building damaged.

She said she plans to “see that members of Congress who helped him; those members of Congress who had groups passing by the Capitol that I saw on January 5 – an acknowledgment for the following day; members of Congress who incited this violent crowd; members of Congress who tried to help our president undermine our democracy; I will see to it that they are held accountable and, if necessary, ensure that they do not serve in Congress ”.

Sherrill is not alone in her concerns about the security of the Capitol complex before the attack on the building.

Rep. Ayanna PressleyAyanna PressleyDemocrats ready to accuse Trump again Pence opposes the removal of Trump under the 25th Amendment: reports Pelosi swears to accuse Trump again – if Pence doesn’t remove him first MORE(D-Mass.) Chief of staff Sarah Groh said The Boston Globe in an interview published Wednesday that all of the panic buttons in Pressley’s office were removed before the attack.

A spokesman for Pressley later told The Hill that the matter is being investigated.

The former capitol police chief and the House and Senate arms sergeants resigned after the violation.

The Chamber is set for impeachment President TrumpDonald Trump An increasing number of Republican lawmakers say they support impeachment. YouTube temporarily prevents the upload of new content on the Trump channel. House approves move asking Pence to remove Trump MORE later on Wednesday, due to its role in inciting rebels, and a growing list of corporations is cutting donations to politicians who opposed the results of the Electoral College.

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