House of Representatives leaders decided to cancel planned votes on Thursday due to reports that QAnon conspiracy theorists may try to break into the Capitol in a far-fetched scheme to return former President Donald Trump to office, according to a Democratic congressman.
The Capitol complex is surrounded by non-scalable 2.5-meter-high barbed wire fences and is still guarded by hundreds of National Guard members after the January 6 riot at the Capitol, during which a crowd of supporters Trump invaded the building and interrupted President Biden’s victory certification.
But House leaders were fearful enough of another attack to move votes from Thursday to Wednesday night, Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) Told CNN.
“Yes, it is right, it is correct,” said Himes, confirming that the Chamber would not be in session on Thursday due to the possible threat.
“Obviously, from a security point of view, it is better to spread out across the four winds, rather than concentrating on a single building,” said Himes.
But the Democrat, who is a member of the House’s intelligence committee, said it was doubtful whether anyone would be able to breach the Capitol due to intense security.
“Capitol Hill, and it makes me sad to report it, is still an armed camp. There are national guards with heavily armed body armor all over the place. There are still fences. You can’t get close to the Capitol without an ID, ”said Himes.
He added: “Unless there is a very well-trained force on the way to Washington, DC, they will find security like they never imagined before.”
The House will vote late into the night on legislation that includes a police reform bill, so it doesn’t have to be called on Thursday.
The threat involves online conversations about a theory that Trump will return to power because March 4 was historically a date for presidential inaugurations, before it was changed to January 20.
The January 6 Capitol rebellion came after Trump supporters easily overcame the fences to the waist and approached Congress. Thousands of people who attended a speech by the then president near the White House descended on the Capitol while members of the crowd struggled to enter the building.