Mayor Nancy Pelosi’s office fired at House Republicans on Monday, who demanded responses to the security decisions leading up to and on the day of the Capitol rebellion last month, saying they are “clearly” trying ” divert responsibility for the attack on Donald Trump’s Capitol. “
Classified Member of the Board of Directors of the Chamber Rodney Davis, R-Ill., Classified Member of the Judicial Committee of the Chamber Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, Classified Member of the Supervisory Committee of the Chamber James Comer, R-Ky., E Classified Member of the House Intelligence Committee Devin Nunes, R-Calif., Sent a letter to Pelosi, D-Calif., On Monday, saying “many important issues” about his Capitol “security responsibility” on January 6 ” remain unanswered. “
HOUSE REPUBLICANS REQUIRE PELOSI RESPONSES ON SECURITY DECISIONS THAT LEAD TO THE CAPITOL Riot
But Pelosi’s deputy chief of staff, Drew Hammill, told Fox News that the spokesman “has and will continue to take steps to ensure accountability and increase the security of the Capitol.”
“Two of the four Republican members of the House ranking voted to overturn the results of a fair election, just hours after the Capitol was sacked by an insurgent right-wing crowd – a crowd incited by Trump,” said Hammill. “A total of 65% of House Republicans joined them in the vote to undermine our democracy. All four ranking members also voted against holding Donald Trump responsible for inciting the crowd.”
Hammill added: “Clearly, the security of our Capitol and democracy are not the priorities of these senior members.”
Republicans, in their letter to Pelosi on Monday morning, questioned: “When then Chief Sund made a request for support from the National Guard on January 4, why was that request denied? Sergeant-at-arms Paul Irving obtained permission or instruction from your staff on January 4, before you deny Chief Sund’s request to the National Guard? “
Davis, Jordan, Comer and Nunes alluded to claims by former Capitol Police Chief Steve Sund that he, on January 4, approached the arms sergeant to seek help from the National Guard. Sund, in a letter to Pelosi last month, said that Irving replied that he was concerned with “the optics” and did not feel that “intelligence supported him”.
“As you know, the mayor is not only the leader of the majority party, but he also has enormous institutional responsibilities,” they wrote. “The speaker is responsible for all operational decisions made within the Chamber”.
The House’s Sergeant of Arms and Senate’s Sergeant of Arms, Michael Stenger, were removed from their posts and Chief Sund resigned after the riot.
“It is the function of the Capitol Police Council, in which these three individuals sat down, planned and adequately prepared for threats to the security of the United States Capitol,” said Hammill. “The House’s weapons sergeant, Paul Irving, was reported to have said that he did not submit a request to the House leadership to the National Guard before January 6.”
Hammill noted that the jurisdictional committees were informed “before January 6 about security preparation”.
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“During a briefing by the majority of the Appropriations Committee on January 5 by Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Irving and US Capitol Chief of Police Sund, both Chief Sund and Mr. Irving provided assurances that the Capitol Complex had comprehensive security and there was no information that groups would become violent on Capitol Hill during the certification of electoral votes, “explained Hammill. “It is our understanding that the ranking member Davis was also informed, but did not take any action to address any security concerns he might have.”
Davis’s office, in response, told Fox News that “no one is claiming that Davis ranked member denied a request to the national guard before January 6 because he would not have the authority to do so, even if he had been told of the order, which he was not. ”
“After the insurrection, the spokesman immediately commissioned Gen. Honoré to lead an immediate security review of the United States Capitol Complex and asked for a 9/11 type commission to investigate, with legislation creating this panel to be presented. in the next few days, “said Hammill. “USCP is also conducting an internal security review.”
Pelosi last month appointed retired general Russel Honoré to lead a security review of events on Capitol Hill amid calls from members on both sides of the aisle, in both chambers of Congress, to conduct a review.
Republicans contested Pelosi’s nomination, saying it was done “without consulting the minority”.
But again, Hammill responded, calling the Republicans ‘demands a “transparently partisan attempt to place the blame on the House Speaker, who was targeted for murder during the insurrection fueled by the Republicans’ lies in the House,” and said “the members of the ranking are trying to absolve former police chief Sund, former arms sergeant Stenger and the leader who appointed him, Mitch McConnell, from any responsibility. “
“We hope these ranking members will ask the same questions as former Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell,” said Hammill.
Hammill also added that Pelosi “is well aware of the importance of security on Capitol Hill and is focused on getting to the bottom of all the issues facing the Capitol Complex and the events that led to the insurrection.”
He added: “Clearly, these Republican ranking members don’t share that priority.”
The Capitol Police is under intensified scrutiny during the encirclement of the Capitol on January 6, during a joint session of Congress to certify the results of the Electoral College in favor of President Joe Biden.
But Pelosi said last week that he would present a resolution to give the Congressional Gold Medal – the highest honor that Congress can bestow – to United States Capitol officers and other law enforcement officers who protected the Capitol during the turmoil.
“They are martyrs for our democracy, those who lost their lives,” said Pelosi during his weekly news conference.
Five people died when a crowd of Trump supporters invaded the Capitol on January 6, including U.S. Capitol police officer Brian Sicknick, 42. Two other police officers died of suicide in the week after the siege.
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“The service of the Capitol police force that day honors our democracy. Accepting that reward brings brilliance to this medal,” said the California Democrat. “We must always remember his sacrifice and be vigilant against what I said before, about what Abraham Lincoln said: the silent artillery of time. We will never forget.”
Former President Donald Trump was impeached by the House for the second time on 13 January for inciting the insurrection on 6 January. The former president was acquitted by the Senate over the weekend.
Meanwhile, Republicans also claimed that House officials were not providing the necessary documents around the Capitol riot.
“We can have a little more clarity in the timeline of events if President Pelosi instructs her House officials to comply with the Davis ranking member’s preservation and production requests for information around January 6,” said a spokesman. Davis’ voice to Fox News. “The USCP agreed, but SAA and CAO, who are appointed by the Mayor, denied our requests.”
The spokesman added: “But in any case, spokeswoman Pelosi needs to answer these questions sincerely: was anyone on her team aware of Mr. Sund’s request for national guard before January 6? was denied because of the optics and why did it take the SAA more than an hour to approve the national guard’s request in the midst of the disturbances? ”