Of the 1,000 people who may have entered the Capitol on January 6, federal investigators are targeting extremist groups that may have searched the building and trained for the attack. Now, they are sifting through new videos to identify extremists who may have targeted members of Congress.
A video released by The New Yorker magazine shows protesters arriving in an empty Senate chamber. There, they sift through the pages of a folder on a table and enjoy their success.
“There must be something here that we can use against these scoundrels,” one can hear a rioter saying.
The video also shows an interaction with a police officer, which started after protesters took photos and kicked their feet.
“Any chance of getting you to leave the Senate wing?” the policeman is heard saying.
“We are going. I’m making sure that no one is disrespecting the place,” replied one protester.
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In a video from other areas of the Capitol building released by ProPublica, protesters chant a revolution and fight their opposition in fewer numbers.
“Can I speak to Pelosi? Yes, we are going b ** ch,” said one protester, faking a phone call. “Oh, Mike Pence? We are going after you too, fucking traitor.”
With less than 48 hours before the inauguration, the country’s Capitol is at the limit. There was a brief scare on Monday when the Capitol complex was closed due to a fire that was far away.
The security level in Washington is unprecedented. National Guard members are marching through the streets and rapidly increasing in number. At the time of the president-elect Joe Biden is sworn in, there will be more than 25,000 of them in the city. But even the National Guard cannot avoid scrutiny – the FBI is examining all members of the Guard.
The head of the National Guard Office told CBS News correspondent David Martin that he “was absolutely not” concerned about the reliability of his troops.
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The FBI is also investigating the financing of the January 6 attack from domestic and foreign sources, including mysterious Bitcoin transfers of more than $ 500,000 from abroad to people who supported the original demonstration.
In all that day’s chaos, someone stole a laptop from the office of Mayor, Nancy Pelosi. Investigators say they are looking for Riley June Williams, who is now a fugitive.
The court papers show how investigators tracked the Pennsylvania woman’s movements to Pelosi’s office. They also said they received a tip that she “intended to send the computer device to a friend in Russia … who planned to sell it to Russia’s foreign intelligence service” – but noted that the plan “did not work”.
Emily Hernandez, who allegedly stole Pelosi’s nameplate, was also charged by federal prosecutors. And Jon Schafer, who is reportedly affiliated with the extreme right-wing anti-government group The Oath Keepers, was also charged. Columbus, Indiana, faces six charges after allegedly spraying a Capitol police officer with bear spray.
Ninety people face federal charges, and that number is expected to increase. The FBI is often capturing suspects because of the reporting lines – and in some cases, family members are attacking each other.