Senate Rules Committee investigation of failures on Jan 6 shows series of mistakes that exposed officers
Failure by Capitol Police intelligence division to convey warning that people were sharing maps of the Capitol on-line ahead of Jan 6
Senate report says some of the officers had to fight back against Insurrectionists in their daily uniforms, without riot gear or helmets
(The report reiterates a troubling finding from earlier this year - riot gear was locked in a bus nearby and officers couldn't get into it)
This passage in Senate investigation is striking: " Of USCP’s 1840 sworn officers, only approximately 160
are trained in advanced civil disturbance tactics & use of “hard” protective equipment. Fewer than ten are trained to use USCP’s full suite of less-than-lethal
munitions"
Senate report says US Capitol Police Board didn't understand how to call for help on Jan 6
Unacceptable
The board operates w/ NO transparency, no open meetings, no FOIA, no disclosure... yet appears not to know fully what it's doing. It oversees police dept w/ arrest power!
Dept of Defense sluggish response was "informed by criticism" it received for its response to racial justice protests in DC in June.. including low-hanging helicopter
This is painful to read. Especially for the families who live on Capitol Hill
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser called the US Army Secretary at 134p to report things getting "out of control"
Pentagon finally deployed DC Natl Guard at 5:04p
Senate report on Jan 6 recommends Capitol Police improve preps of a "Quick Reaction Force" for special events
That's ironic.. because Oath Keepers are accused of detailed planning of their own Quick Reaction Force, staged w/ arms for 2nd wave if Trump invoked Insurrection Act
Senate report puts the failures of US Capitol Police leadership on Jan 6 in context
Agency has a ton of money
2021 funding: $515 million
Nearly as much as Washington DC Metropolitan Police, which have twice as many officers and enormous city & range of crimes to police
!! This passage from Senate investigation of Jan 6 is powerful. Very powerful!
A cook from the Senate carryout lunch counter brought water to officers on front lines to help them clear chemical spray from their eyes
And look what an officer reported finding in halls later ==>
Senate report says Capitol Police had intelligence on Dec. 21 about plans for far right groups to be in Wash DC Jan 6 with encrypted communication, targeting underground Capitol tunnels
And posts about "bringing guns", confront lawmakers & police "let them shoot first"
Senate report again underscores a big dispute. Acting Capitol Police chief says a Jan 3 special assessment warned of possible violence at Capitol & was shared w/ Capitol Police Board
Board member Brett Blanton says he doesn't remember getting it
**Both still have their jobs**
Despite statements from leadership that US Capitol Police was "all hands... on deck" on Jan 6..... new Senate review finds the department was NOT
Review finds only some of the force was on duty.. and somehow US Capitol Police can't account for who was deployed or posted where
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HOO BOY: Arraignment now in high-level Jan 6 case of John Banuelos of Illinois, who’s accused of firing gun amid mob outside Capitol
And it went off the rails… with Banuelos concluding: “Trump’s going to be back in office in 6 months, I’ve got nothing to worry about”
(MORE)
Banuelos appeared by video feed from jail in Chicago and blasted his appointed defense lawyers, calling them “public pretenders”, said he isn’t being well-represented. “They’re f***ing” with me, he tells judge
The judge is …. Judge Tanya Chutkan
(More)
Banuelos tells judge Chutkan, “I fear for my life over in DC”… and questions why he’s likely being transferred to DC from the jail cell in Chicago
Chutkan — multiple times — tries to explain that because the crime is alleged to have occurred in DC, Banuelos must come here
FLASH: Paul Pelosi reveals he's still suffering dizziness, headaches, balance problems, nerve pain and walking challenges, more than a year after he was attacked inside his California home. The husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi revealed his ongoing health problems in a letter to a federal judge today, at the sentencing of David Depape, who was convicted of attacking Paul Pelosi with a hammer in October 2022
Paul Pelosi’s letter also said, “I walk slowly and have difficulty with my balance. Nearly every day I get headaches that become migraines unless quickly addressed. I need to sleep during the day and cannot tolerate bright lights or loud noises for extended periods of time.”
Nancy Pelosi has also submitted a letter to the court ahead of Depape’s sentencing. She said the attack “Filled me with great fear and deep pain. A violent man broke into our home, threatened to kidnap me and – in his own words – made my husband Paul ‘take the punishment’ in my absence with a near-fatal attack with a hammer.”
Rep Matt Gaetz (R-FL) says he was denied a prison visit to Peter Navarro.. and it’s now sparking a review of the US Bureau of Prisons by Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee
(MORE)
GOP-led Judicary Cmte has asked director of Bureau of Prisons to testify at public hearing next month, to question decision to deny recent interview/meeting between Navarro & Rep. Gaetz
Navarro is serving 4-month prison sentence at fed prison in Miami for contempt of Congress
Judiciary Committee GOP wrote, “On May 6, 2024, a member of the Committee informed the House of Representatives that you denied his request to meet with Peter Navarro, who is currently in federal custody. You allegedly denied this request because Dr. Navarro was “too notorious” to meet with a Member of Congress...."
Prosecutors argue Bozell overran police lines, smashed open a Senate window and "After brazenly facilitating the mob’s access to the building, Bozell was in the 1st group of the rioters to enter the Capitol. He joined others in a menacing pursuit of.. (Officer) up a staircase"
FLASH: Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) & his wife have been indicted
Justice Dept alleges they accepted at least $598,000 in bribes from two foreign entities:
1) oil & gas company wholly owned & controlled by Government of Azerbaijan
2) a bank headquartered in Mexico City"
Justice Dept charging document against Rep. Henry Cuellar (more): "Cuellar promised to use the power and prestige of his office to advance Azerbaijan’s and Foreign Bank-1’s interests in the United States"
Indictment (more): "The bribe payments were laundered, pursuant to sham consulting contracts, through a series of front companies and middlemen into shell companies owned by Imelda Cuellar. Cuellar performed little or no legitimate work under the sham contracts"
Judge sentences Capitol riot defendant Ryan Nichols to 5 years prison and a whopping $200,000 fine
Feds argued he was equipped w/ ballistic plate & crowbar.. "proclaimed on Facebook that “we’re bringing the wrath of God, and there’s not a F**ING thing you can do to stop it,” “If Pence doesn’t do the right thing, WE FIGHT"
Feds argued Nichols was "featured in video of the so-called choir of January 6 defendants, although it is unclear if the defendant has received any funds from his participation because organizers stated the Choir’s 'proceeds do not benefit families of people who assaulted a police officer”
Justice Dept alleged Nichols posted on Christmas Eve 2020: "Any Democrat found guilty of treason should be executed.. Any Republican found guilty of treason should be VIOLENTLY executed!... It’ll be fixed January 6th, or the Patriots will fix it ourselves"