House launching investigation of Capitol insurrection as suspicion grows

Committee chairs want to know if the Capitol stormers had internal assistance and if warnings were dismissed.

Jan 18, 2021

The U.S. House of Representatives is launching a probe into the “high-level failures” that led to the insurrection at the Capitol Building that left five people dead, including a police officer.

In a letter released on Saturday, House Oversight Committee Chairman Carolyn Maloney, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler addressed federal intelligence officials, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security.

Police tape blocks the crime scene at the Capitol — Police tape blocks the crime scene where, at the direction of President Donald Trump, thousands of insurrectionists attempted to enter the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 to stop the certification of Joe Biden’s Electoral College win. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

They saluted the “astounding bravery” of police officers in holding back the “staggering treachery of violent criminals.” The lawmakers make it clear they’re seeking to find out what misfires occurred in Capitol security, as well as in the intelligence community.

“The Committees will conduct robust oversight to understand what warning signs may have been missed, determine whether there were systemic failures and consider how to best address countering domestic violent extremism, including remedying any gaps in legislation or policy,” they wrote.

The chairs’ letter says the committees want to know if there is any evidence of any foreign efforts to assist the insurrection, spread misinformation about it or exploit its aftermath. Further, they’re also seeking to know which, if any, current or former inside officials participated or provided assistance to the rioters.

The House probe comes on the heels of increasing evidence that there may have been internal assistance for the Capitol stormers, as well as a disregard of intelligence indicating that violence was likely on Jan. 6.

The deadly siege on the Capitol continues to shock the nation, as security has visibly ramped up in Washington D.C. and in all 50 states amid growing concerns about violence leading up to and on Wednesday’s inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

The FBI is in the process of vetting the 25,000 troops present in the nation’s capital amid concerns of a potential “insider attack” on Inauguration Day.

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