AMAC Exclusive – By Andrew Abbott
In one of his first major moves as House Speaker, California Republican Kevin McCarthy announced late last week that he would release all security footage from January 6th – something House Democrats conspicuously refused to do over the course of their investigation. The news came as another promising sign that, after two years of Democrats using the January 6th Committee as a cudgel against their political opponents while ignoring critical information about security failures at the Capitol that day, the country might finally get an honest accounting of what happened and how it might have been prevented.
Democrats’ refusal to approach the investigation in an objective manner was laid bare in the January 6th Committee’s final report, which was released late last month. Despite clear evidence of security failures and a troubling lack of action from many in leadership positions at the Capitol, Committee Chairman Benny Thompson dismissed those factors out of hand.
Over the course of 814 pages, the report hardly touches on key facts that should have Americans concerned. For instance, the entire U.S. Capitol went through a massive multi-billion-dollar renovation from 2017 to 2019. Among the security measures implemented were reinforced windows strong enough to withstand bombs. In spite of this, the rioters easily shattered at least four windows, which made securing the building impossible. We still have no answer as to why these expensive renovations failed to stand up to a crowd of unarmed rioters.
Further, the report provides no answers as to why the massive number of security forces stationed in and around the Capitol were not deployed to prevent the rioters from entering the building. The D.C. National Guard maintains a garrison of 2,700 soldiers. The United States Capitol Police alone have more than two thousand shielded officers in their ranks. So why was the security presence so weak on a day when the January 6th Committee asserts there were dozens of warnings of “foreseeable” violence? If, as the report asserts, there was clear evidence in the days leading up to January 6th that violence could occur, why did those responsible for securing the Capitol – including then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi – not do more to prepare? What are Americans to make of troubling videos appearing to show Capitol Police removing barricades to allow rioters to move closer to the Capitol and claims that rioters were “escorted” by law enforcement into the building?
Instead of providing answers to these and many other pertinent questions, as well as recommendations for how to prevent such an event from occurring in the future, the report simply recommends that Donald Trump be barred from running for president in 2024 – making clear the Committee’s true purpose. The Committee’s failure to deliver on its stated mission is so obvious, in fact, that numerous press outlets, including Politico, the New York Times, NBC News, and others have run op-eds or short pieces noting or outright criticizing the report’s glaring deficiencies.
While in the minority, House Republicans launched their own inquiry and subsequently released their own report – albeit without the resources and subpoena power enjoyed by the majority – that provided far more insight. This minority report from the previous Congress is a good place for the GOP to start its promised investigation now that Republicans have retaken the gavel.
According to the Republican report, United States Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund requested, out of an abundance of caution, a National Guard presence on January 6th. But then-House Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving denied the request and cited “optics” as a concern. Speaker Pelosi has dismissed the notion that she would have any say in how or where the police and National Guard are deployed in the Capitol. Yet as the Republican report asserts, “The [House Sergeant at Arms] had a pattern of and practice of seeking and obtaining permission from the Speaker for all security decisions.” Moreover, “staff within the House Sergeant at Arms office emailed Paul Irving that January 6th was Pelosi’s fault.”
Republicans’ report, which was compiled by the GOP members that Pelosi refused to allow on Democrats’ committee, blames “leadership and law enforcement failures” for making the Capitol vulnerable. “Systemic issues have crippled the security apparatus for years. USCP line officers were under-trained and ill-equipped to protect the Capitol complex,” the report states. “The USCP was set up to fail, and there have been scant signs of progress toward addressing these weaknesses.”
January 6th represents a historic security failure, and raises real questions about the safety and security of every government building across the country. Americans expect a serious assessment of how these obvious shortcomings can be fixed. Instead, Democrats’ January 6th Committee gave them two years of partisanship and finger-pointing that seemingly did nothing to prevent such an event from occurring in the future. With Republicans in charge, that may finally be starting to change.
Andrew Abbott is the pen name of a writer and public affairs consultant with over a decade of experience in DC at the intersection of politics and culture.
Ashli Babbit was not a democrat, and she was an Air Force veteran…what rock did you crawl out from under?
Failed due to not answering real J6 issues:
Why lax security
Who OKd groups into CH
What was Antifa doing inside CH
Who was the pipebimber
Whose Ray Epps
Where are the J6 Inmates being held
Why was CHPD so unprepared
Who gave Orders
“In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law. and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense.” 6th AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION Why have the citizens of the United States locked up for now over two years for voicing their 1st Amendment rights denied their 6th Amendment rights?
No it wasn’t a failure. It did exactly what it was formed to do. It distracted American’s who just believe what they hear so they didn’t pay attention to what was really happening behind closed doors. BTW how many of those closed door session agreements ended up as law in a bill that was passed by house and senate (while you weren’t looking)?
We are constantly reminded not to judge criminals too harshly and to not paint everyone with the same brush Yet the law obeying gun owners are portrayed as killers and everyone not agreeing with the regime as a dangerous terrorist Held and judged without trial DC is a sinister city
When will there be something done for the Jan 6th protesters that are still being held in that disgusting DC jail?
It was Illegal and Unconstitutional and they had ZERO authority.
This was about covering up DICTATOR Beijing biden HIDING
HIGHLY SENSITIVE NATIONAL SECURITY DOCUMENTS
ILLEGALLY by FALSELY accusing PRESIDENT TRUMP.
Still waiting for 24/7 coverage on internet, social media, and FAKE news to tell the TRUTH on DICTATOR Beijing biden’s ACT of TREASON.
Which there are countless acts of Treason since January 21, 2021.
Where’s the all the hoopla from FAKE News instead of LYING and
COVERING UP for DICTATOR Beijing biden and Hunter?
Insurrection ?? NO. Skirmish maby. Caused by pioliticians. Both sides. Citizens are not prepared for that. Nothing has occured like that since civil war days. The P/Dpt. Nat/gd were not mentely prepared. Insurrection, NO. No buildings blown apart, burned , bodies all over ,some dead amd some limbs missing. Rubble all in the street. If you want a good view ,just look at some of these 3rd world countries. The commite was a big joke. Kyle L.
These politicians are like kids okaying games. Kyle L.
It is so stinking obvious that the “insurrection” was planned and aided by Pooplosi and her loyalist capital police lackeys. Further investigation will most likely reveal that she instructed capital police to stand down and infiltrators to open doors and usher the “insurrectionists” inside so Pooplosi and her fellow Progressives/Rinos could create and maintain their warped narrative about Trump, just to try and keep him out of office. It is the progressives and leaders like Pooplosi, Biden, Schumer, et al. who are dangerous to our Republic and constitutional freedoms, not Trump.
All the cable and local news stations should be required to run all that Jan 6 footage, so EVERYBODY in the country knows what really went on. Not like the footage of Rodney King when media controlled what was released…and you only saw what they wanted you to see!!
Ok………..all this feel good BS is fine………but when do the political prisoners being held in the DC gulag get released? How can this stand in our once decent country?
Why does barely anyone mention the Americans languishing in prison ( in clear violation of their Constitutional rights) for their “role(s)” in this so-called insurrection?
I don’t understand how they can call January 6th an insurrection when the crowd was unarmed. About the worst they could accuse them of was vandalism and/or trespassing. And some of those “rioters” are still political prisoners, being tortured and kept from getting attorneys and a speedy trial, which is guaranteed them in the Constitution. But then again, the Lefties are trying to get rid of that too. Regarding both January 6th and election integrity, whey are the Dems refusing to allow investigations into both if there is nothing to hide?
That there are still people being held in prison for this is shameful! CLEARLY, this scenario was well planned in advance (note the absence of police protection in spite of calls for help by the Capitol police). You can tell what the Democrats fear the most by what they attack–Donald Trump.
the take away : When a progressive/liberal/socialist type tells you its ok to do something, anything, think entrapment, not invitation.
The end of the third paragraph asks why the Capitol’s expensive security renovations didn’t stand up against “unarmed rioters.”
The videos I’ve seen didn’t seem to be showing rioters — more like a bunch of high school kids entering a football stadium — until they were given guidance and encouragement to enter the Capital Building.
Regardless, better wording than “unarmed rioters” would probably be “unarmed civilians.” Think about it for a while, and I believe that you’ll agree that “civilians” is a better word for this crowd.
So it sounds as if the White House could be easily attacked as well. Two years have been spent showing tv footage of Jan 6 while, apparently, nothing has been done to fortify buildings or prepare the DC police on how to handle riots.
Simply comes down to the facts. Securing buildings or grounds requires actual security. Notably government buildings and just as equal public schools. Yes school shootings will stop when our society finally places adequately, armed security guards, who are trained, and have the ability to protect society.  I.e. military veterans if our veterans are good enough to protect our nation, what more would we not want in our schools?