Capitol Security
Quoting the spokesman of Nancy Pelosi, who was the Speaker of the House during the J6 riot, CNN claims that the Speaker “is not in charge of the security of the Capitol Complex—on January 6th or any other day of the week.”
IN FACT, the official Capitol Police timeline of the J6 riot shows that the House Sergeant at Arms, who is under the authority of the Speaker and is responsible for Capitol security, “denied” a request for “authority to have National Guard to assist with security for the January 6, 2021 event.”
Here are the details and links to primary sources:
- On 1/2/21, the Department of Defense (DoD) contacted the Capitol Police (USCP) to ask if they were “considering a request for National Guard soldiers for January 6, 2021 event.”
- On 1/4/21, the Capitol Police asked the House and Senate Sergeants at Arms for “authority to have National Guard to assist with security for the January 6, 2021 event….”
- On 1/4/21, the Sergeants at Arms “denied” the request.
- The official rules of the House state that the Sergeant at Arms shall “maintain order under the direction of the Speaker or other presiding officer.”
- The official rules of the Senate state that the “Capitol Police shall police the United States Capitol Buildings and Grounds under the direction of the Capitol Police Board, consisting of the Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate, the Sergeant at Arms of the House of Representatives, and the Architect of the Capitol….”
