More than 30 lawmakers call for investigation into ‘suspicious’ access to Capitol Complex ahead of breach
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WASHINGTON (NewsNation Now) — More than 30 Democratic members of Congress are calling for an investigation into what they believe were suspicious tours of the U.S. Capitol, alleging that the visitors to the Capitol Complex on Tuesday appeared to be “associated” with the Wednesday rally ahead of the breach of the Capitol building.
NewsNation affiliate PIX11 reports Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) in a Facebook Live Tuesday night alleged unidentified colleagues had groups walking around the Capitol in “reconnaissance for the next day.”
On Wednesday, Sherrill, along with more than 30 other lawmakers, formally requested an investigation from the Acting House Sergeant at Arms, the Acting Senate Sergeant at Arms, and the Acting Chief of the U.S. Capitol Police into what they called “suspicious behavior and access given to visitors to the Capitol Complex” on Tuesday, the day before the Complex was breached as Congress certified the Electoral College vote for President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
According to the letter, tweeted by Sherrill Wednesday afternoon, she and other lawmakers noticed tours conducted on Tuesday, Jan. 5, that were “a noticeable and concerning departure from the procedures in place as of March 2020 that limited the number of visitors to the Capitol.” The letter continues to say the tours were “so concerning” they were reported to the Sergeant at Arms that Tuesday.
“The visitors encountered by some of the Members of Congress on this letter appeared to be associated with the rally at the White House the following day,” the letter alleges in part, before stating “Given the events of January 6, the ties between these groups inside the Capitol Complex and the attacks on the Capitol need to be investigated.”
The letter concludes, before laying out a number of questions, “the fact remains that there were unusually large groups of people throughout the Capitol who could only have gained access to the Capitol Complex from a Member of Congress or a member of their staff.”
No Republican lawmakers signed the letter calling for the investigation.
The letter doesn’t provide any evidence of the allegations. Friday, Capitol Police confirmed they are investigating the matter.
Read the full letter below:
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