34 House Democrats call for investigation of 'concerning' Capitol tours day before riot
More than 30 House Democrats on Wednesday signed a letter asking Capitol security officials to launch an "immediate investigation into the suspicious behavior and access given to visitors to the Capitol" the day before a mob of President Trump's supports stormed the building.
The signees said many of them, including those who were trained during their time in the military to recognize "suspicious behavior," witnessed more visitors than usual, especially in light of coronavirus pandemic restrictions, to the Capitol on Jan. 5. In fact, the tours were "so concerning" they were reported to the sergeant-at-arms. The latter states that the people in the Capitol appeared to be part of the mob that marched to the grounds from the White House the next day, and that they "seemed to have an unusually detailed knowledge of the layout of the Capitol."
The rest of the letter echoes allegations made earlier Wednesday by Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), who spearheaded the investigation request. Sherrill said she believes the visitors were on a reconnaissance mission and were aided by members of Congress.
The Democrats want security officials to look into guest logs that could provide any information on who may signed into the complex, as well as who granted access.
"These tours were so concerning they were reported to the Sergeant at Arms on January 5th," say a group of Democratic Hous members.
If that's the case, there should be a written record. We're going to learn quite a bit over the coming weeks and months. https://t.co/IkQvKJfofV
— Jacob Rubashkin (@JacobRubashkin) January 13, 2021
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