Police board withholds info on Jan. 6 upgrades to the Capitol

An inspector general’s request for information on security upgrades to the nation’s Capitol following the Jan. 6 attack was reportedly denied by the governing board tasked with that fortification.

Donald Trump loyalists aiming to stop the certification of the 2020 election managed to break through windows and force their way into the Senate chamber.

The Los Angeles Times reports that it is in possession of a report detailing the inspector general’s attempts to procure that information before it becomes public.

Windows that were made shatterproof following the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks on the Pentagon and lower Manhattan survived the Jan. 6 attack, the Times reports. Windows that were not upgraded became weak points for Capitol Hill police who struggled to stave off attackers hoping to stop President Biden’s electoral defeat of Donald Trump from being certified.

Architect of the Capitol Inspector General Christopher P. Failla reportedly inquired into what kind of upgrades have been made and why some windows were left vulnerable. The L.A. Times said Faila was told the project’s architect declined to provide specifics on the grounds that could compromise physical security and classified programs.”

Failla, who was tasked with the assignment by a member of Congress, had “statutory authorities to receive all requested information regardless of classification,” the report said.

His inquiries were referred to a three-member Capitol Police Board, which included the Capitol architect, who was given permission to answer some questions. Failla concluded that the windows broken on Jan. 6 had been repaired, “further security enhancements and repairs” needed to be addressed regarding Capitol windows and entrances — including ballistic protection.

The Times said the inspector general also recommended Capitol security focus not just on responding to attacks that have already happened, but also on potential threats against Congress moving forward.

Multiple ground-floor windows and a pair of glass-paned doors were easily breached on January, according to the Times.

Those entryways were reportedly not part of a quiet 2017 to 2019 upgrade of the Capitol’s 658 single-pane windows. Windows that were reinforced saw wooden frames and glass augmented with metal frames and bomb-resistant glass.

The widows on the ground-floor, due to their subtle locations, were not seen by planners to be at risk in the event of an implosion, the Times reported.

The Capitol Police Board — which also included the House and Senate sergeants at arms — were also said to have declined providing the architect inspector general with information about the new windows.