Prominent retired generals aided Honoré review of Capitol security
Retired Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré, tapped by Speaker Nancy Pelosi to review Capitol security in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection, is getting assistance from a "task force" of senior retired military officials, according to a list revealed for the first time Friday.
Among those officials is Karen Gibson, the retired lieutenant general selected this week as the Senate's new sergeant-at-arms. The list also includes retired Lt. Gen. Jeff Buchanan, who oversaw the military response to the crisis in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria; retired Maj. Gen. Errol Schwartz, the former commander of the D.C. National Guard, who was ordered to step down from his post by former President Donald Trump's administration immediately after Trump's 2017 inauguration; and Ret. Major Gen. Linda Singh, the former head of the Maryland National Guard.
The group, along with other members of Honoré's "1/6 task force," will brief the House in three groups on Monday about their recommendations for improvements to Capitol security. They're expected to address aspects that include the size of the Capitol Police force, intelligence sharing operations and technological improvements to bolster campus security without upending the building's open access to tourists, journalists and others.
Honoré, who led the government's military response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, has publicly criticized Republicans who sought to overturn the results of the 2020 election. His review is expected to be an initial bid on security improvements as lawmakers consider broader structural changes and a large-scale review of the Jan. 6 assault.
The Capitol Police earlier this week requested a $70 million boost to their annual budget, claiming it is related to increasing threats faced by lawmakers around the country.
Heather Caygle contributed reporting.
