House Republicans Now Want Answers From Pelosi About Her Actions Regarding Capitol Security Before Jan. 6

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

As we reported, one of the reasons that Democrats likely backed out of having witnesses during the impeachment trial despite the fact that they won a vote to do so was because of the threat that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) might be called and asked what did she know when and why she didn’t request the National Guard to help out at the Capitol beforehand.

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The facts are that President Donald Trump had ordered the Guard to be available if Pelosi and/or Mayor Muriel Bowser requested it. But as we noted, they didn’t do so, until the action at the Capitol was well underway on Jan. 6.

According to Fox, Republicans including House Administration Committee Ranking Member Rodney Davis, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jim Jordan, House Oversight Committee Ranking Member James Comer and House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Devin Nunes want to know why and are demanding answers from Pelosi.

Trump authorized the National Guard on Jan. 3 for Jan. 5-6, if it was requested. The Chief of the Capitol Police at the Time said that he asked the sergeants at arms to request the assistance of the National Guard. Sund said the former Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving said he was concerned about “the optics” and didn’t feel the “intelligence supported it.” Paul Irving who since resigned answers to Pelosi.

The GOP letter reminded Pelosi that she’s “responsible for all operational decisions made within the House.”

“When then-Chief Sund made a request for national guard support on January 4th, why was that request denied?” the Republicans wrote. “Did Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving get permission or instruction from your staff on January 4th prior to denying Chief Sund’s request for the national guard?”

In their letter, the Republicans also pointed to Sund’s Jan. 6 move to notify the Sergeant at Arms of his request for national guard support and said it “took over an hour for his request to be approved because the SAA had to run the request up the chain of command,” saying that chain “undoubtedly included” Pelosi and her “designees.”

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The Republicans also blasted Pelosi for making decisions as to Sund and Irving after the riot and then hiring General Russel Honore to do a review of what happened, all without consulting the GOP, which raises “questions about the political motivations of your decisions.” They also noted how “it is easy to understand why we and our Senate counterparts remain skeptical that any of his final recommendations will be independent and without influence from you.”

The letter also noted how Pelosi’s story conflicted with that of Sund and how that’s a problem.

Pelosi said publicly on Jan. 7, justifying her call for Sund’s resignation, that Sund “hasn’t called us since this happened.” But Sund said that wasn’t true, that he briefed people including Pelosi at 5:36 p.m. and again at 6:25 p.m. on a conference call that also included Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

That of course raises the question of why is Pelosi not telling the truth about that and why is she seemingly trying to use Sund as a scapegoat?

The Republicans also complained that Pelosi hadn’t complied with requests for information about the incident that they’d ask for as part of their oversight duties including video, documents, correspondence, audio and other records relative to Jan. 6. but that some of the information has been provided to other Democrats.

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“Lastly, your hyperbolic focus on fabricated internal security concerns has taken critical resources away from the real threat, which is from outside the U.S. Capitol,” they wrote. “Your decision to install magnetometers around the House Chamber is yet another example of this misdirection and misappropriation of House resources, which could be better used to protect members, staff, and official visitors from real, confirmed threats.”

They added: “Tellingly, Madam Speaker, you have failed to comply with this requirement yourself.”

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