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| Why are you only blaming Trump?
The Planning
Dec. 31: Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser and Dr. Christopher Rodriguez, the D.C. director of homeland security and emergency management agency, deliver a written request for D.C. National Guard support of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department for the rally, according to a Pentagon timeline issued Jan. 8. In her letter, Bowser says, “No DCNG personnel shall be armed during this mission, and at no time, will DCNG personnel or assets be engaged in domestic surveillance, searches, or seizures of US persons.”
That same day, Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters has an hourlong phone conversation with Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund to express her “grave concerns” about proposed security for the rally, given that several right-wing extremist groups were expected to be in attendance. Waters says Sund — who did not request National Guard backup prior to the day of the riot — assured her the Capitol plaza would be “absolutely secured” and that rally attendees “would not be able to get inside or on top of the Capitol building.”
The Capitol Police has jurisdiction over the federal Capitol building and grounds, while the D.C. police force has jurisdiction over city streets and property.
Jan. 3: The Department of Defense confirms with Capitol Police that there is no request for DoD support, according to the Pentagon.
Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller meets with “select Cabinet Members to discuss DoD support to law enforcement agencies and potential requirements for DoD support,” the Pentagon says.
Miller and Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, meet with Trump, according to the Department of Defense. Trump agrees to activate the D.C. National Guard to support D.C. police (not Capitol Police) with crowd and traffic control. The Pentagon later tells Pro Publica, “The President had no role in tactical matters as the capabilities deployed and location were dictated solely by the request from D.C. government.”
D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee says 340 guardsmen will assist with crowd management and traffic control to free up the city police officers to respond to potential acts of violence and other security issues, according to CNN.
Jan. 4: Capitol Police again confirms there is no need for DoD support in a phone call with Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, according to the Pentagon. Miller, in consultation with Milley, McCarthy and DoD general counsel, “reviews the Department’s plan to be prepared to provide support to civil authorities, if asked, and approves activation of 340 members of the DCNG to support Mayor Bowser’s request.” The support is mostly for traffic control, crowd control at subway stations and logistics support. Miller also authorizes McCarthy to deploy a “Quick Reaction Force” of 40 National Guard members staged at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland “if additional support is requested by civil authorities.”
Capitol Police Chief Sund asks the House and Senate sergeant-at-arms about the possibility of placing the D.C. National Guard on standby, in case the Capitol Police needed quick backup. In an interview with the Washington Post published on Jan. 10, Sund says they were hesitant to agree. According to the article, “House Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving said he wasn’t comfortable with the ‘optics’ of formally declaring an emergency ahead of the demonstration, Sund said. Meanwhile, Senate Sergeant at Arms Michael Stenger suggested that Sund should informally seek out his Guard contacts, asking them to ‘lean forward’ and be on alert in case Capitol Police needed their help.” All three officials — Sund, Irving and Stenger — have since resigned. | |
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Third night of Ukrainian drone strikes.. reports that 3 Russian refineries are offline.
