The acting chief of the Capitol Police on Tuesday apologized to Congress for security failures during the Jan. 6 riots and acknowledged the department knew there was a “strong potential for violence.”
Yogananda D. Pittman, who was not the acting chief at the time of the incident, during a hearing before members of the House Appropriations Committee said Capitol Police, “failed to meet its own high standards as well as yours” in the face of a “terrorist attack by tens of thousands of insurrectionists determined to stop the certification of the Electoral College votes.”
“I am here to offer my sincerest apologies on behalf of the department,” she said.
Chief Pittman’s predecessor, Steven Sund, resigned after the riot. But Pittman said Sund was denied a request to declare a state of emergency and secure National Guard support ahead of the riots.
“He also lobbied the board for authorization to bring in the National Guard, but he was not granted authorization for over an hour,” Pittman said.
Sund also coordinated with D.C. Metro Police to guarantee additional support on Jan. 6. Capitol Police received immediate assistance from MPD within minutes of the incident.
Five people died as a result of the Capitol breach that sent lawmakers scrambling from their chambers. The House and Senate were working to certify the Electoral College votes when protesters against Biden’s win forced their way into the U.S. Capitol.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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