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  • 2021-07-27 (xsd:date)
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  • Did Pelosi Prevent National Guard from Responding to Capitol Attack? (en)
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  • On July 27, 2021, a bipartisan group of politicians began their investigation into the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 by hearing testimony and posing questions to four police officers from the U.S. Capitol Police and Washington, D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department. As this hearing got underway, members of the Republican Party, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, held a press conference in which they attempted to place partial blame for the attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. McCarthy made similar accusations during an appearance on Fox News a week prior. During that appearance, the minority leader posed the question: Was there a decision by the Speaker not to have the National Guard at the Capitol that day? Pelosi did not prevent the National Guard from responding to the attack on the Capitol. Pelosi does not have direct control of the National Guard. Jane L. Campbell, president and CEO of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society, told CNN: The Speaker of the House does not oversee security of the U.S. Capitol, nor does this official oversee the Capitol Police Board. There are still some questions as to why Capitol Police appeared ill-prepared for the attack and why the National Guard's response was delayed. We looked more into those questions here. Generally speaking, however, the National Guard in Washington, D.C., reports to the president of the United States. Neither the speaker of the House (Pelosi), nor the minority leader of the Senate (Mitch McConnell), has control of the National Guard. The D.C. National Guard writes on its websites (emphasis ours): The Capitol Police Board, which oversees the Capitol Police, did request assistance from the National Guard after the riot broke loose. While a member of this board, the House sergeant-at-arms, does report to Pelosi, there's no indication that Pelosi prevented this official from calling the National Guard. Furthermore, another member of the board, the Senate sergeant-at-arms, reports to the leading Republican member of the Senate, Mitch McConnell. There's no evidence that McConnell prevented this official from calling for support either. Drew Hammill, a spokesperson for Pelosi, said in a statement: It should also be noted that Steven A. Sund, then-U.S. Capitol Police chief, Paul D. Irving, then-House sergeant-at-arms, and Michael C. Stenger, then-Senate sergeant-at-arms, have all testified about the events of Jan. 6, and none of them insinuated that they were prevented from calling the National Guard by congressional leadership. Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser also requested for the National Guard to be called in during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. That request was denied by the Pentagon, not Pelosi: In March 2021, Major General William Walker, the commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard, testified before a House subcommittee that he relayed a request from the Capitol Police for military support to the Army at around 2 p.m. It wasn't until after 5 p.m., however, that request was approved by the Defense Department. The Associated Press reported: Pelosi did not prevent the National Guard from responding to the Capitol attack. Pelosi does not have control of the National Guard. Snopes has previously covered the National Guard's response and the causes for its delay. (en)
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