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EXCLUSIVE: Leading Republicans on several committees are demanding responses from President Nancy Pelosi regarding security decisions made before and on the day of the Capitol riot on Jan.6.
Ranking Member of the House Administration Committee Rodney Davis, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee Jim Jordan, Ranking Member of the House Oversight Committee James Comer and Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee House, Devin Nunes, sent a letter to Pelosi, D-Calif. On Monday, saying questions “about his” responsibility for the security “of the Capitol on Jan. 6” remain unanswered. “
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Davis, Jordan, Comer and Nunes pointed to claims by former US Capitol Police Chief Steve Sund that he approached the Sergeants-at-Arms on Jan. 4 for help from the National Guard. Sund, in a letter to Pelosi last month, said former Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Irving said he was concerned about “optics” and did not think “intelligence was backing it.”
“As you know, the Speaker of the House is not only the leader of the majority party, but he also has enormous institutional responsibilities,” they wrote. “The Speaker is responsible for all operational decisions made in the House.”
Pelosi’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment.
Republicans added that over the past two years they have observed a “very harsh and tightly controlled approach to House operations that has been exercised by you, your staff and an army of appointed House officials.” .
“When Chief Sund applied for National Guard support on January 4, why was that request denied?” wrote the Republicans. “Did Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Irving get permission or instructions from your staff on January 4 before refusing Chief Sund’s request for the National Guard?”
In their letter, Republicans also highlighted Sund’s decision on Jan.6 to notify the Sergeant-at-Arms of his request for National Guard support and said it took more than an hour for his request was approved because the SAA had to fulfill the request. the chain of command, “saying that chain” undoubtedly included “Pelosi and his” delegates. “
Davis, Jordan, Comer and Nunes then criticized Pelosi for his decision to “unilaterally” fire Irving and demand Sund’s resignation.
“These decisions were made in a partisan fashion without any consultation with House Republicans and therefore raise questions about the political motivations behind your decisions,” they wrote.
Meanwhile, Republicans highlighted Pelosi’s comments made Jan. 7 at a press conference, in which she explained her reasoning for demanding Sund’s resignation, saying he “hasn’t called us since that happened “.
Republicans said this claim was “refuted” by Sund, who “twice detailed that he briefed you on the situation on the Capitol campus – the first at 5:36 p.m. and the second at 6:25 p.m., both on January 6. “
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Sund, in a letter to Pelosi earlier this month, detailed those calls, saying that on the first call at 5:36 p.m. he informed former Vice President Pence of the safe position and then claimed that Pelosi joined the call, in which he “advised both of you that the rooms could be safely reoccupied at 7:30 pm.”
Sund also detailed the call at “approximately 6:25 pm,” which he said was a conference call with congressional leadership that included Pelosi, now Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, now Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Representative James Clyburn.
Following the Irving and Sund layoffs, Pelosi last month appointed retired General Russel Honoré to lead a security review of events on Capitol Hill amid calls from members on both sides of the aisle , in both houses of Congress, to conduct a review.
“While there is broad support for conducting an independent review of campus security, General Russel Honoré has been appointed solely by you, without consultation with the minority,” the Republicans wrote. “To the general’s credit, he has contacted several Republicans to share his work to date. We hope his review will result in beneficial recommendations that will not be influenced by political motives.”
They added, however, that “it is easy to see why we and our Senate counterparts remain skeptical that any of his final recommendations will be independent and without influence from you.”
Davis, Jordan, Comer and Nunes also raised concerns about “obstruction and inability to obtain and retain information” with House officers when requested.
“Such information is necessary to properly monitor the events of January 6,” they wrote. “Preservation and production requests have been sent to the SAA and the head of the House administration, among other legislative bodies, requesting that this relevant information regarding the attack on the Capitol, including correspondence, footage video, audio recordings and other documents, be kept submitted to the relevant committees. “
“In several cases, your appointees, acting on your behalf, have refused requests for the production of this information,” they continued. “The response we received was as follows:” We regret to inform you that given the scope of the information requested and the concerns related to the nature of the request … we are unable to respond on demand at the moment. “”
The Republicans added that despite the “officers'” refusal to comply with the request, “they learned that” some of the documents we requested were provided to the House Judiciary Committee on a partisan basis. “
“This is unacceptable. Madam President, this direction could only come from you,” they wrote.
“Finally, your hyperbolic focus on fabricated internal security issues has taken critical resources away from the real threat, which is coming from outside the US Capitol,” they wrote. “Your decision to install magnetometers around the Chamber is another example of this misdirection and diversion of House resources, which could be better used to protect members, staff and official visitors from real threats. and confirmed. “
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They added: “Tellingly, Madam President, you yourself have failed to meet this requirement.”
“End this political masquerade and work with us to protect the Capitol and those who work here every day,” they wrote.
The Republicans’ demand comes as Capitol Police under scrutiny in the middle of the Capitol headquarters on Jan.6 during a joint session of Congress to certify the Electoral College’s results in favor of President Joe Biden.
But Pelosi said last week she would bring forward a resolution to give the Congressional Gold Medal – the highest honor Congress can bestow – to U.S. Capitol police officers and other law enforcement personnel. who protected the Capitol during the riot.
“They are martyrs of our democracy, those who lost their lives,” Pelosi said at his weekly press conference.
Five people died when a crowd of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, including U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, 42. Two other police officers committed suicide in the week following the siege.
“The Capitol Police Department that day is a credit to our democracy. Their acceptance of this award gives luster to this medal, ”said the Californian Democrat. “We must always remember their sacrifice and stand vigilant against what I’ve said before, over what Abraham Lincoln said: the silent artillery of time. We will never forget.”
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Pelosi said the attack on the Capitol highlighted the “extraordinary worth” of the Capitol Police who “risked their lives,” including officers Howard Leibengood, Jeffrey Smith and Eugene Goodman.
“We want to honor them in the best possible way,” Pelosi said. “We will continue to do this beyond a medal, but in our hearts.”
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