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“I didn’t know if I was going to make it to the end of this day alive,” Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York City said on Instagram Live on Tuesday. “It is no exaggeration to say that many members of the House were almost murdered.”
But with the inauguration a week away, all security efforts have been focused on planning ahead, leaving little room for investigation to look back and decipher how security was breached and what went wrong.
“It is clear that the metal detectors would not have deterred the acts of violence that we have observed; this political coup does nothing to improve the safety of MPs in the Capitol complex,” Boebert said in a statement to CNN after the altercation.
GOP representatives Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma and Steve Womack of Arkansas shouted at the Capitol Police when they were forced to go through metal detectors. Womack yelled, “I was physically restrained”, and Mullin said, “it’s my constitutional right” to cross and “they can’t stop me”.
Pelosi on Wednesday proposed a new rule imposing heavy fines on members who refuse to follow the new safety rules. The fines – which will be deducted from members’ salaries – will be $ 5,000 for the first offense and $ 10,000 for the second.
“It is tragic that this step is necessary, but the House of the People’s Chamber must and will be safe,” Pelosi said in a statement.
But even some Democrats are unhappy with the added security because it has led to longer queues and members being forced to be within six feet of each other.
“I’m more likely to die from Covid because I got it from a coworker than to die because a coworker shoots me,” Texas Democratic Representative Filemon Vela told CNN.
Distrust of security
“There were these acts of heroism, but next to that there were also attacks of treason,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “And running around the nation’s Capitol without knowing if an officer is there to help or harm you is also very traumatic.”
Indiana Democratic Rep. Andre Carson also spoke about how law enforcement let him down because he had to learn through press reports about the court proceedings that he was the target of a man accused of bringing bombs and an arsenal to the Capitol last week. Prosecutors found Carson’s name on a handwritten note in the possession of Lonnie Leroy Coffman whose truck had been parked near the Capitol for hours last Wednesday and contained guns and bombs. Next to Carson’s name, the note read: “one of the two Muslims in the House of Representatives.” Carson is a Muslim.
“It is extremely disturbing to learn from news reports that I was one of many identified in a list of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ targeted by attacks,” Carson said in a statement. provided to CNN. “As a former law enforcement officer, it is particularly disappointing that law enforcement officials, including the United States Capitol Police, have failed to notify people like me that we were being targeted and threatened by the indicted terrorist and his co-conspirators. “
Little information from the survey so far
While all eyes are on the preparations for the inauguration, there is still little information known about the ongoing investigation into the intelligence collapse that led through January 6, leaving the option to members. to start raising their own theories about what happened.
Democratic Representative Mikie Sherrill said on Facebook Live on Tuesday that she believed members of Congress led rioters around the Capitol the day before the violent attack.
“I saw January 5 recognition for the next day,” said the New Jersey Democrat. “The members of Congress who incited this violent mob. The members of Congress who tried to help our President undermine our democracy. I will see that they are held accountable and, if necessary, ensure that they do not serve Congress. “
Following her remarks, Sherrill told reporters on Capitol Hill that she was calling for an investigation into the allegations.
“We are requesting an investigation right now with certain agencies,” Sherrill said Wednesday.
Until more details are known about what transpired, members continue to publicly voice their grievances about the investigation.
“I’m frustrated, extremely frustrated that we haven’t had these briefings, not just to us, but to the American people. What happened, where it went wrong, what we know, what we are learning, a local theft we had about it, ”said Schneider.
“I have participated in conversations and reports within the Democratic caucus. We haven’t had a full briefing. We can’t have a confidential briefing, at least I’m not, I don’t have the technology to be part of a classified briefing, so I didn’t participate. “
A senior Democratic aide echoed CNN, “For every suspicious package on the Hill, I’ll get 10 emails in real time. Then, when it comes to this biggest security breach in recent times, we mean very little.”
This story was updated with additional developments on Wednesday.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article misspelled Rep Mikie Sherrill’s last name.
CNN’s Daniella Diaz and Manu Raju contributed to this report.
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