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Democratic members of Congress on Wednesday accused anonymous Republicans of giving tours of the Capitol to insurgents ahead of the deadly siege on Capitol Hill last week, as federal agencies launched two new investigations into the extent to which police in the Capitol and some lawmakers were complicit in the mob attack. .
The Capitol Inspector General of Police is opening a potentially wide-ranging investigation into siege-related security breaches that could determine to what extent certain Capitol Police officers have been involved, according to a congressional aide with direct knowledge of investigation. The inspector general will suspend all other projects until the investigation is completed, the aide said.
Three officers have been suspended and 17 others are under investigation by the Force Professional Accountability Office.
The Government Accountability Office, a non-partisan federal watchdog, also announced that it will open an investigation that will include the roles members of Congress could have played in spurring the crowd to seek to overturn the election results, according to the congressman who requested the inquiry, representing Jason Crow, Democrat of Colorado.
Mr Crow, a former army captain, last week called on the US Comptroller General, who is part of the agency, to open a broad investigation into many aspects of the security breach, including the roles played by members of Congress.
Mr Crow, whose letter of demand was signed by 107 of his colleagues, said on Wednesday he was told the investigation was ongoing.
“To the extent that there were members of the House who were complicit, and I believe there were, we will pursue appropriate remedies, including expulsion and prohibition from holding elected office for the rest of their life, ”Crow said in an interview. “They will of course be the subject of a criminal investigation and prosecution if that is what the facts of the investigation show.”
The tours on the eve of the riot came to light after Rep. Mikie Sherrill, Democrat from New Jersey and former Navy pilot, said on Facebook Tuesday night without providing evidence that she knew of members of Congress who had gave “reconnaissance” visits to upcoming rioters. of the attack.
“The members of Congress who had groups crossing the Capitol that I saw on Jan. 5, recognition for the next day, those members of Congress who incited this violent crowd,” Ms. Sherrill said, “these members who tried to help our president undermine our democracy, I will see that they are held accountable.
About 30 lawmakers joined Ms. Sherrill on Wednesday in calling for an investigation from the acting House and Senate sergeants-at-arms and Capitol Police in what Ms. Sherrill called “suspicious behavior” and the access granted to visitors to the Capitol complex during the day. before the riot.
“Many of the members who signed this letter, including those of us who served in the military and who are trained to recognize suspicious activity, as well as various members of our staff, witnessed an extremely High of outdoor groups in the complex Tuesday. , January 5, ”the lawmakers wrote. They called the visits suspect, noting that visits have been restricted due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Rep. Tim Ryan, Democrat from Ohio, said lawmakers were aware of the tours but are now looking at them in a new light given the attack. He said they included “handfuls” of people and the authorities were aware of their existence. “Now you look back at some things and you look at them differently so, yeah, we look at that,” he said.
Pressure is mounting on Republican members of Congress who partnered with far-right groups in the days leading up to the mob attack. Several of Mr. Trump’s strongest supporters, including Reps Mo Brooks of Alabama and Paul Gosar and Andy Biggs, both of Arizona, have been accused of helping plan the January 6 rally that led to the violent attack on the Capitol.
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