House Legislative Branch Subcommittee Hearing on the January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol

Acting U.S. Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman and Acting House Sergeant at Arms Timothy Blodgett testified at a House subcommittee hearing on the January 6 attack on the Capitol. “The department was not ignorant of intelligence indicating an attack of the size and scale we encountered on the sixth,” said Ms. Pittman. “There was no such intelligence.” However, she said there had been some evidence of coordinated groups but that they were unprepared for “everyday Americans who took on a mob mentality, because they were angry and desperate.” Committee members pressed her on communication failures in both intelligence sharing and while the attack was unfolding. She said 35 officers were under investigation and six had been suspended over misconduct allegations. She also would not commit to holding a press briefing to apprise the Americans of what took place and how it was being corrected, saying her department was focused on its officers and responding to congressional committees. close