On New Year’s Eve, Capitol Police were warned protesters planned an “armed encampment” and would “hang corpses of Democrats” on Jan. 6. Other intelligence flagged potential for snipers.
With the help of a former junior White House aide, House Democrats on the Jan. 6 committee tried Tuesday to convince the public that former President Donald Trump and his team were aware of the potential for violence among armed protesters the day of the Capitol riot and ignored the security risks.
Their presentation, using the hearsay testimony of 25-year-old former presidential aide Cassidy Hutchison, for sure excited the news media.
But it could not obscure one stubborn fact that glaringly was ignored at the televised hearing: long before Hutchison overheard concerns inside the White House on Jan. 2 and Jan. 6, 2021, about guns and violence, the Capitol Police that reported to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi repeatedly received intelligence warnings about such possibilities and failed to increase security adequately or accept the Trump Pentagon’s offer for 10,000 or more National Guard troops.
Documents obtained Tuesday by Just the News from Capitol Police sources show the department received a pointed intelligence report on New Year’s Eve 2020 – a full week before the riot – that extremists planning to attend a rally earlier that day were discussing using guns, possibly in sniper attacks, and planning to violently storm the Capitol and hang Democratic members of Congress.
“Far right extremists call for ‘armed encampment’ & to hang corpses of Democrats at January 6 pro-Trump demonstration in D.C.” one entry in the Dec. 31, 2020, “domestic terrorism summary” that Capitol Police official Matthew N. Hurtig sent to multiple offices inside his department.
Another entry in that same report read: “Armed and ready, Mr. President: Demonstrators urged to bring guns, prepare for violence at January 6 ‘Stop the Steal’ Protest in DC.”
A third entry in the same intelligence report – which was sent to email distribution lists for the Capitol Police’s intelligence, investigations and internal security units – included a discussion on an extremist online forum on which members of the groups Proud Boys and Oath Keepers were sharing plans.
“Far-right forum users discuss taking violent actions at DC Trump Rally,” the entry read.
By John Solomon
