MURDER, POLITICS, AND THE END OF THE JAZZ AGE
by Michael Wolraich
Order today at Barnes & Noble / Amazon / Books-A-Million / Bookshop
MURDER, POLITICS, AND THE END OF THE JAZZ AGE by Michael Wolraich Order today at Barnes & Noble / Amazon / Books-A-Million / Bookshop |
The acting chief of the U.S. Capitol Police just came with the receipts.
Testifying before a House Appropriations subcommittee about the catastrophic breakdown that allowed thousands of MAGA rioters to breach the Capitol, Acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman revealed that her predecessor called the House sergeant-at-arms, Paul Irving, at 12:58 p.m. to request the National Guard as rioters breaching the building and forced lawmakers into hiding.
Former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund, who resigned after the riot, called Irving again seven minutes later, according to phone records pulled by Pittman—and then called him at least three more times until 1:45 p.m.
“When there’s a breakdown you look for those commanders with boots on the ground to provide that instruction,” Pittman said. “That did not happen, primarily because those operational commanders at the time were so overwhelmed, they started to participate and assist the officers… versus providing that guidance and direction.”
The receipts–which support the narrative that a series of unanswered calls, withheld information, and conflicting orders led to complete malfunction—directly contradicted Irving’s testimony.
On Tuesday, Sund testified that he asked for National Guard backup just after 1 p.m. But Irving insisted that was wrong. He said he did not remember the conversation with Sund and claimed he didn’t get an official request until “shortly before 1:30 p.m.” Troops were not approved to help overwhelmed officers at the Capitol until 2:10 p.m.
“Mr. Irving stated that he was concerned about the ‘optics’ of having the National Guard present and didn’t feel that the intelligence supported it,” Sund said Tuesday. Irving, who resigned in the wake of the riot, said that was “categorically false.”
On Tuesday, Irving said that if Sund, Senate sergeant-at-arms Michael Stenger, or any other leaders concluded ahead of Jan. 6 that unarmed National Guardsmen were needed, he “would not have hesitated” to ensure the reinforcement was ready.
Pittman’s testimony—and her insistence that Capitol Police did everything possible to contain the insurrection—was just the latest twist in a series of finger-pointing between the top law enforcers in charge of securing the Capitol. During hearings before lawmakers this week, officials have blamed one another for the widespread failures.
One failure, Pittman conceded on Thursday, was that nobody in law enforcement knew the mob would be so violent.
Comments
The NYTimes has it in this video from the A.P., but I don't see many others stressing this part of the Pittman testimony, which seems to me of utmost import and which I heard on NPR earlier today .
She said they knew of intel about the likelihood of violence by extremists, and "heightened security", implying that they could handle that.
She says what they did not prepare for was large number of "everyday Americans" turning into to an angry mob, implying that one cannot predict a crowd of everyday Americans turning into a mob because they are angry and desperate.
I could not find a way to embed the video, here is the link, it is helpful to hear it in her own intonation
"Capitol police were unprepared for the scale of 'mob mentality'"
and here is
I "get her excuse because she is thinking 9/11 or Oklahoma bombing style, that the true danger is from organized extremists. And that everyday Americans are respectful of their main buildings of government and not expected to mob around them.
BUT I also know NYPD operates on the presumption that ANY large crowd can turn into a mob. I.E.this is why they have long corralled New's Years Eve revellers in the Times Square area into little separated squares of like 50 for blocks surrounding, it is not as it appears on teevee, that is faked to look like a large throng. They usually do not allow large crowds, protesting or something else! This is why I tended to side with cops when with huge "BLM" demonstrations (actually led by pros from Brooklyn) when the did things like kettle protesters or react when the broke curfew or tried to break their line. You don't want a protest turning into a mob, which can easily be done with the right agitation by those who know how to incite one. In NYC, we do have a history to look at what happens when a protest turns into a mob that overwhelm cops, stuff like lynchings etc... They know that they need to be the ones to have some modicum of control if large crowds or all might be lost.
by artappraiser on Fri, 02/26/2021 - 12:23am
Embed code (used Firefox to copy)
by PeraclesPlease on Fri, 02/26/2021 - 12:38am
thank you!
by artappraiser on Fri, 02/26/2021 - 1:05am
by artappraiser on Fri, 02/26/2021 - 8:11pm
I also found this at Axios very helpful, especially as it has available a PDF text of her prepared remarks submitted before she testified:
Feb 24, 2021 - Acting Capitol Police chief: Officers were unsure of lethal force rules on Jan. 6
By Ursula Perano
I looked for, but couldn't find, a full transcript from the testimony today with Q&A, it seems to take a day, as I did find that of the day before
Senate Hearing on January 6 Capitol Attack Transcript February 23
they have her picture at the top mistakenly (or is that Mendoza?), she did not appear on Feb. 23, but they have the full transcript of all the other guys being grilled
so probably tomorrow.
by artappraiser on Fri, 02/26/2021 - 1:09am
by artappraiser on Fri, 02/26/2021 - 8:40pm
Capitol Police chief warns militia groups want to 'blow up the Capitol' when Biden addresses Congress
(CNN)Acting US Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman warned Thursday that militia groups involved in the January 6 insurrection want to "blow up the Capitol" and "kill as many members as possible" when President Joe Biden addresses Congress.
Pressed by House lawmakers to provide a timeline for removing the razorwire fencing and other enhanced security measures installed after the US Capitol attack, Pittman said law enforcement remains concerned about threats by known militia groups "with a direct nexus to the State of the Union" address.
"We know that members of the militia groups that were present on January 6 have stated their desires that they want to blow up the Capitol and kill as many members as possible with a direct nexus to the State of the Union, which we know that date has not been identified," she told House lawmakers during Thursday's hearing on security failures related to January 6.
"We know that the insurrectionists that attacked the Capitol weren't only interested in attacking members of Congress and officers," she added. "They wanted to send a symbolic message to the nation as to who is in charge of that legislative process."
Pittman's comments mark one of the first times law enforcement officials have publicly cited specific threats against the Capitol and lawmakers related to Biden's expected address before a joint session of Congress.
While presidents typically do not deliver an official State of the Union address in the opening months of their first term, Biden's administration is considering an address to a joint session of Congress later this year, though a specific date hasn't been identified.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/25/politics/us-capitol-attack-house-hearing-pittman-blodgett/index.html
by rmrd0000 on Sat, 02/27/2021 - 3:24pm
I was heartened to hear Pittman's statement as it is directed to those who would attempt such an act.
Saying: We know who you are now. We have a functioning Executive Branch again. Maybe reconsider your plans.
by moat on Sat, 02/27/2021 - 7:23pm
Hopefully that message is heard by the right people
by rmrd0000 on Sat, 02/27/2021 - 7:39pm