Probes into Capitol Police officers ramp up in wake of Jan. 6 insurrection
Fallout continues from attack on Congress
There are at least eight investigations into 17 U.S. Capitol Police officers related to the pro-Trump mob insurrection that left five dead on Jan. 6, a House aide familiar with the investigations told CQ Roll Call.
Three Capitol Police officers are currently suspended with pay, the aide said, adding that it is unclear whether those suspensions are related to the eight investigations.
There are also investigations into social media posts and social media activity of Capitol Police officers.
Rep. Tim Ryan, the chairman of the House Appropriations Legislative Branch Subcommittee that funds the Capitol Police, said on a Zoom press conference with reporters Monday that he was briefed on two instances of Capitol Police officer conduct that have resulted in suspensions.
“I don’t have any direct evidence of, as yet, of any kind of inside job,” the Ohio Democrat said. “We do have a couple of Capitol Police we talked about before with taking selfies and another, another Capitol Police evidently put on a MAGA hat … not sure all the details. They have been suspended.”
The details surrounding the arrest and suspensions were unclear, Ryan said, noting that he would follow up with reporters afterwards.
The insurrection has raised many questions about what allowed the mob to breach the U.S. Capitol — the heart of American government. It has led to the resignations of Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund, along with the sergeants-at-arms of the Senate and of the House, Michael Stenger and Paul D. Irving, respectively.
Sund left his job Friday evening, earlier than his initially announced resignation date of Jan. 16. Gus Papathanasiou, the department’s union head, called for the resignation of Yogananda Pittman, the acting Capitol Police chief, and of Assistant Chief Chad Thomas. Ryan said last week he supports the union’s call for their resignations, but intends to work with Pittman and Thomas through the inauguration.
Ryan, House Administration Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., and colleagues in the Senate have pledged to undertake a full review into what led to the security breach.
