Politics and law
Public safety
After the events of January 6, no one could doubt the U.S. Capitol Police’s lack of preparedness. Nor could anyone miss the very public resignation of Chief Steven Sund and the departures of both the Senate and House sergeants-at-arms.
Less attention has been paid, though, to Sund’s claim that House and Senate security officials denied him permission to request that the D.C. National Guard be placed on standby in case he needed quick backup. Sund has stated that House Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Irving was uncomfortable with the “optics” of declaring an emergency before the demonstration, and that Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael Stenger suggested he informally contact the Guard, asking them to “lean forward” and be on alert in case Capitol Police needed their help. Neither of these now-former sergeants-at-arms has responded directly to Sund’s claim. However, Sund’s successor, acting chief Yogananda D. Pittman, confirmed in testimony to the