Outmatched officers failed to prevent a mob of President Donald Trump supporters from invading the Capitol on Wednesday, sending lawmakers fleeing for safety.
Questions raised about Capitol Police’s inability to secure Capitol building
It is unclear how the Capitol Police force with 1,879 sworn officers and a budget of $515.5 million was unable to protect Congress.
By Chris MarquetteCQ-Roll Call
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Capitol police officers in riot gear push back demonstrators who try to break a door of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, in Washington. AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana
WASHINGTON – After a violent mob supporting President Donald Trump’s undemocratic effort to overturn the Electoral College results terrorized the Capitol complex Wednesday, questions abound over how that mob breached the Capitol Police security posture.
FBI investigating threat broadcast on aviation frequency; sources say it doesn’t appear credible
The FBI is investigating the breach of an air traffic control system after someone broadcast a threat to fly a plane into the US Capitol building on Wednesday as revenge for the killing a year ago of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani, according to a source familiar with the probe.
The threat did not appear credible, multiple sources told CNN.
The broadcast was picked up by air traffic controllers in New York, the source said, adding that FBI offices there and in Washington are looking into the matter.
By Bill Galluccio
Jan 6, 2021
The FBI has launched an investigation after air traffic controllers in New York received a message warning of a potential terrorist attack. The anonymous message warned that a plane would be crashed into the U.S. Capitol building on Wednesday (January 6), during a joint session of Congress in retaliation for the killing of Iranian general
Qassem Soleimani last year.
Officials do not believe the threat is credible and are trying to locate the person responsible for sending the message. It is a felony offense to make threats over aviation frequencies. The United States Capitol Police takes all threats of violence to the U.S. Capitol and the Congress very seriously, and is working closely with our Federal law enforcement partners, U.S. Capitol Police spokesperson