Capitol Police Chief Apologizes To Congress For Siege

The acting chief of the United States Capitol Police offered House lawmakers an apology for the “failings” that allowed rioters to storm the Capitol on January 6. Stating that the department should have been more prepared for the attack and did not try enough to protect those inside the capitol.

Yogananda D. Pittman, who is the acting chief cited a lack of manpower, an insufficient supply of “less-lethal” weapons, and confused communications, with a possible failure in lockdown procedures for leaving the Capitol and its occupants exposed to crowds that pressed their way into the capitol building. 

“We fully expect to answer to you and the American people for our failings on January 6th,” she informed lawmakers in a meeting of the House Appropriations Committee.

The House and Senate were working on certifying the Electoral College votes when protesters against Joe Biden’s win walked into the U.S. Capitol on January 6.

Pittman has also warned lawmakers to prevent a similar incursion in the future, lawmakers will have to sacrifice public access to the building to bolster security measures. 

“In my experience, I do not believe there was any preparations that would have allowed for an open campus in which lawful protesters could exercise their First Amendment right to free speech and at the same time prevented the attack on Capital grounds that day,” Pittman said.

Sources: The Boston Globe, ABC, Fox News, and New York Post; Photo: yahoonews.com