© Provided by Washington Examiner As senior officials contend intelligence data indicates a conspiracy theory-driven militia group is plotting to breach the Capitol on March 4, confidence in the National Guard's processes to protect the Capitol was thrown into doubt Wednesday.
QAnon has pushed a conspiracy theory that former President Donald Trump will return to office on Thursday, inauguration day for presidents up until the 20th Amendment changed the date in 1933.
"We have obtained intelligence that shows a possible plot to breach the Capitol by an identified militia group on Thursday, March 4," read a Wednesday released by the Capitol Police. "The United States Capitol Police Department is aware of and prepared for any potential threats towards members of Congress or towards the Capitol complex."
NATIONAL GUARD 'WELL TRAINED' AND 'WELL EQUIPPED' AHEAD OF POSSIBLE QANON-PUSHED MARCH 4 CONSPIRACY PROTESTS
The Capitol Police statement described security upgrades to the physical structure and increased manpower in place to protect Congress.
In recent days, clusters of National Guard members have been observed in closer proximity along the south perimeter of a vast fenced-in area that surrounds the Capitol and nearby federal buildings.
Razor wire atop 7-foot nonscalable fences and closed perimeter streets are some of the physical impediments to stop would-be protesters from coming within hundreds of yards of some government buildings.
Lawmakers balk
The very impediments designed to protect congressmen from an unclear threat have angered some lawmakers.
"None of us have received a response," Florida Republican Rep. Greg Steube told the Washington Examiner Tuesday.
"Republican members of Congress are signed onto numerous letters asking Speaker Pelosi, 'What is the justification behind the razor wire and the fencing? And, when is it going to come down?'" he said. "I'd also like to know why all the National Guard soldiers are still here."
Steube highlighted that the National Guard presence in the Capitol from Jan. 6 to March 12 will cost taxpayers $483 million.
"There's plenty of security just to get in. You don't need the razor wire and the fencing and the National Guard troops here," he said. "We're members of Congress. We have security clearance. Take us all in, let's do a security briefing and tell us what these specific threats are that you have. And they haven't provided that to us."
Failures revealed
Senate testimony Wednesday by a senior defense official and D.C. National Guard Chief Maj. Gen. William Walker disclosed numerous points of failure that led to the National Guard's delayed response to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
Walker described an emotional plea for Guard backup by phone from former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund as the Capitol walls had been breached.
"The approval for the Chief Sund's request would eventually come from the acting secretary of defense and be relayed to me by army senior leaders at 5:08 p.m., about three hours and 19 minutes later," Walker told the Senate Homeland Security and the Rules Committees.
Walker said optics was the factor in the delay.
"The Army senior leaders did not think that it looked good, it would be a good optic. They further stated that it could incite the crowd," said Walker.
The recounting of the urgency of the Guard approval differed from what then-Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told the Washington Examiner and a small group of Pentagon journalists less than 48 hours after events transpired.
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"There was tremendous confusion. What is the situation? No one could give you adequate situational awareness," McCarthy said in a Jan. 8 gaggle.
"I was in the heat of taking back the Capitol," he said. "We were literally running down the hall to SecDef's office. We're watching the TV in his office, green light, go. Move all the Guard, other states."
Tags: News, National Security, Department of Defense, Pentagon, National Guard, Capitol, Congress, Nancy Pelosi, Florida, QAnon
Original Author: Abraham Mahshie
Original Location: National Guard prepares for March 4 violence in wake of Jan. 6 failures