Thirty-four House Democrats requested an investigation Wednesday into people who visited the Capitol Building the day before a mob temporarily disrupted the Electoral College certification process.
Democratic New Jersey Rep. Mikie Sherrill announced that she and her colleagues were requesting the investigation in a tweet. She had previously alleged in a Facebook video that other Members of Congress led “reconnaissance” tours of the Capitol building on Jan. 5, although she did not publicly name them.
Today I joined with more than 30 of my colleagues in requesting an investigation from the Acting House SAA, Acting Senate SAA, and USCP into the suspicious behavior and access given to visitors to the Capitol Complex on Jan. 5, 2021 – the day before the attacks on the Capitol. pic.twitter.com/zpPUSUuSrj
— Rep. Mikie Sherrill (@RepSherrill) January 13, 2021
The 34 Congress-members are requesting that the House and Senate Sergeants-at-Arms and the Capitol Police open a joint investigation “into the suspicious behavior and access given to the Capitol Complex on Tuesday, Jan. 5,” according to Sherrills tweet. The members claim that the tours were such “a noticeable and disturbing departure from the procedures that were in place” that “they were reported to the Sergeant-at-Arms on Jan. 5.” (RELATED: McConnell Vows Probe Into Capitol Security After Riot, Calls For Major Changes)
Sherrill tweeted that she and her fellow members were trained to recognize suspicious activity from their time in the armed forces.
Many of the Members who signed this letter, including those of us who have served in the military and are trained to recognize suspicious activity, as well as various members of our staff, witnessed an extremely high number of outside groups in the complex on Tuesday, January 5.
— Rep. Mikie Sherrill (@RepSherrill) January 13, 2021
Sherrill was joined on the letter by colleagues including Democratic Virginia Reps. Elaine Luria and Abigail Spanberger.