Hearing Wrap Up: Democrats Held Another Jan. 6 Hearing Without Needed Witnesses

Comer calls for Capitol Police Chief and Mayor Bowser to testify

WASHINGTON—The House Committee on Oversight and Reform held its second hearing on the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Republicans criticized Democrats for holding another hearing without witnesses who could provide needed, updated information. Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.) issued the following statement after the hearing:

“Democrats are all about a partisan show when it comes to oversight, but Republicans are about action. If Democrats truly wanted answers, they would have called Capitol Police Acting Chief Pittman and Mayor Bowser to testify regarding their roles leading up to the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Acting Chief Pittman’s failure in leadership is documented in a bipartisan Senate report and Mayor Bowser is the reason National Guard Troops were unarmed around Washington on January 6. It was not until after the Capitol perimeter was breached on January 6 that the mayor asked for the National Guard to be armed. Given this new information about Mayor Bowser’s role in the potential delay of the Guard to the Capitol, it’s critical she return to the Oversight Committee along with Acting Chief Pittman to testify.”

Member Highlights:

Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.) in his opening statement criticized Chairwoman Maloney for her failure to end outdated pandemic restrictions and called for the committee to get back to normal.

“We need to show leadership that we are back to normal … We can have in-person hearings with in-person witnesses. We can get back to normal and do the business of the people.”

Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) reiterated the need for Acting Chief of Capitol Police Pittman to testify on the events of January 6. 

“The very title of the hearing ‘Unexplained Delays and Unanswered Questions’ begs the issue of why the Acting Chief of Capitol Police is not here. Republicans asked the Chairwoman to invite the Acting U.S. Capitol Police Chief Pittman to testify. Unfortunately, the Chairwoman declined, and the Chief declined our invitation to come, so she could watch a different hearing at this time. 

“On January 6, Acting Chief Pittman was head of protective and intelligence operations and was responsible for receiving intelligence that was sent to Capitol Police about what was expected to happen that day. Judging by the fact that the rank-and-file officers of the Capitol Police were caught unawares—and my sympathy is with all of them—I cannot help but wonder what intelligence was received and what was done about it.”

Subcommittee on Government Operations Ranking Member Hice (R-Ga.) chastised Committee Democrats for fixating on January 6 violence while ignoring the attacks on American cities nationwide last summer. 

“I started early talking about equal justice for all. Last summer our nation was rocked by months of violence all across our country following the death of George Floyd. In fact, from May 26 to June 8 last year, Black Lives Matter and ANTIFA riots caused over $2 billion in property damage. It’s estimated here at the Capitol on January 6 [damage is] somewhere in the neighborhood of $1.5 million. The Major Cities Chiefs Association said that during the ten weeks following there were 574 declared riots with violence and other criminal activity. That’s 57 per week. Americans lost their lives. There were severe injuries, including over 2,000 [for] law enforcement. Yet, the Democratic Party to this day has yet to even hold a single hearing on the BLM and ANTIFA riots. It’s stunning to me. Many of my Democratic colleagues pretend that the chaos never happened. Others promoted or even encouraged it.”

Congressman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) called out Democrats for their repeated failures to address the real needs of the American people—the Biden Border Crisis, inflation, increased price of gas, employers unable to find workers, packing the Court, raising taxes, or more. 

“They don’t want to talk about it. They want another Trump investigation.”

Congressman Scott Franklin (R-Fla.) commended the National Guard for its efforts on January 6 while reiterating the need for Capitol Police to testify. 

“I think the Guard did a remarkable job in responding in the time frame, especially given the circumstances. It’s interesting, we have 45 members of this Committee, and this has been a noticed hearing for a week. It still took us half an hour to get the hearing started. I think in light of everything happening in that day, [the rate of Guard deployment] was pretty remarkable … Personally, I feel it was a failure in Capitol Police leadership. Unfortunately, we have yet to have any of them here before us to testify even though there has been ample opportunity. I hope we get that eventually.”

Congresswoman Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.) pressed FBI Director Wray about the amount of dollars, manpower, and technology being used to investigate the Capitol attack versus the Black Lives Matter and ANTIFA riots last year. Director Wray was unable to answer. Herrell also called for the Committee to get back to its mission. 

“I hope for the sake of this Committee and for the American people that we represent that we can get through this and start addressing issues that are more adequately important to districts, such as mine on the border.”

Ranking Member Comer emphasized how the National Guard was doing what they were asked to do by Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the National Guard quickly responded when the request changed. 

Comer: “[The Mayor of D.C.] asked you to do traffic control and be unarmed at that. . . What you were actually doing when the calls came in requesting they be redeployed to the Capitol, that was a whole change in plans—that is not what the Mayor of D.C. had asked of the National Guard. So, when you got the call to be redeployed, I would imagine that there were a lot of things that had to take place. I would imagine that the National Guard troops would have to leave their positions, which I would assume were scattered all over Washington, D.C., and go back to a central place to get armed and come up with a plan.” 

Lieutenant General Walter E. Piatt, Director of the Army Staff:  “Yes, and they were also called in from their civilian workplaces as well.”