WASHINGTON

• The Committee on House Administration's Subcommittee on Oversight Chairman Barry Loudermilk (GA-11) hosted a hearing entitled,

"Oversight of United States Capitol Security: Assessing Security Failures on January 6, 2021."

Former United States Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund, who was in charge of the Department on January 6, testified.

In case you missed it, here are the top takeaways:

1. USCP Assistant Chief of Police responsible for overseeing USCP intelligence department was promoted to Acting Chief of Police after January 6, 2021 despite significant intelligence failures leading up to January 6, 2021.

Chairman Loudermilk: "From what I recall, and I believe it was in your book, you had issued an all-hands-on-deck for officers to be present and on duty on January 6. Is that correct?"

Sund: "That is correct."

Chairman Loudermilk: "Was that order put in place with the Intelligence Divison?"

Sund: The Intelligence Division has two-thirds of their of their personnel working from home that day so no, it was not put in place and only had one intelligence analyst assigned to monitor the January 6th events."

Chairman Loudermilk: "So even though you issued an all hands on deck, this would have been Yogananda Pittman's, call she had nearly 70 percent of her workforce at home?"

Sund: "At least of that one unit."

Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09): "In your book, I believe you wrote that the information regarding potential threats prior to January 6 was received by the United States Capitol Police Intelligence Division, but you were not made aware of it until after January 6. Is that correct?"

Sund: "Yes sir, that is correct."

2. Capitol Police operations have become overly politicized.

Congressman Anthony D'Esposito (NY-04):* "You noted how security issues were usually 'approached from a political perspective and not based purely on security.' What did you mean by that?"

Sund: "So oftentimes, if we're having a major event that was coming up here, whether it was a demonstration, whether it was a health care, immigration, or even one of the Supreme Court nominations, we put together a security plan, then the Sergeant-at-Arms, after they reviewed the security plan, had me go out and brief into some of the committees. One would often be the Committee on House Administration, when I'd go out and brief what we're going to do, if we're going to put in like a fence off the east front of the Capitol, I'd often get pushback about you know, 'why you got to block off the east front of the Capitol? 'Why do you gotta have your people in hard gear?' Things that a commander or Chief of Police should be able to make those decisions."

Rep. D'Esposito: "So you weren't able to make decisions as a law enforcement professional? Your decisions were based on political interference?"

Sund: "Often there would be interference from staffers and members themselves."

3. The politicization of Capitol Police prevents them from effectively doing their job.

Congressman Greg Murphy (NC-03): "It's very disheartening to read this narrative of when you asked for help for the two days before. They didn't care about doing something because it may have looked bad.'"

Sund: "That's one of the big problems you have with the Capitol Police Board and the Sergeant at Arms: they're too politicized."

Rep. Murphy: "I'll say what happened on January 6 was absolutely wrong but the conditions set forth by the Speaker, her administration, and the two Sergeant-at-Arms and whoever was complicit with that absolutely allowed you to fail and the Members of Congress to be at risk of being injured."