Pressley’s staff sounds panic alarm
Buttons in office removed before insurrection
Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley’s staff is sounding the alarm over panic buttons getting removed from their Capitol office before a proTrump violent mob stormed the building last week.
Also, Massachusetts U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark and dozens of other representatives are demanding an investigation into “suspicious access given to visitors” before the riots.
During the deadly insurrection on Jan. 6, Pressley’s chief of staff realized that the duress buttons in the congresswoman’s office had been removed.
“Our staff has used these devices before and they are regularly tested and maintained,” a Pressley spokesperson said in a statement.
The matter is now under investigation.
“The safety of the Congresswoman, her family and our staff remain our top priority and at the direction of the Congresswoman, the Sergeant at Arms oversaw the installation of new duress buttons throughout the office following the attack,” the spokesperson said.
The day before the attacks, representatives said they noticed “suspicious behavior” and several visitors inside the building.
Members of Congress had “groups coming through the Capitol that I saw on January 5th, a reconnaissance for the next day,” New Jersey Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill said.
Dozens of representatives are now requesting an investigation from the Acting House Sergeant at Arms, Acting Senate Sergeant at Arms and Capitol Police.
“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,” the Members wrote to the agencies.
“This is unusual for several reasons, including the fact that access to the Capitol Complex has been restricted since public tours ended in March of last year due to the pandemic,” they added.
The visitors appeared to be associated with the President Trump rally at the White House, the representatives wrote. That group then stormed the Capitol.
“Members of the group that attacked the Capitol seemed to have an unusually detailed knowledge of the layout of the Capitol Complex,” the Members wrote.
Clark tweeted, “I’m joining with my colleague @RepSherrill in calling for a full investigation into the suspicious access given to visitors ahead of the riots.”