FBI reportedly warned about ‘war’ at Capitol
The Washington Post reported Tuesday that the FBI had warned that extremists were preparing to come to Washington, attack Congress and engage in “war.”
The report said the warning was issued internally by the FBI’S field office in Norfolk, Virginia, a day before the violent riot at the U.S. Capitol.
The warning contradicts statements from the Justice Department and FBI officials that they had no intelligence to suggest a storming of the Capitol.
The Post said the memo described how people had been sharing maps of the Capitol’s tunnels and discussing rallying points to meet up to travel to Washington. The newspaper reported that the document detailed posts calling for violence, including that “Congress needs to hear glass breaking, doors being kicked in, and blood from their BLM and Antifa slave soldiers being spilled.”
It also said to “go there ready for war.”
In other developments Tuesday:
h Within a span of about 24 hours, three House Democrats announced they tested positive for COVID-19, prompting concern that last week’s insurrection has also turned into a super-spreader event threatening the health of lawmakers and their staffs.
Those who have tested positive were among the dozens of lawmakers whisked to a secure location when pro-trump insurrectionists stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6. Some members of Congress huddled for hours in the large room, while others were there for a shorter period.
While it’s not certain how lawmakers caught the illness, the Capitol’s attending physician notified all House lawmakers of possible virus exposure and urged them to be tested. Dr. Brian Moynihan said members who were in protective isolation last Wednesday “may have been exposed to another occupant with coronavirus infection.”
The three Democratic lawmakers directed their anger toward some House Republicans who were also in the secure room and declined opportunities to wear a mask, despite their role in blocking the spread of COVID-19. Video surfaced of Republicans refusing to wear a face mask even when they were offered one.
“Today, I am now in strict isolation, worried that I have risked my wife’s health and angry at the selfishness and arrogance of the anti-maskers who put their own contempt and disregard for decency ahead of the health and safety of their colleagues and our staff,” Rep. Brad Schneider, D-ill., said.
The others who tested positive were Reps. Pramila Jayapal of Washington and Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey.
Within hours of their announcements, Reps. Debbie Dingell, D-mich., and Anthony Brown, D-MD., introduced legislation that would impose a $1,000 fine on any member of Congress refusing to wear a mask on Capitol grounds during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is not brave to refuse to wear a mask, it is selfish, stupid, and shameful behavior that puts lives at risk,” Dingell said.
h Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said the violence at the Capitol shows the need for the Senate to swiftly confirm Joe Biden’s national security team on the first day of his administration.
Schumer said in a letter to colleagues that the deadly Capitol riot was “one of the darkest days in all of American history.”
He said Biden will need “key national security positions on Day One.”
h A total of 15,000 National Guard members were activated and will deploy to Washington to help provide security in the run-up to the Biden inauguration.