Politico | Department of Justice internal watchdog opens investigation into riots at US Capitol building
- New information and footage of the day’s events underscore the level of chaos and violence that was present during the riot
- More than 20,000 members of the National Guard have been authorised to bolster manpower throughout the city in the lead-up to Inauguration Day
This story is published in a content partnership with POLITICO. It was originally reported by Nick Niedzwiadek on politico.com on January 15, 2021.
The Department of Justice announced on Friday it has initiated an internal review of its response to the January 6 incursion on the US Capitol building, as the federal government takes a hard look at its failure to prevent a deadly riot that breached the halls of Congress.
DOJ’s inspector general, Michael Horowitz, said that the investigation will examine the intelligence the department had preceding the deadly riots, how it distributed that information with other agencies, and actions during the crisis.
“The DOJ OIG also will assess whether there are any weaknesses in DOJ protocols, policies, or procedures that adversely affected the ability of DOJ or its components to prepare effectively for and respond to the events at the US Capitol on January 6,” the department said in a release.
DOJ does not have purview over either Washington’s local police department nor the force tasked with guarding the US Capitol, meaning the review is likely to centre on the department’s leadership and the FBI.
New information and footage of the day's events continue to surface in the wake of the riot, further underscoring the level of chaos and violence that was present during the riot. The details have raised uncomfortable questions about how close it came to being far more tragic.