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Dear Friend,
The Capitol Police need to answer for what happened last Wednesday.
Despite promises to members of Congress, the Capitol Police were completely unprepared for the mob of right-wing insurrectionists who overran the Capitol building. An even worse disaster was only narrowly averted. The rioters were armed and dangerous and aimed at the heart of our democracy.1,2
The Washington Post has recognized Demand Progress as "one of the few advocacy groups that acts as a watchdog on Capitol Police."3 Right now, we need your help to hold the Capitol Police accountable so that last week’s events are never repeated.
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Many people warned the Capitol Police about the possibility of violence at the Capitol.4
The gathering beforehand was advertised far and wide on social media. Donald Trump tweeted about it.
The rioters who entered the Capitol were armed with pipe bombs, guns, and tasers.5 It’s clear now that the lives of the members of Congress were in danger. The Capitol Police should explain how they failed so badly, and Congress should explain why they did not provide more oversight.
But the Capitol Police has zero transparency and almost no accountability. The Inspector General who oversees the force doesn’t publicly publish reports. The Capitol Police files perfunctory arrest summaries with almost no detail. And the Freedom of Information Act does not apply to them.6
Congress keeps funding the Capitol Police as if it’s a police force protecting millions of people. The current budget is $515 million a year—a tenth of Congress’ entire budget and the equivalent of a large city. But no one knows how the money is spent, and there are persistent allegations of racism and discrimination.7
Demand Progress has been the only organization that has worked for years to bring accountability to the Capitol Police. We were instrumental in getting legislation enacted that finally brought some transparency to them, but it only became law in the last few weeks. Now we’re pressuring Congress to hold hearings on sacking of the Capitol that took place on January 6.
Thanks for standing with us.
Robert Cruickshank,
Demand Progress
Sources:
1. Associated Press, "Capitol Police rejected offers of federal help to quell mob," January 7, 2020
2. Tweet by Timothy Burke, January 6, 2020
3. The Washington Post, "With big budget but little accountability, long-troubled Capitol Police face questions after siege," January 12, 2021
4. NBC News, "FBI, NYPD told Capitol Police about possibility of violence before riot, senior officials say," January 10, 2021
5. The New York Times, "Today’s Rampage at the Capitol, as It Happened," January 6, 2021
6. First Branch Forecast, "A Primer on the Capitol Police: What We Know From Two Years of Research," January 6, 2021
7. Ibid.
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