United States Capitol

“ No President of the United States, no good American proud of his country, could enter this Capitol and stand in this hall without feeling a certain thrill of pride in his citizenship, and in the history of the country’s past. This building in which we are now is not only one of the largest but one of the most beautiful of its kind throughout the world. It is eminently fitting that so great a State should have so fine a capitol building. ”

“ Directing the Architect of the Capitol to preserve evidence of the January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol so that evidence of the attack may be made available for viewing by visitors to the Capitol. ”

“ Her chief work and that by which she is best remembered hangs in the Senate wing of the United States Capitol. No picture in the Capitol attracts more attention, and large numbers of people view it daily. It is the "Electoral Commission in Open Session." ”

“ The lively anxiety, even anxious haste, of these patriots for their earliest possible entry upon the service of the Government, was emphasized on every corner and at every place of gathering, day and night, and the lobbies of the Capitol were thronged by them during the sessions of the Senate. No opportunity for a word with a Senator in behalf of the immediate deposition of the President, nor any appliance that seemed to promise a successful overture, was overlooked or forgotten. ”

“ In its whole conception, Washington is an ideal capital for the United States—not least typical, perhaps, in its factitiousness, since this Republic is not so much a product of natural development as a deliberate creation of will and intelligence. It represents the struggle of an Idea against the crude forces of nature and human nature. The Capitol, with its clear and logical design, is as aptly symbolic of its history and function as are our Houses of Parliament, with their bewildering but grandiose agglomeration of shafts and turrets, spires and pinnacles ”

“ Ludlow. “That will finish our tour of the Capitol.”
A small elevator took them down to the main floor, where they walked along the corridor, viewing the portraits of Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry.
The Supreme Court of the United States now uses the chamber in the old Capitol which was originally designed for the Senate. The background is a row of columns of variegated gray Potomac marble, with white Ionic capitals. In the centre is the chair of the chief justice, behind which are draped crimson curtains surmounted by a hovering eagle. ”

“ Said they in their Report, “The Committee have not been informed that American artists have been engaged upon the embellishment of the Capitol, but they have been made painfully conscious that the work has been prosecuted by foreign workmen under the immediate supervision of a foreigner. As a consequence the Committee find nothing in the design and execution of the ornamental work of the Capitol, thus far, which represents our own country, or the genius and taste of her artists.” ”

“ Fellow-citizens, by the act of Congress of the 30th of September, 1850, provision was made for the extension of the Capitol, according to such plan as might be approved by the President of the United States, and for the necessary sums to be expended, under his direction, by such architect as he might appoint. ”

“ Rosen said, no, it would not take on the lead?
A No.
Q Okay. So, later—is there anything you want to add about that call that you had on January 3rd?
A No. Just, as you can see from the notes, we discussed the, sort of, key locations—the Capitol, Lafayette Square, Washington Monument, Freedom Plaza.
We talked about who had responsibility for which of those key areas. So, for instance, the Park Police had the monuments. Capitol Police had the Capitol. FPS had the various Federal buildings. We had DOJ. MPD had the city overall for all the areas that were not covered by someone else. ”

“ And, when we got to the rotunda and we met with that Capitol Police officer, and I said, "This is what we have available, what do you need," and he made his requests, he said: National Guard is coming too, but when they get here, we're going to put them on the perimeter, free up some of our guys. ”

“ Everyone knew that the Capitol and other facilities were potential targets. And I think we all felt comfortable that we were aware what the situation was, and we had the resources in place to address it.
I do remember now, as I'm looking at these notes, Dave Bowdich was in the DAG's office for this call. So Dave and I and the DAG were in that same office. There might have been some other people representing DOJ.
But, you know, when we hung up the phone, we sat around talking about it, again, amongst ourselves. Do we have everything in place? ”

“ We could hear them chanting and banging drums and things like that. They passed by the Department.
And then sometime in the early afternoon, I walked into the DAG's office. He had his television on. You could see that people were in the rotunda of the Capitol.
And he said to me, do you see this, do you see what's going on, can you believe this? And that was the first that I learned that the Capitol had been breached.
Q Okay. Let me try to stop you there and get a timeframe here. ”

“ From motives which I cannot develope, for I ascribe improper views to no one, the present is attempted to be made a party question. The people are told that the Capitol has become a scene of political and private iniquity, of fraud and federalism; that the majority, of their Representatives are committing a stupendous robbery upon the public patrimony, and their indignation is invoked upon the plunderers. ”

“ He also willfully made statements that, in context, encouraged—and foreseeably resulted in—lawless action at the Capitol, such as: "if you don't fight like hell you're not going to have a country anymore". ”

“ In view of this intensity of public interest it was as a matter of course that the coming of the day when the great controversy was expected to be brought to a close by the deposition of Mr. Johnson and the seating of a new incumbent in the Presidential chair, brought to the Capitol an additional throng which long before the hour for the assembling of the Senate filled all the available space in the vast building, to witness the culmination of the great political trial of the age. ”

“ So there were a least two other Federal components who were already in the rotunda before Dave Bowdich and I got there.
BY : Q That's helpful.
And when you say the assembly area, I think we need for the record, where were you specifically?
A It's on D Street. I think it's in my notes that were provided, but I can't remember exact cross street. Maybe it's 1st. Somewhere over there. It's near the Dirksen Senate Building. It's just a large parking lot. It was a predesignated assembly area that everybody went to so that we could tactically move into the Capitol. ”

“ The history of the times leaves no doubt of the solicitude of President Washington and of the commissioners, whose hopes were enlisted in the permanent establishment of the capital, to avail of every resource to obtain the means wherewith to erect the public buildings, so that the capitol might be ready for occupancy at the time designated in the act of congress. ”

“ The vistas of the grand avenues are bounded by some piece of memorial statuary or an imposing structure in the distance, as is Pennsylvania avenue by the incomparable Capitol. No national monument is better known throughout the world than this noble edifice. Its majestic stateliness is enhanced by its snowy whiteness.
The Capitol is the greatest building for its purposes in the United States. It covers three acres and a half, and has a frontage of seven hundred and fifty feet. The great dome, with its figure of Liberty, reaches a height [Pg 13] of over three hundred and seven feet. ”

“ While Ross and Cockburn were hastily burning the White House and the Department buildings, anxious only to escape, and never sending more than two hundred soldiers beyond Capitol Square, the President, his Cabinet, his generals, and his army were performing movements at which even the American people, though outraged and exasperated beyond endurance, could not but laugh. ”

“ Congress needs to hear glass breaking, doors being kicked in, and blood... being spilled. Get violent...stop calling this a march, or rally, or a protest. Go there ready for war. We get our President or we die. NOTHING else will achieve this goal.’ [390]
In addition, the alert copied “perimeter maps [of the Capitol] and caravan pictures [that] were posted” on thedonald.win, particularly worrying that the “caravans ... had the same colors as the sections of the perimeter” of the Capitol. [391] Secret Service also knew about caravans planning to come to DC to “Occupy the Capitol.” ”

“ General Flynn said. [152] Although General Piatt conceded that " [a] ll soldiers are trained in civil disturbance," he maintained that on "that day we were not postured to do civil disturbance operations." [153]
Major General Walker—who pointed out that the DC Guard shield, on Guard troop uniforms, features the Capitol building itself: "Protect the Capitol. That's why Thomas Jefferson created it" [154] —called civil disturbance "foundational" to what they do. ”

“ Committee Staff: And so what did you do at that point?
Judd Deere: If I recall, I went back up to [Press Secretary] Kayleigh [McEnany] ’s office and indicated that we now likely needed to say something.
Committee Staff: Okay. And why did you think it was necessary to say something?
Deere: Well, I mean, it appears that individuals are storming the U.S. Capitol building. They also appear to be supporters of Donald Trump, who may have been in attendance at the rally. We’re going to need to say something.
Committee Staff: And did you have a view as to what should be said by the White House? ”

“ Q In the draft release, or draft press, you state at some point that we anticipate the protests to be peaceful.
Now, at that point you already knew there could be the potential for violence, as you described. Could you just explain the words that you use there for the press release?
A Well, we certainly expected American citizens coming to the Capitol to conduct themselves lawfully. So we did expect them to be peaceful. That said, we prepared for something that was not peaceful. ”

“ Hadn't that question already been cleared up prior to January 6th with the communications with DOD?
A So the mayor had requested 350 National Guard, and that had all been approved. So those National Guard forces were on the streets of D.C. The problem was, when you then move them to the Capitol, it's a different situation. So, again, the Capitol Police have sole authority over the Capitol. We couldn't even send forces there, FBI agents or otherwise, without their permission. They have sole jurisdiction and authority over the Capitol. ”

“ Q Now, before we get into some of the steps you personally took at the Capitol, I just want to turn to exhibit 50 to discuss briefly this DOD statement that was issued.
I believe around 4 o'clock, in the middle of page there, it says, "The D"—this is a DOD statement—"The D.C. Guard has been mobilized to provide support to federal law enforcement in the District. Acting Secretary Miller has been in contact with Congressional leadership, and Secretary McCarthy has been working with D.C. government. ”

“ Standing on the rising ground among the rich foliage it has an aspect of quiet strength, an impressive assurance of dignity and permanence peculiar to itself among massive buildings in the great cities. Everyone goes, or should go, to see Congress at work, and to explore the corridors trod by generations of the nation’s legislators, soldiers, jurists, orators, in short, by all the great makers of the nation since Washington laid its foundation stone. A singular instance of fate thwarting intention is found in the situation of the Capitol. ”

“ And now I come to the ladies who grace and honor with their presence the national Capitol. How shall I describe these beautiful human butterflies in glaring hoops and gig-top bonnets, curls and perfumery? If the eyes of the traveler ache to behold in a solid mass the different strata of American society, let him visit the national Capitol when Ben Wade is going to make a speech. Nobody from the White House! These ladies have a good old-fashioned way of staying at home. (Wonder if they dry their clothes in the East Room as good queen Abigail used to do?) ”

“ They say, the old General is longing for a fight; and, most assuredly, to fight would be better, in this instance, than to give in; for to yield would be virtually to admit the right of every individual state to dictate to the whole government. We walked up to the Capitol: the day was most beautifully bright and sunny, and the mass of white building, with its terraces and columns, stood out in fine relief against the cloudless blue sky. ”

“ The same transformation is going on in the Capitol grounds. Blocks of old houses have been torn down and demolished, to make room for a park fit to encircle the Capitol, which can never be 75complete till it takes in all the rolling slopes which lie between it and the Potomac. No scaffolding and pulleys now deface the snowy surfaces of the Capitol. Unimpeded the dome soars into mid-air, till the goddess of liberty on its top seems caught into the embrace of the clouds. ”

“ On passing by the Capitol, I said, "Does this sumptuous Capitol accord with the plainness of republicanism?" "No, Sir, but laying stones one upon another rarely injures any nation; and besides, republics are vain, and public buildings gratify their vanity, and attach them to the country. Inasmuch (said Mr. Law) as this government has left unprotected the manufacturers of the country, and withdrawn the circulating medium from the people generally, it has done all which an enemy to this or any country could do, or wish to see done." I asked Mr. Law if it was worth while to visit Mount Vernon. ”