4 ms·

House cancels Thursday session as FBI, Homeland Security warn of Capitol threat

35 points by samizdis 6y ago

samizdis 6y ago
Reuters version of story: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-security/u-s-house-cancels-thursday-session-after-police-warn-of-possible-plot-on-capitol-idUSKBN2AV21D https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-security/u-s... Edit to add: NY Times piece [1] mentions that vote on policing legislation brought foward to Wed night from Thursday because of cancellation. [1] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/03/us/politics/capitol-riot-qanon-trump.html https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/03/us/politics/capitol-riot-...
Bostonian 6y ago
Sufficient police and/or troops should be stationed so that Congress can do its business, rather than letting extremists win by closing it for a day.
- senectus1 6y ago
  and to make sure they're fed right :-/
- krapp 6y ago
  At least 35 Capitol police are being investigated for acting in sympathy with the insurrectionists so that might not be the best idea.
- readflaggedcomm 6y ago
  The founders argued against standing armies less powerful than modern police, and also declared that government should be afraid of the people (to paraphrase Jefferson). How do these bedrock laws and founding ideals square with your scenario?
tamaharbor 6y ago
What a bunch of pussies.
not_a_moth 6y ago
Political theater be political theater. Wonder what new measures they want to push, for "safety" against "domestic terrorism"?
- enkid 6y ago
  This is less than two months after our Capitol was stormed by people with bombs and zip cuffs.
  - offby37years 6y ago
    > our Capitol was stormed by people with bombs Source please.
    - topher515 6y ago
      The bombs were found[1] in the Capitol Hill area—not in the Capitol building. [1] https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-inaugurations-capitol-siege-8828a6a920198d0ea1ee0c73a49d8847 https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-inaugurati...
  - not_a_moth 6y ago
    Just FYI no death has been officially linked to a "rioter", no firearms have been found in connection with it. Sites like ZH are tracking all this, because to many it smells like yet another staging of political capital.
    - Terretta 6y ago
      > “No firearms have been found in connection with it” This takes moments to search, skipping all the news sites, fake or otherwise, and going to sources: “Grand Jury ... Indictment ... Count One: On or about Jan 6 2021, within the District of Columbia, Christopher Alberts did carry and have readily accessible, a firearm, that is, a Taurus G2C semi-automatic handgun, on the US Capitol Grounds and in any of the Capitol Buildings.” Also had a “large capacity ammunition feeding device”. https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/case-multi-defendant/file/1364751/download https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/case-multi-defendant/file/13... This individual brought an arsenal, indicted for bringing into the District, not the Capitol building but “in connection”: https://www.justice.gov/opa/page/file/1352926/download https://www.justice.gov/opa/page/file/1352926/download Separately, the police officer who died is now suspected to be linked to a particular assailant, but through bear spray not fire extinguisher: “The F.B.I. has pinpointed an assailant in its investigation into the death of Brian D. Sicknick, a Capitol Police officer who was injured while fending off the pro-Trump mob that stormed the Capitol last month and later died, according to two law enforcement officials briefed on the inquiry.” “The F.B.I. opened a homicide investigation into Officer Sicknick’s death soon after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Investigators initially struggled to determine what had happened as he fought assailants. They soon began to suspect his death was related to an irritant, like mace or bear spray, that he had inhaled during the riot. Both officers and rioters were armed with such irritants during the attack.” “In a significant breakthrough in the case, investigators have now pinpointed a person seen on video of the riot who attacked several officers with bear spray, including Officer Sicknick, according to the officials. And video evidence shows that the assailant discussed attacking officers with the bear spray beforehand, one of the officials said.” It does not say it’s a rioter, exactly, only that the person was on video of the riot, and discussed attacking officers beforehand.
jimbob45 6y ago
“Law enforcement's insight into threats is "increasingly constrained" by the use of secure communications by extremists, according to the report.”, they said, stifling giggles.
endisneigh 6y ago
Why is it even necessary in this day and age to meet in person to begin with? Our government should trying to make things more accessible. I would advocate for an entirely digitized White House. Anyone who's dealt with Robert's Rules of Order knows that most of the "rules" in that book could definitively be programmatically enforced. A faster government is a more efficient one.
- danans 6y ago
  There's a lot of value in meeting in person. For one thing, it demonstrates that you literally have skin in the game, which in matters of governance is very important, especially at the national level. There's a reason that peace treaties are signed in person after all.
  - endisneigh 6y ago
    Agreed - however I think the meeting in person should be among the representatives and their constituents, not each other. Ideally AOC, for example, would be in a convenient location in her district and meet with members of her district who want to watch her represent them. The other advantage of this is when there's a lull (due to the boring procedural bits of governance) they might ask her to bring something up that's relevant to the current discourse.
    - danans 6y ago
      I'd put equal importance on both their meeting constituents and attending Congress in person. Representing constituents shouldn't be a just in time operation, so I don't think there should be a realtime channel to the representative. But either way, in normal times, it's not like there are a lot of constraints on them spending lots of time in person in both places.
  - cma 6y ago
    > There's a reason that peace treaties are signed in person after all. That maybe applies here, but I don't think a virus is going to take in-person meeting as a token of goodwill and go easy.
whb07 6y ago
Right. I think most people here don’t understand there’s more troops stationed and In full force in DC than in Baghdad, Iraq. All this for the “largest” insurrection with smiling grandmas taking pictures as if in a tour. Let’s stop the fake political show.
- enkid 6y ago
  There were also people in fully tactical gear with bombs and zip cuffs. A police officer died due to these protestors actions. Stop minimizing it.
  - whb07 6y ago
    No police officer died. You’re being brain washed by going to the extremes. You’re proving my point. There is ZERO reason to station thousands of soldiers and barb wire fence around the “people’s building” all at the behest of politics.
    - stonogo 6y ago
      You should get this important information into the hands of your elected representatives, who are best positioned to act upon it.
      - whb07 6y ago
        Maybe they’ll request to have crew served weapons to mow down civilians.
    - AnimalMuppet 6y ago
      enkid said "due to these protests". The officer died from a stroke while in the hospital due to injuries received at the riot. That at least is very likely "due to these protests".
  - offby37years 6y ago
    Correction: A police officer committed suicide. Pipe bombs were planted the night before. Stop maximising it.
smitty1e 6y ago
> FBI has intelligence that it's the Three Percenters militia group, according to a person present during the briefing. Never heard of them. Does such an outfit exist? (Note to FIB: that there is reasonable doubt about your integrity is a brutal indictment.)
room505 6y ago
Domestic terrorism is a very real and growing threat in the US. Those that think otherwise should read the book "Bring the War Home" by the fascinating University of Chicago professor Kathleen Belew. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36228413-bring-the-war-home https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36228413-bring-the-war-h...
- enko123 6y ago
  Not really. The FBI infiltrates these groups easily and quickly like they did with the militias in the 90s.
  - room505 6y ago
    Infiltrating easily does not negate the fact that domestic terrorism is growing. "In 2019, the FBI revealed that it has arrested or disrupted more domestic terrorism suspects than international terrorism suspects “in recent years,” indicating the growing threat of domestic terrorism and the corresponding shift in law enforcement resources. Moreover, the bulk of the domestic terrorism cases investigated by the FBI in recent years are linked to “racially motivated violent extremism,” and of those cases, white supremacy represents the greatest share." https://www.lawfareblog.com/how-federal-government-investigates-and-prosecutes-domestic-terrorism https://www.lawfareblog.com/how-federal-government-investiga... "The FBI and Department of Homeland Security are doing more at home. Senior officials highlighted the danger of white supremacist and anti-government violence, suggesting they are increasing resources against these threats." https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2020/12/24/2020-appears-to-be-a-good-year-for-counterterrorism/ https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2020/12/24/2...
    - vinger 6y ago
      It doesn't exactly say that. It talks about the shift in percentage between international and local. Which makes sense considering the height of terrorism internationally has been dropping since Osama was caught.
cobraetor 6y ago
Apparently Thursday (March 4th) is significant to QAnon believers. https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-56260345 https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-56260345 <quote> Before the 20th amendment of the US Constitution - adopted in 1933 - moved the swearing-in dates of the president and Congress to January, American leaders took office on 4 March. That's why QAnon followers have latched on to this date to underpin their latest theory. </quote>

35 points by samizdis 6y ago

Reuters version of story: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-security/u-s-house-cancels-thursday-session-after-police-warn-of-possible-plot-on-capitol-idUSKBN2AV21D https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-security/u-s... Edit to add: NY Times piece [1] mentions that vote on policing legislation brought foward to Wed night from Thursday because of cancellation. [1] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/03/us/politics/capitol-riot-qanon-trump.html https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/03/us/politics/capitol-riot-...

Bostonian 6y ago

Sufficient police and/or troops should be stationed so that Congress can do its business, rather than letting extremists win by closing it for a day.

senectus1 6y ago
and to make sure they're fed right :-/
krapp 6y ago
At least 35 Capitol police are being investigated for acting in sympathy with the insurrectionists so that might not be the best idea.
readflaggedcomm 6y ago
The founders argued against standing armies less powerful than modern police, and also declared that government should be afraid of the people (to paraphrase Jefferson). How do these bedrock laws and founding ideals square with your scenario?

tamaharbor 6y ago

What a bunch of pussies.

not_a_moth 6y ago

Political theater be political theater. Wonder what new measures they want to push, for "safety" against "domestic terrorism"?

enkid 6y ago
This is less than two months after our Capitol was stormed by people with bombs and zip cuffs.
- offby37years 6y ago
  > our Capitol was stormed by people with bombs Source please.
  - topher515 6y ago
    The bombs were found[1] in the Capitol Hill area—not in the Capitol building. [1] https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-inaugurations-capitol-siege-8828a6a920198d0ea1ee0c73a49d8847 https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-inaugurati...
- not_a_moth 6y ago
  Just FYI no death has been officially linked to a "rioter", no firearms have been found in connection with it. Sites like ZH are tracking all this, because to many it smells like yet another staging of political capital.
  - Terretta 6y ago
    > “No firearms have been found in connection with it” This takes moments to search, skipping all the news sites, fake or otherwise, and going to sources: “Grand Jury ... Indictment ... Count One: On or about Jan 6 2021, within the District of Columbia, Christopher Alberts did carry and have readily accessible, a firearm, that is, a Taurus G2C semi-automatic handgun, on the US Capitol Grounds and in any of the Capitol Buildings.” Also had a “large capacity ammunition feeding device”. https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/case-multi-defendant/file/1364751/download https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/case-multi-defendant/file/13... This individual brought an arsenal, indicted for bringing into the District, not the Capitol building but “in connection”: https://www.justice.gov/opa/page/file/1352926/download https://www.justice.gov/opa/page/file/1352926/download Separately, the police officer who died is now suspected to be linked to a particular assailant, but through bear spray not fire extinguisher: “The F.B.I. has pinpointed an assailant in its investigation into the death of Brian D. Sicknick, a Capitol Police officer who was injured while fending off the pro-Trump mob that stormed the Capitol last month and later died, according to two law enforcement officials briefed on the inquiry.” “The F.B.I. opened a homicide investigation into Officer Sicknick’s death soon after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Investigators initially struggled to determine what had happened as he fought assailants. They soon began to suspect his death was related to an irritant, like mace or bear spray, that he had inhaled during the riot. Both officers and rioters were armed with such irritants during the attack.” “In a significant breakthrough in the case, investigators have now pinpointed a person seen on video of the riot who attacked several officers with bear spray, including Officer Sicknick, according to the officials. And video evidence shows that the assailant discussed attacking officers with the bear spray beforehand, one of the officials said.” It does not say it’s a rioter, exactly, only that the person was on video of the riot, and discussed attacking officers beforehand.

jimbob45 6y ago

“Law enforcement's insight into threats is "increasingly constrained" by the use of secure communications by extremists, according to the report.”, they said, stifling giggles.

endisneigh 6y ago

Why is it even necessary in this day and age to meet in person to begin with? Our government should trying to make things more accessible. I would advocate for an entirely digitized White House. Anyone who's dealt with Robert's Rules of Order knows that most of the "rules" in that book could definitively be programmatically enforced. A faster government is a more efficient one.

danans 6y ago
There's a lot of value in meeting in person. For one thing, it demonstrates that you literally have skin in the game, which in matters of governance is very important, especially at the national level. There's a reason that peace treaties are signed in person after all.
- endisneigh 6y ago
  Agreed - however I think the meeting in person should be among the representatives and their constituents, not each other. Ideally AOC, for example, would be in a convenient location in her district and meet with members of her district who want to watch her represent them. The other advantage of this is when there's a lull (due to the boring procedural bits of governance) they might ask her to bring something up that's relevant to the current discourse.
  - danans 6y ago
    I'd put equal importance on both their meeting constituents and attending Congress in person. Representing constituents shouldn't be a just in time operation, so I don't think there should be a realtime channel to the representative. But either way, in normal times, it's not like there are a lot of constraints on them spending lots of time in person in both places.
- cma 6y ago
  > There's a reason that peace treaties are signed in person after all. That maybe applies here, but I don't think a virus is going to take in-person meeting as a token of goodwill and go easy.

whb07 6y ago

Right. I think most people here don’t understand there’s more troops stationed and In full force in DC than in Baghdad, Iraq. All this for the “largest” insurrection with smiling grandmas taking pictures as if in a tour. Let’s stop the fake political show.

enkid 6y ago
There were also people in fully tactical gear with bombs and zip cuffs. A police officer died due to these protestors actions. Stop minimizing it.
- whb07 6y ago
  No police officer died. You’re being brain washed by going to the extremes. You’re proving my point. There is ZERO reason to station thousands of soldiers and barb wire fence around the “people’s building” all at the behest of politics.
  - stonogo 6y ago
    You should get this important information into the hands of your elected representatives, who are best positioned to act upon it.
    - whb07 6y ago
      Maybe they’ll request to have crew served weapons to mow down civilians.
  - AnimalMuppet 6y ago
    enkid said "due to these protests". The officer died from a stroke while in the hospital due to injuries received at the riot. That at least is very likely "due to these protests".
- offby37years 6y ago
  Correction: A police officer committed suicide. Pipe bombs were planted the night before. Stop maximising it.

smitty1e 6y ago

> FBI has intelligence that it's the Three Percenters militia group, according to a person present during the briefing. Never heard of them. Does such an outfit exist? (Note to FIB: that there is reasonable doubt about your integrity is a brutal indictment.)

room505 6y ago

Domestic terrorism is a very real and growing threat in the US. Those that think otherwise should read the book "Bring the War Home" by the fascinating University of Chicago professor Kathleen Belew. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36228413-bring-the-war-home https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36228413-bring-the-war-h...

enko123 6y ago
Not really. The FBI infiltrates these groups easily and quickly like they did with the militias in the 90s.
- room505 6y ago
  Infiltrating easily does not negate the fact that domestic terrorism is growing. "In 2019, the FBI revealed that it has arrested or disrupted more domestic terrorism suspects than international terrorism suspects “in recent years,” indicating the growing threat of domestic terrorism and the corresponding shift in law enforcement resources. Moreover, the bulk of the domestic terrorism cases investigated by the FBI in recent years are linked to “racially motivated violent extremism,” and of those cases, white supremacy represents the greatest share." https://www.lawfareblog.com/how-federal-government-investigates-and-prosecutes-domestic-terrorism https://www.lawfareblog.com/how-federal-government-investiga... "The FBI and Department of Homeland Security are doing more at home. Senior officials highlighted the danger of white supremacist and anti-government violence, suggesting they are increasing resources against these threats." https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2020/12/24/2020-appears-to-be-a-good-year-for-counterterrorism/ https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2020/12/24/2...
  - vinger 6y ago
    It doesn't exactly say that. It talks about the shift in percentage between international and local. Which makes sense considering the height of terrorism internationally has been dropping since Osama was caught.

cobraetor 6y ago

Apparently Thursday (March 4th) is significant to QAnon believers. https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-56260345 https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-56260345 <quote> Before the 20th amendment of the US Constitution - adopted in 1933 - moved the swearing-in dates of the president and Congress to January, American leaders took office on 4 March. That's why QAnon followers have latched on to this date to underpin their latest theory. </quote>