Watch & Comment: January 6th Select Committee Holds First Hearing

What’s the story?

• The House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol is scheduled to hold its first hearing Tuesday morning about the law enforcement experience during the Capitol riot.
• Four law enforcement officers who were present during the Capitol riot are scheduled to testify in their personal capacities, including:
• Harry Dunn, Private First Class, U.S. Capitol Police
• Aquilino Gonnell, Sergeant, U.S. Capitol Police
• Michael Fanone, Officer, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department
• Daniel Hodges, Officer, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department
• Over 140 law enforcement officers were injured during the Capitol riot when they confronted a mob that stormed the Capitol to interrupt the certification of the Electoral College vote with the goal of pressuring Congress and Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the election results in favor of President Donald Trump, who had repeatedly made false claims that the election was stolen prior to the certification. 
• Following the riot, two police officers who responded to events that day committed suicide. Capitol Police Officer Howard Liebengood took his own life three days after the riot. D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Jeffrey Smith died by suicide nine days after the Capitol riot.
• Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick died the day after the riot. Initially, USCP stated that he died of injuries sustained engaging with protesters who were reported to have bludgeoned him with a fire extinguisher. An autopsy revealed that he died of natural causes, having suffered a pair of strokes and no blunt force trauma. Sicknick was attacked with mace during the riot, and the two rioters responsible have been arrested and charged with assault and numerous other crimes.
• Over 500 people have been arrested and charged with crimes stemming from the Capitol riot according to Attorney General Merrick Garland. 
• Two Senate committees released a bipartisan report in June, which found numerous intelligence failures and lax security preparation contributed to the Capitol riot.

RELATED READING

• Speaker Pelosi Adds Adam Kinzinger to January 6th Select Committee (7/26)
• Pelosi Rejects Two of McCarthy’s Picks for January 6th Select Committee (7/21)
• McCarthy Announces GOP Picks for January 6th Select Committee (7/19)
• Pelosi Picks Democrats & Liz Cheney for January 6th Select Committee (7/1)
• House Resolution Forming January 6th Select Committee (Enacted 6/30) 
• Senate Committees Release Bipartisan Report Detailing Intelligence & Security Failures Related to January 6th Capitol Riot (6/8)

— Eric Revell