Examining Nancy Pelosi's Role in the Capitol Riot: The National Guard Controversy
Nancy Pelosi faced questions from a reporter regarding her potential liability for not deploying the National Guard on January 6, 2021. The reporter asked Pelosi if she was concerned about the January 6 Select Committee finding her liable for the events of that day. Pelosi responded by denying that she refused the National Guard and blamed the president for not sending it. She dismissed the reporter's questions and walked away without providing further answers.
In a video released in June 2024, Pelosi took responsibility for the lack of police preparedness leading up to the Capitol riot. She expressed frustration over the delayed request for National Guard troops to handle the situation. A Republican report from 2022 suggested that Pelosi and other congressional leaders decided against deploying the National Guard before the riot due to concerns about optics amid other ongoing events like the Black Lives Matter protests and the Defund the Police movement.
Former Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving revealed that Pelosi ordered the National Guard troops to stay off Capitol grounds to avoid negative optics. It was reported that Pelosi approved Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund's request for the National Guard around 1:43 p.m. on the day of the riot, after the breach had already occurred. The request for help from the National Guard was initially sent around 1:09 p.m. and formally approved around 2:10 p.m., with troops arriving at the Capitol around 5:40 p.m.
In conclusion, Nancy Pelosi faced questions about her role in the decision not to deploy the National Guard on January 6, 2021. Despite denying that she refused the National Guard, Pelosi's actions and decisions leading up to and during the Capitol riot have raised concerns and questions about her accountability for the events of that day.