House Lawmakers Call For Probe Into Suspected ‘Reconnaissance’ Tours Ahead Of Capitol Attack

House Lawmakers Call For Probe Into Suspected ‘Reconnaissance’ Tours Ahead Of Capitol Attack

Topline

More than 30 House lawmakers called Wednesday for an investigation into whether there were ties between outside groups who visited the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 5 and the attack that took place one day later, after Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) suggested members of Congress may have helped some of the rioters conduct “reconnaissance” before they stormed the building.

Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) conducts a news conference on February 28, 2020. (Photo By Tom ... [+] Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)



CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Key Facts





Sherrill and 33 other members of Congress sent a letter to Congress' two sergeants at arms and the U.S. Capitol Police asking them to look into the “extremely high number of outside groups” at the Capitol Jan. 5, which they note was “unusual” because tours of the building are currently suspended.





The outside groups “appeared to be associated with” the rally that took place before Wednesday's violence, lawmakers said, and the rioters the following day “seemed to have an unusually detailed knowledge” of the Capitol building's layout.