J6 Timeline of Police Actions

2023-03-13 update: the number of MPD is increased to 1000, in as stated in the book of Chief Sund; that bolsters the argument.

2022-09-20 update to the timeline: added that the USCP started firing chemical munition into the crowd at 1306. 07-14 update to the timeline: added Ray Epp at 1250. 07-13 update to the timeline: added that FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich dispatched a FBI tactical teams to the Capitol at 1420.

Almost a year and a half of heavy-handed, one-sided, Democrat investigations into the Jan 6 events have not turned up any evidence of significant planning or preparation of violence by Trump supporters. It is therefore time to look at the situation from another perspective.

Only Democrats stood to gain from a violent disruption of the J6 joint session of congress. This session was the only way for Trump supporters to present the evidence of fraud and debate the electoral slates in question, and the only path that could have resulted in Trump’s victory.

The Capitol police (USCP) and the DC police (MPD) were  ultimately under the command of Democrats, Nancy Pelosi and Muriel Bowser, respectively. Here is a summary of the security activities of these Dems-commanded forces:

  • Leading up to Jan 6, the USCP refused the National Guard re-enforcement (i.e., the non-infiltrated forces)
  • On Jan 6, the USCP further drew down their existing strength, choosing to use only a fraction of its 2000 officers. MPD similarly provided only 100 officers, out of the 4,300 at its disposal.
  • The USCP attacked a crowd of peaceful Trump supporters (not those attacking the Capitol Building), from a distance, with ranged weapons, firing concussion grenades and capsules with irritant gas.
  • The USCP allowed a few dozen violent thugs to breach a barrier around the Capitol building, and to break windows, and scale the building
  • The USCP dispersed the joint session of Congress when the Republican objection to  Arizona’s electors’ slate was heard. This was done under the pretext of physical danger, which the USCP had allowed less than 5 minutes before, by bringing into the Capitol building a mix of:
    • militants, some of whom wore camouflage, protective vests, gas masks, and big backpacks
    • unsuspecting Trump supporters returning from the Trump rally
  • Finally, the USCP brought the shocked Congresspersons back to the building, to continue the session, despite the danger of explosive devices and/or armed terrorists that could still have been in the building at that time.

None of these activities can be described as “security”. Taken together, they appear as a coup d’état, brilliantly executed by the Dems, who created and exploited a local and temporary weakness in the armed forces.

Introduction

“The so-called January 6th “insurrection” seems increasingly to have been, instead, what’s known as a false-flag operation in which Donald Trump’s political foes shamelessly exploited an incident they provoked to thwart congressional action on his charges of electoral fraud.” (Nov 2021)

“the former New Mexico prosecutor David Clements flatly characterized the [J6] event as a ‘false flag’ operation.” (Sep 2021)

Frank Gaffney, Assistant Secretary of Defense in 1987

This article focuses on actions and inactions both in preparation for Jan 6 and the timeline on the actual day; it also takes into  account the direction of the investigations, after January 6.

A previous article NOT Trump but Dems were interested in violent disruption of J6 joint session concluded that the Dems stood to gain from the violent disruption of the Jan 6 session, while Trump and his supporters stood to gain from the orderly proceeding of the joint session, which would allow for the planned objections and debates. The article Big Tech took part in J6 Democrat Coup reviews the actions and motives of Twitter, who selectively suppressed President Trump’s tweets, which were calling on demonstrators to be peaceful and to respect law and order and then de-platformed the president completely.

Looking at he actions and inaction of the USCP and the MPD, who were commanded and infiltrated by the Dems (as defined here), combined with the selective blindness in evidence gathering during the subsequent investigations, leads to the conclusion that the violent invasion and interruption of the joint session was pre-planned and executed by a Dems-led group.

What the USCP should have done on Jan 6

If we look at the actions of USCP on January 6, we notice that USCP did not make mistakes, but repeatedly did the opposite of what their duties required. USCP’s top priority was to protect Senators and Representatives who assembled for the joint session. Its second priority was to protect the Capitol building. The threat level should have been considered high even without specific warnings, due to the presence of all Senators and Representatives and the Vice-President, the large number of the people outside, a string of attacks by left wing militia, and tensions around the session itself. The US Capitol building is a high value target, so it should be protected not only against unarmed demonstrators, but even against heavily armed and trained terrorists. Non-military special operations units were stationed close to the Capitol building. Some sources say they were also inside the building.

The police should have locked doors, erected a strong barrier around the perimeter, and posted sufficient manpower to guard the perimeter, especially around the scaffolding, which was  obviously a weak spot. In such a scenario, even if attackers could break through the strong barriers and overrun the massive police force posted outside, they would have still needed a battering ram to break through the Capitol building doors. Broken windows could have been defended by  two policemen with batons and rubber bullets could have been used on immediate  attackers both inside and outside.

Even the weakened police force (1,300 out of ~1,900 USCP officers; by 2;10pm, joined by 1,000 MPD officers and more from other law enforcement agencies; per Chief Steven Sund, Courage under Fire;  Kindle Edition, p. 356) could have easily handled the less than two hundred violent rioters and militants, irrespective of their political affiliation. Note that nobody in the crowd used firearms, and only one firearm was found at the scene.

Even if all these measures had failed, and the building was breached, the USCP was supposed to protect the Senate Chamber and the House Hall, where the debates were held. The police had guns, as Senator Graham (R-SC) pointed out. At any time during the confrontation, the Capitol Police could have requested and received MPD re-enforcement, the National Guard, and non-military special forces.

The Capital police had many crowd control options. What they were not allowed to do was interrupt the joint session of Congress. Joint session was presided by VP Mike Pence, and only he could put it in recess, and only until 10am sharp next day, per 3 USC § 16. The USCP has no role in this process.

What has happened

Instead of maintaining order outside of the Capitol and defending the Capitol building, USCP did the opposite. Before J6, Mayor Muriel Bowser and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected National Guard re-enforcements offered by President Trump. The former also lashed back. Instead of strong perimeter fencing, flimsy “bike rack” type barriers were set up sparingly. The USCP force was reduced to only 1,300 officers and only a few dozen of those were placed outside, around the Capitol.

VP Mike Pence started the joint session at 1pm. Outside, a few dozen militants and thugs were tussling with the police near the flimsy barriers. After the objection to the Arizona slate, the chambers separated. Outside, the police started firing gas and concussion grenades far into the crowd of peaceful Trump supporters, away from those actually fighting the perimeter police. Agent provocateurs, such as Ray Epps, suspected to be an FBI agent but more likely hired by Dems themselves, incited the crowd to push forward and to invade the Capitol. At 1:29pm, VP Pence opened the debate in the Senate.

In the 5-7 minutes between 2:11pm – 2:18pm, the USCP did these three things:

  • The USCP stopped fighting and allowed the public from the outside of the Capitol to come in. They allowed this to happen from many directions; some came in through broken windows but some were allowed in through open and unlocked doors. The police even allowed the militants it was fighting just moments ago, to walk right into the capital.
  • The USCP interrupted the Senate session, which was debating the Arizona objection, when Senator James Lankford (R-OK) was speaking, and forced the Senators to leave.
  • The USCP similarly interrupted the House session and forced the representatives to leave

These actions of the police seem extremely well coordinated. The USCP interrupted the debate in the Senate at 2:15pm, despite protests from the Senators. From WaPo: “Lindsey O. Graham was irate that senators were forced to flee their own chamber. He yelled at the Senate sergeant-at-arms. “What are you doing? Take back the Senate! You’ve got guns. Use them.” The South Carolina senator was adamant. “We give you guns for a reason,” he repeated. “Use them.””

The USCP allowed Representatives and Senators to return to the Capital Building around 8pm. At 5:10pm, the police was still using tear gas against people on the upper floor of the building. The National Guard arrived at 5:40 pm. Unauthorized persons remained in the building past 6pm. That leaves less than two hours for a security and bomb sweep. It is not enough time to properly search and secure even the House Hall and nearby room, which could have contained anything from bombs to hidden terrorists or “insurrectionists”. Next day, Senator Graham (R-SC) complained: “People coming through the windows had backpacks as big as my desk on the Senate. … Those backpacks could have had bombs, chemical agents, weapons.” And yet, the same USCP which evacuated Congress when there was no danger (possibly except for the leftist militants allowed in by the USCP) a few hours earlier, declared the building secure at 8pm, when a real danger appeared. This is yet another example, in a long list of unlikely and suspicious police actions.

Who was responsible for these abnormal decisions?

From the beginning, the media pushed the “Trump supporters are storming Capitol” narrative, which soon changed to the “insurrection” narrative. But lets look at who made the actual decisions (see the Jan 6 timeline below for more detailed info):

  • Setting up flimsy, almost symbolic barriers around the building
  • Posting minimal, almost symbolic, police presence behind the small barriers
  • Refusals to accept the National Guard before Jan 6,
  • Refusal of USCP Chief Sund’s requests for the National Guard or non-military forces for Jan 6
  • The weakening of the Capitol Police forces instead of strengthening them
  • The delay in requesting the National Guard on Jan 6
  • Giving the order to shoot concussion grenades and irritant gas into the crowd of peaceful Trump supporters, who were in a different area, far away from the group of people who were fighting the police (1317 or later).
  • Ordering USCP to open the Capitol building doors and not to resist invading rioters (around 1415).
  • Ordering USCP to “evacuate” members of the Congress rather than protect them.

All these orders/decisions were all made by those reporting to Nancy Pelosi (or other Democrats in charge of USCP).

And what did the attack accomplish? It stopped the debates on the Republican electoral objections and intimidated and shocked Senators and Representatives. Only two out of six planned electoral objections were presented, and neither was properly debated. Big Tech and MSM proliferated the ‘Blame the Trump’ narrative. The people’s representatives were shocked and scared and quickly certified the Biden-Harris ticket without any further questions or debates.

Government’s failure to follow the evidence

After looking for any plan, plot, or preparation to invade the Capitol building by conservative, right-wing, and Trump supporting organizations, the Biden administration found none ( Reuters; also The FBI comes up empty-handed in its search for a Jan. 6 plot by JONATHAN TURLEY,  2021-08-21).

In addition to the devastating security failures (or sabotage) by the Democrat-controlled police forces, all subsequent January 6 investigations were performed by Democrat investigators in DC. DC is heavily Democratic, and so is the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), as well as DC judges. Thus, Democrats decided which evidence to gather, which evidence to ignore, and which evidence to suppress. Michael Waller:

“Over five weeks [since J6], Pelosi maintained iron control of any investigation or lack thereof, rebuffing calls from members of both parties for a full and transparent investigation.”

Democrats promoted the theory that Trump incited the crowd to storm the Capitol, but also that alleged right-wing militant groups (especially Oath Keepers and Proud Boys) had planned “the insurrection”. Thus, the investigations pursued only these directions. Leads to antifa and other leftist militias, or to Dems-linked provocateurs like Ray Epps were ignored.

A good example of this is the failure to find the person of interest who was allegedly laying pipe bombs near the DNC and RNC headquarters on the night January 5. He or she was walking for at least half hour, in the most secure and safety-aware area of DC, with a bag which was believed to contain bombs. He was seen talking to a local resident, who was walking his dog. This local resident’s face and dog were clearly seen and could have been easily identified and located. This area of DC has the highest concentration of security cameras in the country. The suspect likely appeared on dozens of cameras, and was using a mobile phone. See FBI’s suspected pipe bombs and the release of additional info. The FBI has mapped his/her route https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVGedQ17XqI. This suspect was never detained, much like Ray Epps.

January 6 Timeline, Selected Events

(this timeline needs additions and minor corrections – LG)

0800: Protesters and/or militants start arriving to the Capitol building. (TPC-1)

0830:A/SD [the acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller] and CJCS [the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley] review DoD plan to support law enforcement agencies and request an exercise regarding DoD contingency response options.” (DOD)

1245: A pipe bomb found near RNC HQ (MPD)

1250: Bike racks ~200 yards west to the Capitol building are pushed away by a small crowd including Ray Epps (https://youtu.be/P7X44pQFBr4?t=125)

1300: The Joint Session is called to order (C-SPAN)

1303: Bike racks at the Capitol building west and steps were pushed aside or down in 5-10 minutes before. The police starts using pepper spray. Riot police arrives and another police line is formed. (Epoch)

1306:

VP Mike Pence declares the procedure of verifying and certifying electors’ slates open (C-SPAN)

USCP Grenadiers directed to launch chemical munitions (LG: into the crowd – LG) (https://www.scribd.com/document/582682043/January-6-Timeline)

1308: USCP personnel deploy OC Spray on Upper West Terrace (https://www.scribd.com/document/582682043/January-6-Timeline)

1309: “[Steven] Sund called House Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving and Senate Sergeant at Arms Michael Stenger to get permission to deploy the National Guard. He said that the pair told him they would “run it up the chain,” but he didn’t hear back.” (TPC-2) Forbes quotes the time 1305; the difference is not material. The fact of the call is disputed by Paul Irving (https://youtu.be/gL_5GOidFzA?t=10700).

1312: President Trump finishes his speech at Ellipse (multiple sources)

1314: The Joint Session splits to debate the objections against Arizona slates of electors (C-SPAN). LG: This might be the key to the following events.

1315: A pipe bomb found near DNC HQ (MPD)

1317: 30-50 police officers emerge, armed with long guns that fire capsules of pepper irritant, teargas launchers, and long guns MW could not identify. Long guns are designed to fire at long distance. (MW) LG: This might be an additional force. The USCP was ordered  to fire chemical munitions into the crowd at 1306, and probably launched immediately.

1321: The police fires  concussion grenades into the crowd of Trump supporters, far from the militants and thugs of then unknown political affiliation, tussling with the police next to the Capitol building. (https://centerforsecuritypolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Waller_Jan6_V1.pdf) . This barrage killed Benjamin Phillips (50) and Kevin Greeson (55).

1326:USCP orders evacuation of Capitol complex.” (DOD) LG: probably not including the Capitol building.

1329: Senate starts debate on the Arizona objection. (C-SPAN)

1334:SECARMY phone call with Mayor Bowser in which Mayor Bowser communicates request for unspecified number of additional forces.” (DOD). LG: Mayor Bowser did not have authority in the Capitol building. The “unspecified number of additional forces” confirms that her request was not serious. The purpose of her call might have been to test the ground, or to create the record. At this point, the Dems did not want re-enforcements yet.

1335: Police continues firing irritants in the crowd, not at the rioters fighting the police. (Epoch)

1349: “MPD declares a riot at the U.S. Capitol.” (MPD)

1349:Commanding General, DCNG, Walker phone call with USCP Chief Sund. Chief Sund communicates request for immediate assistance.” (DOD). LG: Finally, Steven Sund gets through to the DC National Guard Commander.

1411: “The central east Capitol entrance door is opened.” (Epoch) 

1415: “the heavily-armed police line suddenly and inexplicably stood aside, moved back, and allowed the mob to approach the now opened, (from the inside), west doors of the Capitol Building. These officers did not act, synchronously, of their own accord. They take commands. . . from ‘up the chain.’ Someone gave the order for them to stand down.” (TPC-2)

1415: The Senate session is interrupted in 1413-1415 (video). The House session is interrupted a few minutes later.

LG: From 1411 to 1418, USPC opens Capitol building doors, allows and invites leftist militants together with unsuspecting Trump supporters, stops protecting Congress, and disperse Congress under the pretext of the danger. (multiple sources)

1420: “[A McConnell aide indirectly] calls FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich, who is in the command center in the FBI’s Washington Field Office. … Bowdich dispatched the first of three tactical teams.”  (WaPo) Teams from other law enforcement agencies arrived earlier, per Sund.

1422:SECARMY phone call with D.C. Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Dr. Rodriguez, and MPD leadership to discuss the current situation and to request additional DCNG support”. (DOD) LG: The House and Senate sessions are already interrupted, so the Dems request the National Guard.

1430: “A/SD, CJCS, and SECARMY meet to discuss USCP and Mayor Bowser’s requests.” (DOD)

1444: Ashli Babbitt is shot. (Epoch) Heavily armed ATF force is spotted behind her (TPC-2)

1500: “A/SD determines all available forces of the DCNG are required to reinforce MPD and USCP positions to support efforts to reestablish security of the Capitol complex.” (DOD)

1632: “A/SD provides verbal authorization to re-mission DCNG to conduct perimeter and clearance operations in support of USCP. …” (DOD)

1702: “Departure of 154 DCNG from D.C. Armory in support of USCP.” (DOD)

1710: “Police use tear gas to drive people from the Capitol’s upper level.” (Epoch)

1740: “[DC NG] arrive at Capitol, swear in with USCP, and begin support operations.” (DOD)

2000: “USCP declares Capitol building secure.” (DOD)

2006: The Senate resumes proceedings, disregarding the potential danger from bombs and potential terrorists, who might have been left in the building. Less than three hours earlier, the police was using tear gas in the building. If security sweeps were conducted, they were mere formality.(WaPo)

2102: The House resumes proceedings. (WaPo)

Timeline sources

DOD: DOD Timeline, dated by January 11, 2021

MW: Eyewitness Testimony by  Michael Waller of the Center for Security Policy, March 14

C-SPAN: Video from the January 6 joint session; starts at 12:55pm.

MPD: MPD Testimony by Robert J. Contee, III

Forbes: Capitol Police Chief Uses Cell Phone Records

Congress: A Congressional document

Epoch: Timeline of Events in DC on Jan. 6, The Epoch Times

The Pragmatic Constitutionalist

(TPC-1) What I saw on J6

(TPC-2) Who was up the chain on J6

WaPo: The Washington Post, 2021-02-18 (https://archive.ph/TvnQl )

 

Other Materials

The questions the January 6th Committee won’t answer, Frank Gaffney, 2022-06-10

“After all, the truth is there would have no been penetration of the Capitol had it been on a heightened security status. Instead, somebody directed that it be on a less secure footing than even the normal, day-to-day level. Who gave that order? Was it the same person who declined President Trump’s authorization to deploy 20,000 National Guardsmen to protect the Capitol?”

 

What if the official January 6th narrative is wrong? Frank Gaffney, 2022-01-04

“None of those being prosecuted for the January 6th disturbance at the Capitol have been charged with insurrection. The FBI has been implicated in fomenting it. And the place was left inadequately protected, despite intelligence warnings there could be problems.”

 

Pelosi has blocked answers to questions about lack of security at Capitol on January 6, Michael Waller, 2021-02-16

“ Pelosi has tightened control over all House administrative matters that the buck stops with her. The US Capitol Police answer not to the executive branch, but to the House and Senate.

““The District of Columbia Government has not requested personnel from any other federal law enforcement agencies,” Bowser told the Trump administration. “To avoid confusion, we ask that any request for additional assistance be coordinated using the same process and procedures,” she said.”

In other words, Bowser and Pelosi did not want the National Guard in or near the Capitol. That matches the hypothesis that they were planning something with which the presence of the National Guard could interfere

 

I Saw Provocateurs At The Capitol Riot On Jan. 6, Michael Waller 2021-01-14   ! This piece deserves reading in full (~ 23 min)

“A small number of [leftist] cadre used the cover of a huge rally to stage its attack. Before it began, I saw from my vantage point on the West Front of the Capitol, what appeared to be four separate cells or units:

  1. Plainclothes militants. Militant, aggressive men in Trump and MAGA gear at a front police line at the base of the temporary presidential inaugural platform;
  2. Agents-provocateurs. Scattered groups of men exhorting the marchers to gather closely and tightly toward the center of the outside of the Capitol building and prevent them from leaving;
  3. Fake Trump protesters. A few young men wearing Trump or MAGA hats backwards … whom I presumed to be Antifa or other leftist agitators;”
  4. Disciplined, uniformed column of attackers. A column of organized, disciplined men, wearing similar but not identical camouflage uniforms and black gear…”

“They [police] were armed with paintball-type long guns that fired capsules of pepper irritant, teargas launchers, and long guns that I could not identify from my position.”

“police in a tussle with some of the marchers up front—what appeared to be an organized group in civilian clothes. This organized group are the cell I call the “plainclothes militants.” They fit right in with the MAGA people.

Suddenly energy surged from the front of the crowd as the anti-riot police, above on the inaugural platform, visibly tensed up. Some sighted their pepper ball weapons toward the densely packed people. One fired a teargas canister—not at the plainclothes militants at the front line, but into the crowd itself. Then another. Flash grenades went off in the middle of the crowd.”

“I had seen anti-riot police in action before. They moved with a decisive sense of purpose. Now, the Capitol Police crew seemed confused, as if without a leader or perhaps inadequate rules of engagement. These professionals seemed directionless.” — betrayed

“No bullhorn or sound system could be heard for the police to communicate with the swelling mass of people.”

“Having spent decades around the Capitol since my days as a junior Senate and House staffer, and loving the building and its history as one of our greatest national treasures, I was confident that the Capitol would remain safe.”

“an organized cell of agents-provocateurs to corral people as an unwitting follow-on force behind the plainclothes militants tussling with police”

“Then, from the north, a column of uniformed, agile younger men walked briskly, single-file, toward the inaugural stand. They came within two feet of me. Their camouflage uniforms were clean, neat, and with a pattern I couldn’t identify.

Some had helmets and GoPro cameras. Some uniforms bore subdued insignia, including the Punisher skull. These were the disciplined, uniformed column of attackers. I had seen them in groups of two or three among the marchers on Connecticut Avenue from the Ellipse.

Now there were a good three dozen of them, moving in a single, snakelike formation. They were organized. They were disciplined. They were prepared.

“We’re taking the Capitol!” the first or second announced.”