A day after Capitol Police cleared a Republican representative of criminal wrongdoing, the Democrat-led Jan. 6 Commission said it still has questions over tours given one day before the insurrection.
The commission sent a letter to Rep. Barry Loudermilk on Wednesday, requesting he come before the committee. Loudermilk gave tours of the Capitol complex one day before a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. The group disrupted the counting of Electoral College votes and forced members of Congress and Vice President Mike Pence to retreat to a secure location.
Loudermilk gave the tour at a time the Capitol was off-limits to the public due to COVID-19 concerns.
Evidence uncovered by the committee shows Loudermilk leading the tour group through various tunnels and entrances throughout the complex.
“Individuals on the tour photographed and recorded areas of the complex not typically of interest to tourists, including hallways, staircases, and security checkpoints,” the commission noted. “The behavior of these individuals during the January 5, 2021 tour raises concerns about their activity and intent while inside the Capitol complex.”
The Jan. 6 Commission said individuals on the tour attended Trump’s rally on Jan. 6 and marched to the Capitol. The commission said video evidence shows at least one group member making threatening comments about members of Congress.
“The individual who appeared to photograph a staircase in the Longworth House Office Building filmed a companion with a flagpole appearing to have a sharpened end who spoke to the camera saying, “It’s for a certain person,” while making an aggressive jabbing motion,” the committee wrote to Loudermilk.
Capitol Police said, however, that there is no evidence that Loudermilk led a reconnaissance tour of the complex.
