Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), along with 107 of her colleagues, called on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to lead an investigation into the security breach during the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2020.   

In the letter, the members note: “In the months leading up to January 6, 2021, there was an online movement to organize a large gathering of protestors to descend on Washington, D.C. to dispute the outcome of the election, consistent with the President’s baseless claims of fraud and at his urging. Among those that may have had peaceful intentions, there is robust reporting that indicated detailed preparations for seditious or violent confrontation were being made on social media.”

“In the aftermath of one of the darkest days in our nation’s history, we are forced to reconcile with difficult truths about failures of leadership and preparation. The failures of security are far more easily corrected than the failure to lead and the abuse of the public trust. Now we must seek the facts and follow them to their clear conclusion, regardless of how difficult that end may be. Your comprehensive and independent investigation into these matters is essential to ensuring that the events of yesterday will never again be allowed to occur in America,” the lawmakers conclude in their letter to GAO.

Congresswoman Fletcher and her colleagues are specifically calling on the GAO to investigate the following: 

1. Scale and adequacy of security preparations by relevant law enforcement and defense entities, including the U.S. Capitol Police, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Department of Defense, and Secret Service.
2. Extent of coordination between federal and local entities for security and emergency support.
3. Impact of rhetoric by government and elected officials that contributed to or led to the insurrection.
4. Effectiveness of the federal response and coordination with local authorities throughout the course of events.
5. Inappropriate conduct by law enforcement to include taking pictures and opening security barriers.
6. Difference in preparation, coordination, and response compared to other large gatherings in Washington, D.C. in the past four years.
7. Efforts by government and/or elected officials to limit preparation, coordination, or response, particularly regarding the use of force and arrests.
8. Impact on national security-critical operations, including command and control.

You can read the full text of the letter here.