Capitol defenders cite missed intelligence for deadly breach
Associated PressWASHINGTON — Missed intelligence was to blame for the outmanned Capitol defenders’ failure to anticipate the violent mob that invaded the iconic building and halted certification of the presidential election on Jan. 6, the officials who were in charge of security that day said Tuesday in their first public testimony on the insurrection. Sund said he hadn’t seen an FBI field office report that warned of potential violence citing online posts about a “war.” Sund described a scene as the mob arrived at the perimeter that was “like nothing” he had seen in his 30 years of policing and argued that the insurrection was not the result of poor planning by Capitol Police but of failures across the board. “How could you not get that vital intelligence?” asked Senate Homeland Chairman Gary Peters, D-Mich., who said the failure of the report to reach the chief was clearly a major problem. Irving denied that, saying Sund’s account was “categorically false.” “We all agreed the intelligence did not support the troops and collectively decided to let it go,” Stenger said.