Newly released footage by House GOP investigators reveals that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi admitted her responsibility for the security failures during the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. This admission was captured in a video recorded by Pelosi’s daughter Alexandra for an HBO documentary.
In the video, Pelosi can be heard questioning why the National Guard was not present before the breach, stating, “I take responsibility for not having them just prepare for more.” Her chief of staff, Terri McCullough, attempted to explain that officials believed they had sufficient resources, but Pelosi was clearly dissatisfied with the preparedness.
The video was released by Republicans on the House Administration Oversight Subcommittee, challenging the narrative that former President Donald Trump was solely responsible for the security lapses. Trump has repeatedly asserted that he requested additional National Guard support, which was denied.
House Republicans argue that the footage undermines the claims made by Democrats over the past three years. Despite Pelosi’s spokesperson dismissing the footage as “out-of-context clips,” the video shows Pelosi acknowledging the lack of preparedness and taking responsibility for it.
A GOP report from 2022 suggested that congressional leaders, including Pelosi, were reluctant to deploy the National Guard early during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests due to concerns about optics. This reluctance reportedly influenced their response on January 6, leading to the security failures.
The release of this footage has intensified the debate over the events of January 6 and the responsibilities of congressional leaders. It raises questions about the decisions made by Pelosi and others in the lead-up to the riot and challenges the narrative that Trump was entirely to blame for the security failures.
As more information comes to light, the scrutiny on Pelosi and other leaders continues to grow. And in the end, maybe the lesson is to always double-check your security plans, especially when hosting a large gathering on Capitol Hill.
