I Witnessed the most Preventable Law Enforcement Blunder in American HistoryWhen I arrived at the Capitol just after 2 p.m. on January 6, 2021, my first thought was 'why am I better prepared than these cops?'
When I arrived at the western front of the Capitol just after 2 p.m. on January 6, 2021, my first thought was ‘why am I better prepared than these cops?’
In the early afternoon of January 6, I was serving my role as Chief Video Director of Daily Caller, streaming Trump’s speech from my house in Georgetown, four miles from the Capitol. I had five reporters on the ground and, knowing that internet would be limited to nonexistent, I elected to stay home where I could manage the team over wifi. I thought that violence would start after the rally when Trump supporters filtered out into the city and clashed with counter protesters, as I had witnessed during the escalating street brawls that took place at the first Stop the Steal rally in DC in November, and the second one in December. During the second rally, the Proud Boys showed up by the hundreds and I knew they would return for January 6. That’s why, when I heard a report that police were running around while Trump supporters marched toward the Capitol as Trump’s speech winded down, I knew that violence and mayhem was afoot. As it happened, I was able to hail an Uber then skateboard down to the Capitol quicker than police could muster appropriate reinforcements. As shown in this video, most of the officers were painfully unprepared to defend the western front of the Capitol against a wave of tens of thousands of protesters, Trump supporters, and a much smaller group of scurrilous agitators. As I continued down the line, a few rioters armed with their own cans of pepper spray hosed down the cops. The officers responded with their own spats of mace. The air was thick with the spicy liquid. Fortunately, I was prepared with a ballistic helmet, a bulletproof vest, bulletproof backpack, and gas mask. Most of the cops were not so lucky. Many of them were rendered blind and unable to continue their duties defending what was allegedly one of the most secure buildings on earth.  I continued along the police line towards the media tower that was partially constructed for Joe Biden’s Inauguration. When I climbed up for a better angle of the clashes, I was astonished to find only about 100 police officers holding the line against tens of thousands pushing towards the Capitol. I was looking down at a lost cause as one man broke through the line, then another. Meanwhile, hundreds were streaming around the cops through the scaffolding that supported the grandstands for the impending Inauguration. The bleachers acted as a siege tower that made the western front even more impossible to defend. The Capitol and Metro police officers never stood a chance. Quick intermission…Check out my book “Riot Diet” for my firsthand account covering the left-wing riots of 2020 that the media told you were “peaceful protests.” FYI, they weren’t… Get your info directly from the source, not from mainstream media giants trying to sell you an agenda. Pick it up using the link below:
PROCEED WITH CAUTION: any questions about exactly why law enforcement failed so miserably that day will be labeled as an anti-Democratic CONSPIRACY THEORY. The irony being that no one got screwed worse than the sorry cops without gas masks in the image below.
  I watched from on high as police retreated and hundreds streamed into the Capitol building. I was confronted with the decision of whether or not I should follow them in. As with the protests and riots during the so-called “Summer of Love” of 2020, my job was to show the public unadulterated video from on the ground, rather than relying on law enforcement or protesters/rioters to show their versions of what went down. Besides, I had Congressional Press Credentials issued by the House Radio TV Gallery, and I would have been able to enter restricted areas of the Capitol building even if there were no riot taking place.
I followed them in, scaling a wall on the western front in order to get to the Rotunda as quickly as possible. Once inside, many marveled at the sight of the building’s beautiful interior and priceless works of art. Others were determined to stop the counting of the votes. I followed one contingency all the way to the House Floor. Through a broken window, the Sergeant at Arms had pistols pointed at us on the other side of the doors that led to where Congressmen were still filing out of the gallery. At that moment I feared I might be caught in the crossfire, as I was in Kenosha, Wisconsin less than four months prior.  Fortunately, police reinforcements arrived and pried the mob away from the doors. Ten minutes later, I found myself interviewing a man who decided to roll and smoke a joint beneath the dome of the Capitol Rotunda. In a matter of minutes, I witnessed a savage effort to stop the proceedings on the House Floor, and a man who decided to smoke weed inside of the Capitol. As with the BLM protests/riots, present at the Capitol were both violent agitators and peaceful demonstrators.
  Regardless of the proportion of peaceful vs not so peaceful demonstrators that entered the Capitol that day, one essential question has remained unanswered and has burned into my mind ever since, ‘why was I better prepared than the cops?’
At 1:00 p.m. how was I–using the limited intelligence afforded to my little video team–able to ascertain that s***t was about to hit the fan, then grab my protective gear, hail a ride, and skateboard to the Capitol, all before the cops were able to reinforce their numbers? Federal law enforcement has already admitted that they had dozens of confidential sources on the ground that day. Was their intel shared with Capitol and Metro Police? If so, why were they not better prepared? If not, then why? Why have I witnessed routine anti-abortion marches with more security around the Capitol than what I saw on January 6? And why, after years of the most comprehensive manhunt in American history and an entire Congressional investigation, have none of these questions been addressed? The answer is simple: political gamesmanship. Liz Cheney and her January 6 committee were more keen on dragging Trumpers through the mud than unearthing actual facts. It’s time for all the partisan hacks to stop decrying that what happened on January 6 should disqualify Trump from ever holding office again. In November, voters resoundingly showed that the American people want a second term from Trump. Once he takes office, the public should demand a real investigation into what happened on January 6, 2021. Perhaps one day we can learn the answer to that question, why was a lowly video director better prepared than the cops? All images and footage used was taken by Richie McGinniss on January 6 as a reporter for the Daily Caller. Remember to pick up Richie’s new book “Riot Diet” about his experience covering the 2020 riots that destroyed cities across America.
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I Witnessed the most Preventable Law Enforcement Blunder in American History
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