Staff Reports
Former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund testified before a House subcommittee on September 19, revealing that his request for National Guard assistance on January 3, 2021, was rejected by U.S. House Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving. Irving allegedly refused Sund’s request because he believed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would “never go for it.” During the hearing, Sund expressed his frustration at not receiving the National Guard help that he believed could have made a crucial difference on January 6.
https://x.com/JamesHu88052006/status/1704450117942534489?s=20
Sund recounts that during a meeting with Irving and Senate Sergeant at Arms Michael Stenger on January 3, he asked them to approve his request for National Guard soldiers to help secure the Capitol on January 6. Irving’s response to Sund’s request was dismissive, stating that he didn’t like the optics and that the intelligence didn’t support it. Irving directed Sund to discuss the idea with Stenger, who also did not provide the desired support.
Sund later discovered that Irving had tipped off Stenger about his intention to request the National Guard, with Irving allegedly stating that “Pelosi will never go for it.” Sund expressed his shock at hearing this during a lunch meeting with Stenger on April 8, 2021. Sund’s testimony corroborates former President Donald Trump’s claim that Pelosi turned down his offer to provide 10,000 National Guard troops leading up to January 6.
Although Sund’s request for National Guard assistance was denied, he did manage to have Metropolitan Police Department officers stationed near the Capitol on January 6. These officers played a critical role in holding the line and delaying the breach of the building. Sund later received approval for the deployment of the National Guard, but they didn’t arrive until almost 6 p.m., after the violence had subsided.
Sund expressed his frustration with the lack of cooperation from the Pentagon, as he had to repeatedly beg for assistance. Army Lieutenant General Walter Piatt repeatedly denied Sund’s requests, citing concerns over optics. Sund activated the National Capitol Region Mutual-Aid Agreement, which led to police officers from various agencies responding to the scene to assist.
Sund’s testimony highlights the deficiencies in the response to the January 6 attack and raises questions about the decision-making process and priorities of those involved. The revelations suggest a failure of leadership and coordination in the run-up to and during the events of that day, with Sund’s requests for assistance being dismissed and delayed, ultimately leaving his officers without adequate support.
