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Other Capitol Insurrection Documents

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Table of Contents
Inspector General Reports
Investigations
Other Reports

Inspector General Reports

Inspectors general in multiple federal agencies have launched investigations in connection with the Jan. 6 insurrection. Below are reports from some of these investigations

Defense Department

Department of Homeland Security

  • DHS IG Report: Intelligence division failed to share information about known violent threats in advance of Jan. 6 (March 4, 2022)
    • The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General found that three different divisions with in the Office of Intelligence and Analysis failed to share with state, local, and federal partners important information about threats of violence on January 6. In multiple instances, I&A analysts collected open-source information about threats but did not issue reports. I&A did email information about potential threats to local Washington, D.C. partners, but this information "was not as widely disseminated as I&A's typical intelligence products." The Report concluded that the failure resulted from a number of factors, including inexperienced analysts, inadequate training, and hesitancy to report. It made five recommendations for rectifying the root causes, all of which DHS has adopted.
  • Letter to the House and Senate Homeland Security committees reporting that the U.S. Secret Service erased text messages sent and received on Jan. 5 and Jan. 6, 2021. (July 14, 2022)
    • On July 13, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General sent a letter to the House Committee on Homeland Security and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs reporting that the U.S. Secret Service had deleted text messages from Jan. 5 and Jan. 6, 2021. In the letter, the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General wrote that the Secret Service deleted the text messages after the Office of the Inspector General requested access to the agency’s electronic communications. 

U.S. Capitol Police

U.S. Government Accountability Office

  • GAO Report: Actions Needed to Prepare the Capitol Police for Violent Demostrations (March 2022)
    • The Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to review a number of issues relating to the January 6, 2021 Capitol Attack, including the preparation and performance of the Capitol Police on the day of the attack, as well as what changes were necessary to prevent a future attack. On March 7, 2022, GAO released its fourth report, which summarizes its findings and recommendations after a survey of Capitol Police officers who had been working the day of the January 6, 2021 Capitol Attack.
  • GAO Report: Federal Agencies Identified Some Threats, but Did Not Fully Process and Share Information Prior to January 6, 2021 (February 2023)
    • The GAO examined 10 federal agencies' preparation for Jan. 6 and found every agency "identified potential threats of violence before January 6, but some agencies either didn't follow their established policies or procedures for reviewing the threats, or didn't share critical information with partners responsible for planning security measures." The office provided recommendations for improvements to the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Intelligence and Analysis, the U.S. Capitol Police, the Capitol Police Board, and the Park Police.

Investigations

Fulton County Special Grand Jury

The Fulton County Special Grand Jury was approved and created at the request of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willi in Jan. 2022 to aid in her investigation of alleged attempts by former President Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. The special grand jury holds investigative authority and the ability to subpoena individuals. It is composed of 23 grand jurors and three alternates, and is overseen by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney. The special grand jury concluded its investigation on Jan. 9, 2023.

Justice Department

"Fake Electors" Probe

The Justice Department is reportedly investigating a plot allegedly put forward by former President Trump and his supporters to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election using “alternate” slates of state electors. The Justice Department has issued numerous subpoenas (not all of which have been made public) to gain access to information about the alleged attempt to carry out the scheme in seven electoral battleground states.

Other

Other Reports

  • Report of U.S. Army Operations on January 6, 2021 (March 18, 2021)
    • This report, written by the Department of the Army, details the Army's claims about its conduct and that of the D.C. National Guard on Jan. 6. Some of the material has been alleged by current and former Guard officials to be false.