by Kyle Becker at Becker News
U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré, a partisan hand-picked by Speaker Nancy Pelosi to lead a review of the Capitol riots security failures, has provided a first glimpse into his security enhancement recommendations in the aftermath of the January 6th uprising.
As reported exclusively by Fox News, based on a draft copy of the general’s recommendations, contain a startling provision to staff a “quick reaction force” at the nation’s capitol permanently.
“The government should create an around-the-clock ‘quick reaction force’ of federal law enforcement officers or members of the National Guard at the U.S. Capitol,” Fox News reported, based on a “six-week security review of the Jan. 6 riot led by retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré has recommended.”
“A draft copy of the task force’s recommendations, exclusively obtained by Fox News, also calls for U.S. Capitol police reforms, an increased National Guard presence and stocking up on mobile fencing that could be deployed in response to a crisis in the future, then quickly packed up when it’s over,” the network reported.
The Quick Reaction Force or QRD, would be “manned 24/7, 365 days a year,” Fox News reported, and would cost taxpayers “between $40 and $130 million annually.”
“Members of the force would either be recruited from existing federal law enforcement, established under the D.C. National Guard or from Guard units from all over the U.S. for three to six month stints, or reestablishing a military police battalion from troops. who live in or near the city year-round, perpetually on active duty,” Fox News continued in its exclusive report.
“Other recommendations include hiring nearly 900 more USCP officers, a 40% increase to the force,” the report continued. “The department put in about 720,000 overtime hours in the last fiscal year, and currently has more than 200 vacant positions.”
“Not only is this model unsustainable, it leaves the force with no ability to pull officers from the line to train,” the report says.
Speaker Pelosi’s hand-picked panel suggests that blame lies with the Capitol Police and the National Guard for security failures. The draft report is leaked within days of explosive Senate testimony that reveals civilian agencies had deliberately prevented the National Guard and Capitol Police from enhancing security based on known intelligence a riot was probable as early as December 31st, 2020.
Major General William J. Walker, the commanding general of the D.C. National Guard, confirmed that the Capitol security had been deliberately weakened by civilian authorities due to purported concern about “optics,” in his Senate testimony on Wednesday.
Furthemore, the commanding general made it clear that such concerns were “unusual” and had not been raised during similar civil disturbances in Washington D.C. in the past.
“On December 31st, 2020, the District of Columbia National Guard received written requests from the District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser and her Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Dr. Christopher Rodriguez,” General Walker said. “The requests sought National Guard support for traffic control and crowd management for planned demonstrations in the district from January 5th through January 6th, 2021.”
“After conducting mission analysis to support the district’s request I sent a letter to the Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy on January 1st requesting his approval. I received that approval in a letter dated January 5th granting support to the Metropolitan Police Department with a 320 guardsmen personnel to include a 40 personnel quick reaction force.”
General Walker elaborated on the nature of the quick-reaction force.
“They’re postured to quickly respond to an urgent and immediate need for assistance by civil authorities,” he said. “The Secretary of the Army’s January 5th letter to me withheld that authority for me to employ a quick reaction force.”
“Additionally, the Secretary of the Army’s memorandum to me required that a concept of operation be submitted to him before the employment of a quick-reaction force. I found that requirement to be unusual, as was the requirement to seek approval to move guardsmen supporting the metropolitan police department to move from one traffic control point to another.”
“At 1:30 p.m. On January 6th, we watched…
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