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The timeline I've posted relies heavily on DoD timelines, since they are the only group to produce official timelines. However, those official timelines are contradicted heavily by MULTIPLE people's recountings of their interactions with the DoD on 1/6. https://twitter.com/jaketapper/status/1348649388789424129
One major question I had coming out of putting together the timeline is that Sund told multiple members of Congress USNG would back-up USCP. The DoD timelines contradicted that and said he had not requested back-up. https://twitter.com/RomancingNope/status/1348481705250848773
The DoD timeline says on Sunday 1/3, they confirmed with Sund that USCP would not need back-up from the National Guard.
In the WaPo interview, Sund says he initially asked Senate & House security officials for support, and the request was denied by them. https://twitter.com/RomancingNope/status/1348480865760907265
In the WaPo interview, Sund says he initially asked Senate & House security officials for support, and the request was denied by them. https://twitter.com/RomancingNope/status/1348480865760907265
Of the 1/3 conversation:
"House Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving said he wasn’t comfortable with the “optics” of formally declaring an emergency ahead of the demonstration, Sund said." https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sund-riot-national-guard/2021/01/10/fc2ce7d4-5384-11eb-a817-e5e7f8a406d6_story.html
"House Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving said he wasn’t comfortable with the “optics” of formally declaring an emergency ahead of the demonstration, Sund said." https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sund-riot-national-guard/2021/01/10/fc2ce7d4-5384-11eb-a817-e5e7f8a406d6_story.html
"Senate Sergeant at Arms Michael Stenger suggested that Sund should informally seek out his Guard contacts, asking them to 'lean forward' and be on alert in case Capitol Police needed their help."
DoD says when they spoke with Sund, he declined.
DoD says when they spoke with Sund, he declined.
DoD said Sund declined again on 1/4, in a conversation with @SecArmy Ryan McCarthy. https://twitter.com/RomancingNope/status/1348481019100463104
Sund told WaPo he requested support on the day of the attack 5 separate times and was "rejected or delayed."
According to the DoD timeline the first request came from Sund at 1:49 PM local. DoD didn't approve until 3 PM.
https://twitter.com/RomancingNope/status/1348482851721895947 https://twitter.com/RomancingNope/status/1348484315143958528
According to the DoD timeline the first request came from Sund at 1:49 PM local. DoD didn't approve until 3 PM.
https://twitter.com/RomancingNope/status/1348482851721895947 https://twitter.com/RomancingNope/status/1348484315143958528
Sund claims he got on a conference call with DoD at 2:26 PM, but that is not included in either DoD timeline, either the press release by @SecArmy's office or the DoD memo.
However, Sund says he was on the call with DC officials as well, and there is a DoD call with DC officials listed in the memo timeline at 2:22: https://twitter.com/RomancingNope/status/1348483704759459842
On this call, according to Sund, Lt. Gen. Walter E. Piatt, director of the Army Staff, who reports to @SecArmy, apparently said he couldn't recommend his boss send National Guard into the Capitol due to "visuals." This is confirmed by other sources.
John Falcicchio, Mayor Bowser's Chief of staff, recalled Sund telling DoD, "The situation is dire."
“Literally, this guy is on the phone, I mean, crying out for help. It’s burned in my memories.”
“Literally, this guy is on the phone, I mean, crying out for help. It’s burned in my memories.”
The DC Council issued a statement excoriating the DoD's decision to decline Mayor Bowser's request for back-up from the National Guard on the day of the attack, I believe while it was still ongoing.
DC city folks were PISSED. https://dccouncil.us/dc-council-statement-on-the-department-of-defenses-denial-of-dcs-national-guard-deployment-request/
DC city folks were PISSED. https://dccouncil.us/dc-council-statement-on-the-department-of-defenses-denial-of-dcs-national-guard-deployment-request/
DoD shrugged it all off to WaPo: Sund didn't request help before the attack or make contingency plans and NG can't be deployed quickly like law enforcement.
They ignore, of course, their Quick Reaction Force was also on stand-by and did not respond. https://twitter.com/RomancingNope/status/1348484027741831169
They ignore, of course, their Quick Reaction Force was also on stand-by and did not respond. https://twitter.com/RomancingNope/status/1348484027741831169
Sund said they were aware of threats online ahead of the protest and later attack, but they didn't take them seriously: "'You might see rhetoric on social media. We had seen that many times before,' he said. 'People say a lot of things online.'"
Sund says he talked to Maj. Gen. William J. Walker on the evening of 1/4 to ask for informal back-up and was told Walker could get him 125 personnel "fairly quickly."
DoD timeline says Sund declined support again on the 4th.
DoD timeline says Sund declined support again on the 4th.
"Over the weekend, Sund had also conferred with D.C. Police Chief Robert J. Contee III, who also had offered to lend a hand if trouble arose."
MPD was also overwhelmed and attempted to call in NG for back-up and was rebuffed. So. There's that.
MPD was also overwhelmed and attempted to call in NG for back-up and was rebuffed. So. There's that.
A critical thing Sund mentions is that Sund and other USCP officers were pulled away from the Capitol to respond to the pipe bombs found at the RNC and DNC offices, right as Trump's speech was ending.
He now believes it was deliberate.
He now believes it was deliberate.
Sund initially asked Stenger & Irving to call in the request for back-up from NG at 1:09 PM, according to Sund. Several minutes later, they had not requested ANY back-up from anyone. Yikes.
This article is really rambling. Apparently on the 2:26 phone call, they finally got DoD to agree to call in NG for back-up...but @SecArmy wasn't on the call.
DoD timeline, however, says @SecArmy *was* on that call...but then told WaPo he was "busy."
DoD timeline, however, says @SecArmy *was* on that call...but then told WaPo he was "busy."
This is why I referred to both DoD timelines as disputed. They are contradicted by all sorts of other people, including themselves.
Sund blames Trump for inciting the crowd, notes that they were far better prepared and organized for violence than just normal 1A activities run amok, and that he worries there's more to come.
It seems like Sund likely told Lofgren and Ryan on 1/5 that he had NG back-up for 1/6 based on his conversation with Maj. Gen. Walker on the evening of 1/4.
That conversation isn't reflected in DoD timeline. I don't know why. https://twitter.com/RomancingNope/status/1349131762786566145
That conversation isn't reflected in DoD timeline. I don't know why. https://twitter.com/RomancingNope/status/1349131762786566145
Given the new information, while I definitely think USCP was woefully underprepared and didn't have good intelligence (where did their intelligence come from?), DoD's timeline and information don't make sense, and NUMEROUS sources have confirmed they dragged their feet.
Looks more and more like the disaster on 1/6 can be attributed to DoD and likely Trump's shake-up of DoD back in November.
Just...honestly, who on earth would look at insurrectionists in the Capitol, threatening the lives of 400+ members of Congress, 100 Senators, the Vice President, and all their staffs and supporting staff and go, "Eh, would look worse if the National Guard were in there"?
