32 NEWSWEEK.COM FEBRUARY 12, 2021
says that '2' needs 8 .S. Capitol Police
authori]ation to operate within the area
controlled by Congress. The conference
call discussion becomes “unintelligi-
ble” amidst the cacophony of voices.
Contee asks for clariɿcation from 8 SCP
Chief Sund “Steve, are you reTuesting
National uard assistance at the Capitol"”
Sund replies, “I am making ur-
gent, urgent, immediate reTuest
for National uard assistance.”
/t. eneral Piatt states, “I donŠt like the
visual of the National uard standing a po-
lice line with the Capitol in the background.”
+e says that he prefers that the uard
relieve police around other parts of the 'is-
trict to allow more '.C. Police at the Capitol.
Contee pleads with /t. eneral Piatt
to send the uard, but /t. eneral Piatt
says he will take it up with Army Secretary
McCarthy, but that he would not recom-
mend that approval for direct assistance.
'.C. ofɿcials are described as “ʀab-
bergasted.” McCarthy would later state
that he was not in this conference
call because he was busy in a meet-
ing with Acting Secretary Miller.
2:26 PM: After hearing that the Pentagon
was refusing the '.C. National *uard from
providing assistance, 9 irginia Public Safety
Secretary Brian Moran decides to dispatch
9 irginia State Police to the Capitol, under
mutual aid agreements with the 'istrict.
2:28 PM: Bobic of +ufɿngton Post
tweets “/ooks like a lot more pro-
testers walking through the Rotun-
da toward the +ouse chamber.”
2:30 PM: Acting 'efense Secretary
Miller, -CS chairman eneral Mark
Milley and Army Secretary McCarthy
again meet to discuss Mayor BowserŠs
reTuest for '.C. National uard forces.
2:31 PM: Bobic of +ufɿngton Post
tweets “ThatŠs the confederate ʀag
ʀying outside the Senate chamber.”
2:31 PM: Michael Brice-Saddler of
The Washington Post tweets from
the west side of the Capitol “...peo-
ple are talking about breaching the
building to “tell them how we feel.”
2:31 PM: Mayor Bowser tweets “To-
day, IŠm ordering a citywide curfew
for the 'istrict of Columbia from 00
p.m. on Wednesday, -anuary , until
00 a.m. on Thursday, -anuary .”2:32 PM: )erris of Politico tweets “Inside
the +ouse chamber, starting to get slightly
frantic. Capitol police warning people they
may need to go behind theirs seats...”
“...They are now as close
as in the rotunda area.”2:33 PM: )ormer acting White +ouse Chief
of Staff Mick Mulvaney tweets “Now is the
time for the President to be presidential.”2:33 PM: The ofɿce of Sen. Ted Cru]
R-T; sends out a fundraising email. +e
asks people to “stand with” him in his
ɿght to “reject electors.” An aide to Cru]
later told Politico that the email was an
automated message and that he was
“dismayed” by what was happening. “+e
would not send this out,” the aide said.2:35 PM: 8 lloa of The Boston Globe tweets
a video from a Capitol window looking
southeast “WeŠve been told rioters have
breached the third ʀoor of the Capitol.
+ereŠs the view from the windows.”
8 lloa later wrote “...a guard was telling
us the rioters had breached the third ʀoor
near where we stood and told us to ɿnd
a place to hide. But there was no room
to hide in, so we wandered from hallway
to hallway until we found our way back
to the Senate gallery and another re-
porter let us in. We grabbed our things,
as security ofɿcers swept us alongside
senators to a secure undisclosed location.
McConnell lumbered just inch-
es in front of me, walking with the
help of a security ofɿcer.”2:36 PM: )erris of Politico tweets
“Masks being distributed to members
and press “We had a dispersement
>sic@ of tear gas in the rotunda.”