Two top House security aides working under then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi received urgent warnings from the police the night before the January 6 riot. The alerts detailed potential breaches through the Capitol’s tunnel system and threats against lawmakers. Newly obtained documents revealed that Pelosi’s team had a significant role in the chaotic security planning leading up to that fateful day.
On the evening of January 5, 2021, Capitol Police Deputy Chief Sean Gallagher emailed Deputy House Sergeant at Arms Tim Blodgett. This email warned of online chatter indicating plans to locate tunnel entrances and obstruct members of Congress. Less than an hour later, this urgent warning was promptly forwarded to Blodgett’s boss, then-Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving.
But the alerts didn’t stop there. Later that same night, another ominous warning was issued regarding threats against Supreme Court justices. The sergeant-at-arms office quickly set up a briefing for Pelosi’s then-chief of staff, Terri McCullough, the next morning—just hours before the Capitol breach. These crucial messages were obtained by House Administration Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Barry Loudermilk and later released to the public.
The texts and emails offer a damning glimpse into why Pelosi, despite her public denials, claimed responsibility for the security failures on January 6 in a recently surfaced video shot by Pelosi’s daughter.
Loudermilk has stated that his committee plans to grill Pelosi’s staff about their reaction to the Capitol Police warnings. According to him, Pelosi understood the gravity of the situation and her team’s failure to act on Chief Steven Sund’s National Guard request.
Pelosi and House Democrats have consistently sidestepped responsibility for turning down an offer from then-President Trump’s administration to deploy National Guard troops at the Capitol. They insist that security decisions were entirely in the hands of the sergeant-at-arms and Capitol Police. Pelosi’s staff doubled down on this narrative, dismissing any suggestion that she had a hand in security planning.
Despite their protestations, the newly released documents tell a different story. They reveal that Pelosi’s office was actively involved in Capitol security planning. They received numerous requests for edits and feedback and were kept in the loop about security updates from Irving.
Text messages reveal that McCullough was constantly in contact with Irving for updates both before and on the morning of January 6. According to the Congressional Research Service, the Sergeant at Arms operates “under the direction of the Speaker” to maintain order and security in the House.
Emails from two days before the certification of the Electoral College votes reveal that McCullough was sent a draft letter from Irving’s office detailing security information. Pelosi’s office had the opportunity to make suggestions and edits. The final letter, incorporating these suggestions, was sent to all House members and staff the same day.
Security preparations seemed to be on track until the night of January 5, when the Capitol Police sent alarming warnings to Irving about potential interruptions and safety concerns.
Gallagher’s 8:55 PM email alerted Sergeant at Arms officials to an “Interest in Tunnels Leading to the U.S. Capitol.” Blodgett forwarded this email to Irving in the early hours of January 6. Gallagher reported a sharp increase in visitors to a website detailing Capitol tunnels and open-source comments discussing plans to find these entrances and block lawmakers.
Gallagher sent a similar alert to a top aide to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Still, this crucial information was not shared with the Capitol Police Chief or the officers on the ground.
Further compounding the situation, at 3:30 AM on January 6, Blodgett forwarded another warning to Irving about online chatter from a group called Red State Secession. This group was reportedly collecting addresses of politicians, judges, and lobbyists. Capitol Police monitored this group for mentions of members of Congress.
Text messages indicate that Irving briefed McCullough the following morning, suggesting that Pelosi’s office knew the potential threats.
In June, newly released footage of Pelosi on January 6, obtained by the House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight, shows her acknowledging some level of responsibility for the day’s events. This footage, recorded by Pelosi’s daughter, Alexandra, for an HBO documentary, shows Pelosi admitting that they did not fully grasp the situation or prepare adequately.
Yet, despite this private acknowledgment, Pelosi publicly deflected blame a month after the breach, asserting that she had no control over the Capitol Police.
