Newhouse Addresses Capitol Security Amid Continued Tensions

Acting U.S. Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman told a Congressional subcommittee Thursday that intelligence indicates members of extremist militias may be plotting to attack the Capitol again when President Biden addresses a joint session. The unscheduled event will likely be held in mid-to-late March.

4th District Representative Dan Newhouse said he is not aware of any specific evidence that allows Pittman to make her claim.

"I spent in the last two days about five or six hours hearing not only from the Acting Chief of the Capitol Police but others in leadership. Listening to what happened January 6th and the events leading up to that and why the systems just were not adequate and some of them actually broke down." explained Newhouse, "To try to prevent what happened from every happening again."

The Sunnyside Republican added that he thinks seeing an eight-foot fence with wire surrounding the Capitol is bad optics for the people's House, but leaving the barricades up for now is erring on the side of caution. He suspects the extra security measures should be gone sometime after President Biden's address.