Now here, I'm not sure of the way things work in the US, so a question: are the police and security who should have been prepared under the control of the legislative or the executive branch? And if the executive, isn't that basically -- well, Trump? And why would he want them prepared?
Who runs the Capitol cops...
Capitol Police Board - Wikipedia
Who are the Capitol cops....
United States Capitol Police - Wikipedia
More complicated is who runs the National Guard....
United States National Guard - Wikipedia
In short....
https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...d-out-washington-dc-heres-what-you-need-know/
Excerpted....
Jan. 7, 2021 at 6:00 a.m. EST
Hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol yesterday,
halting the formal electoral college vote count by Congress and creating
widespread disorder in the nation’s capital. Though the Department of Defense
initially rejected a request from the District of Columbia, on Wednesday afternoon, Acting Secretary of Defense
Christopher Miller approved the mobilization of the full
D.C. National Guard contingent — 1,100 troops. The governors of
Maryland,
Virginia and
New Jersey also approved activations of their own troops to support the
D.C. National Guard, with more states expected to follow suit.
.
1. Trump will not personally command the D.C. National Guard
Control of the National Guard operates differently in the District of Columbia than in the 50 U.S. states. Because of the capital’s unique status, the president serves as commander in chief of the D.C. National Guard. In practice, however, command authority has been delegated through the Secretary of Defense to the civilian Secretary of the Army for the Army National Guard and the Secretary of the Air Force for the Air National Guard. Upon request, other states — like Virginia — can augment the D.C. guard.
Since these personnel likely will fall under local control, the
Posse Comitatus Act, which prevents the president from using active-duty troops to enforce domestic law, will not apply. National Guard members can support local and federal police and carry out law enforcement activities that help restore order. The Secretary of Defense has the authority to activate the D.C. National Guard on his own, but he did consult Vice President Pence. The fact that Trump was not involved suggests he was “missing in action” amid a national crisis. While the Secretary of the Army will exercise command authority, President Trump or the acting Secretary of Defense will have opportunities to inject themselves into the decision-making process, where they might direct troops to either stand down or even support protesters. Trump’s
recent purge of Pentagon leadership means that some Trump loyalists may be in position to try to shape decisions. However, they have little formal and practical authority to do so.
2. The U.S. military will not follow illegal orders
The National Guard has
stepped in to serve as law enforcement before, especially when local police become overwhelmed and outnumbered, as appears to be the case in Washington now. However, their role is limited. If President Trump attempts to order the military to help protesters trying to interfere with normal election certification proceedings, senior military leaders would likely interpret it as an illegal order.
If that is the case, they are likely to refuse to comply. Although Trump has installed multiple loyalists over the last couple of months in the Department of Defense, orders will not work unless uniformed officers obey them. In August, the most senior military officer in the United States, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley,
testified that the military would reject unlawful orders and support the peaceful transition of power.
3. Still, there are risks
The more serious risk is that most National Guard personnel are
not trained as police. An aggressive mistake, a fearful escalation or inadvertent provocation by a National Guard soldier who is unprepared for a difficult situation could spark a crisis.
:
:
Was the Department of Defense prepared?
Many scholars have
predicted election-related violence for months, and the president’s focus on Congress’ meeting to certify the electoral college results on Wednesday provided a clear focal point for trouble.
But reports that D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser’s initial requests for additional support on Wednesday found the Pentagon flat-footed suggests Pentagon leaders were not as ready as they might have been. The National Guard now faces the task of restoring order in the city of Washington and protecting federal property. Given the urgency of this request, National Guard troops and protesters may find themselves in the middle of difficult, violent situations in the District of Columbia, and the city’s police will face the challenge of coordinating with unfamiliar units without much prior planning. If these National Guard units have not been training and preparing themselves for this type of situation over the last few months, there is a high risk of mistakes.
====== End of excerpt =====
The above info paints the picture I see.
Add to this the credible reports that some Capitol Police
cooperated with MAGAs to overwhelm the building.
We have a picture where the cops & Pentagon aren't
as interested in protecting Congress as they should be.
But I'd wager your left one that the shock & embarrassment
of the Jan 6 events will turn their attitudes around for the
Jan 20 inauguration.
At this point, Congress, the Capitol Police, & the DC mayor
should be coordinating with the Pentagon to verify cooperation
this time. It it doesn't appear to be forthcoming, then they
should assume they're on their own, & plan accordingly.
It could mean inaugurating Biden somewhere else secretly.
Of if they'll continue as planned, be better prepared for
potential violence, eg, more barriers, more personnel, &
more appropriate weaponry, eg, rifles, tear gas.
