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Senate Holds First Hearing On Jan. 6 Capitol Attack

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

It has been nearly 50 days since violent insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol. The attack left several people dead, the building vandalized, the nation shaken.

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

Well, today in a hearing room on Capitol Hill, some of the witnesses to that attack, the senators themselves, questioned the former head of the U.S. Capitol Police, the acting D.C. Metropolitan Police chief, and others responsible for protecting the Capitol.

(SOUNDBITE OF MONTAGE)

AMY KLOBUCHAR: Why didn't we take some additional steps? Why didn't you and others involved to be better prepared to...

ROY BLUNT: Why would it take an hour to approve National Guard assistance...

GARY PETERS: How can that happen? How could you not get that vital intelligence on the eve of what's going to be a major event?

KELLY: That vital intelligence was an FBI report warning of violence that had been sent to Capitol Police the day before. But the then head of the Capitol Police, Steven Sund, testified today that it did not reach him or the House and Senate sergeants at arms before the attack.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

KLOBUCHAR: And so you hadn't seen it yourself?

STEVEN SUND: No, ma'am. It did not go any further than that.

KLOBUCHAR: OK. And then was it sent to the House and Senate sergeant in arms?

SUND: I don't believe it went any farther than from the - over to the sergeant at the intelligence division.

KLOBUCHAR: OK. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.