House GOP Conference Chair and U.S. Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY) blamed Democrats for the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in a tweet published on Dec. 22.
"Our House Republican Majority will demand accountability for Nancy Pelosi’s complete FAILURE to secure our Capitol and House Democrats’ unconstitutional sham to target their political opponents," Stefanik wrote.
"Report of Investigation: Security Failures at the United States Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021," provided by multiple House Republicans, provided findings from the perspective of the House of Representatives regarding areas of concern that the Democrat-led investigation has allegedly ignored, answering the question of why the Capitol was left relatively unprepared. The report is based on documents and communications obtained from key witnesses, as well as interviews with U.S. Capitol Police leaders and rank-and-file officers.
Listed shortcomings include the following: The speaker of the House and Democrat leadership were closely involved in security decisions in the lead up to and on Jan. 6, 2021; the House Sergeant at Arms took direction from staff in the Office of the Speaker and intentionally excluded Republicans from key meetings and conversations related to House security; the Leadership of the Intelligence and Interagency Coordination Division overhauled the division in the weeks before Jan. 6, 2021, and created new processes for obtaining and assessing intelligence data that caused confusion and rendered a key USCP component ineffective during a critical period; the leadership of the Intelligence and Interagency Coordination Division retaliated against subordinates who spoke out about the division’s shortcomings; and the House Sergeant at Arms was compromised by politics in the lead up to and on Jan. 6, 2021, and did not adequately prepare the Capitol for possible violence.
The report also noted that, since the events of Jan. 6, 2021, the U.S. Capitol Police have still not purchased the equipment deemed necessary to protect its officers, and it has yet to implement important recommendations issued by multiple oversight bodies.
Stefanik was first elected to represent New York's 21st Congressional District in 2014 and was elected by her House colleagues as chair of the House Republican Conference in 2021. She is also a member of the House Armed Services Committee, the Committee on Education and Labor and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
