Forceful testimony from commander of D.C. National Guard highlights unexplained delays on Jan. 6
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At a joint Senate committee hearing on Wednesday, an array of intelligence and defense officials—including the commander of the Washington, D.C. National Guard—gave testimony concerning events leading up to and during the Jan. 6 insurgency. Much of tForceful testimony from commander of D.C. National Guard highlights unexplained delays on Jan. 6
At a joint Senate committee hearing on Wednesday, an array of intelligence and defense officials—including the commander of the Washington, D.C. National Guard—gave testimony concerning events leading up to and during the Jan. 6 insurgency. Much of the focus of the questions and answers remained around the timing of events, including when the National Guard was authorized, and on the clear failures of intelligence to anticipate the violent events of that day. The testimony with the most impact was certainly that of Major General William Walker, the commanding general of the Washington, D.C. National Guard. In both his opening statement and his responses to questions, Walker made it clear that he did everything possible to get Guard troops to the Capitol in response to the unfolding emergency, and that included bringing in forces and having them at the arsenal just minutes away before he had been given the clearance to send them in. The frustration that Walker felt at the lengthy delays in getting permission to have his forces move, and at the requirements placed on his forces by then acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller was … considerable. However, as the day went on and more and more questions focused on the chain of command and the timing of events, it became clear that the results of this process could well be streamlining the process for responding after the next event rather than preventing such an event. Read more