Texas lawmaker blames intentional actions for Jan. 6 incident.

Republican Texas Rep. Troy Nehls didn’t hold back during a House of Representatives hearing, describing the events of January 6 as an “epic law-enforcement failure.” He went on to suggest that senior leaders of the Capitol Police not only ignored intelligence but also seemed to want the chaos to unfold.

Speaking at a Jan. 6 “field hearing” hosted by U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) at the capitol visitor center, Nehls revealed that crucial intelligence about potential trouble at the Capitol was deliberately concealed by top-level Capitol Police officials in the days leading up to January 6, 2021.

“January 6, folks, was a law-enforcement failure, an epic law-enforcement failure,” Nehls emphasized. “We had clear indications from the December 15, December 30, and January 3 special events assessments that things were going to turn ugly. We knew it. The leadership of the Capitol Police, including Assistant Chief Yogananda Pittman, had access to all this intelligence. They knew it was going to be violent, with extremist groups from both sides, including white supremacy groups.”

Nehls echoed the findings of various oversight reports on Jan. 6, stating that the Capitol Police intelligence division, led by Pittman at the time, failed to share critical information with other USCP leaders and the officers who were on the front lines when the violence erupted.

However, Nehls took it a step further, suggesting a more sinister motive. “I believe that they hid the intelligence,” he asserted. “It’s almost as if they wanted this to happen.”

Nehls also revealed that Pittman recently appeared before the GOP-led Committee on House Administration to answer questions about Jan. 6. The meeting took place during the week of June 5-9.

Pittman became acting chief after Police Chief Steven Sund resigned on Jan. 7, 2021. She later returned to her previous role as head of the USCP intelligence division when J. Thomas Manger was hired as chief of police in mid-2021.

Pittman faced heavy criticism from former USCP Lt. Tarik Johnson, who blamed her for not authorizing the evacuation of the U.S. Senate just before 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 6. Johnson initiated the evacuation himself and managed to get senators and staff to safety moments before the protesters arrived, as revealed by unreleased security footage reviewed by The Epoch Times.

Johnson was suspended by USCP on Jan. 9, 2021, and later left the department. He believes his suspension and demotion were a result of his decision to evacuate the Senate and House chambers, as well as his report to Congress about being ordered to confiscate riot helmets from fellow officers in the days leading up to Jan. 6.

While Johnson’s official discipline was attributed to him wearing a red “Make America Great Again” ball cap while working with two Oath Keepers to rescue officers, Nehls placed much of the blame on Pittman.

“I wish I had five minutes with her because, to me, Ms. Pittman could have prevented this from happening,” Nehls expressed. “She should be held accountable for one of the darkest days in our nation’s history. They had the intelligence and chose to sit on it. It’s shameful, and we must ensure it never happens again.”

Pittman has declined to address media questions about Jan. 6, even through a university spokeswoman.

Nehls also shared his belief that Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt was murdered just outside the entrance to the Speaker’s Lobby at around 2:45 p.m. on Jan. 6. Nehls, who served as sheriff of Fort Bend County, Texas, for eight years, stated, “I’ve had deputies shoot and kill people. I’ve had deputies get shot and killed. And I’m telling you, Ashli Babbitt was murdered that day.”