U.S. Capitol Archives

Missouri National Guard heads to Washington, D.C. to help with safety efforts

January 14, 2021 By Alisa Nelson

Gov. Mike Parson is sending members of the Missouri National Guard to Washington, D.C. to help with potential safety problems in the run-up to the presidential inauguration. They will help with security, medical evacuation, and logistics.

Missouri National Guard heads to Washington, D.C. to help with safety efforts

The move follows an internal FBI memo warning of possible “armed protests” at all state capitols, the U.S. Capitol, state, local and federal government courthouses and administrative buildings in the days leading up to the inauguration.

The Guard tells Missourinet the current authorization allows them to help up to 31 days, but the length could change depending on the need. Due to operational concerns, the number of soldiers involved is not being released.

Security has also ramped up around the Missouri Capitol after the FBI bulletin was leaked. Multiple law enforcement agencies are helping with the efforts in Jefferson City.

Blunt says Capitol staging of inaugural important message to world; to Hawley critics, time to ‘move on’

January 9, 2021 By Ashley Byrd

Senator Roy Blunt says plans for Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration will not be derailed or changed after Wednesday’s deadly breach of Capitol security.

From left: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, President Donald Trump, Missouri U.S. Senator Roy Blunt

The senior Missouri Senator is overseeing the event on the behalf of Congress. He says he spent a lot of time Thursday with Capitol police and reviewing the FBI intelligence reports of the attack on the Capitol. The smaller inaugural crowd restricted to 3,000 because of COVID-19 concerns will be easier to handle than the typical 200,000 attendees, he said.

Blunt said “It’s the right decision” to hold the Biden inauguration at the same place that President Trump was sworn in four years ago.

“We will be outside and just as it was important to return to the Capitol as quickly as we could to the Senate and House Chambers, it is also important to send that message around the world that while we are dealing with a pandemic that our Democracy moves forward,” he told Missourinet.

Blunt, who serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said “the storming of the Capitol by these rioters was outrageous and very harmful to our position around the world. I’m sure our adversaries loved seeing those films and pictures all over the world. It was a big day for them and a poor day for us.”

Blunt stands by his statement that the president was part of creating the dangerous environment Wednesday.

President Trump has announced he will not go to Biden’s inauguration and, though Blunt said he had been talking with the president’s staff about Trump’s attendance, Blunt said he “does not have any argument with (Trump’s) decision on this.”

Vice-President Mike Pence is expected to be there and, as President-elect Biden did Thursday, Blunt said Pence’s presence will be welcome.

Blunt told Missourinet the public will see a different scene on January 20 than they did on January 6.

“We’ll have the kind of secure operation on the ground and in the air that we had four years ago and I think everybody will have a greater appreciation for how challenging it is to get this done this year than they may have ever had before,” Blunt said.

Blunt is chairman of the Senate Rules Committee and, every four years, the chairman of that panel leads the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.

“I’d really like it if we were inaugurating the person that I voted for, but I’m going to respect the fact that the Constitution and the process work,” he said during a telephone interview Friday.

Missourinet asked: “Given what you’ve seen from President Trump now, would you vote for him again?”

Blunt replied: “I don’t have to make that decision, do I? I certainly voted for him in November. The foreign policy successes, the regulatory successes, the economic successes, what is obvious to me will be the incredible success in developing the vaccine…with the president’s leadership we got it done in nine months.”

“This is not a decision that needs to be made,” Blunt continued. “It’s kind of like spending time on Ted Cruz’s plan. It’s not anything I have to deal with and believe me I have plenty of problems to deal with that are real and immediate, rather than speculating on things that aren’t going to happen.”

Fellow Missouri Senator Josh Hawley’s objection to Electoral College results from Pennsylvania has prompted some Democrats in the Senate to call for Hawley to resign and a few Republicans have publicly rebuked Hawley, Blunt is not among them. Blunt told the Missourinet he and Hawley “have a great relationship.”

“He has a job to do just like I do and I’m sure he’ll do it. He’s very smart and I’m pleased to get the chance to work with him. We did not agree on this issue the day he announced this challenge, and Ted Cruz’s challenge,” Blunt said. “I think it’s time to move on and remember, half of the Republicans in the House of Representatives had a similar position.”

Blunt said any movement toward impeaching President Trump would also be as fruitless as Sen. Cruz’s plan to create a commission to review all of the state ballots.

“Frankly, I think he (Trump) has already paid a big price for keeping on the (election) topic and not allowing us to talk about many accomplishments he’s had as president,” Blunt said.

Missouri Members of Congress respond to pro-Trump rioters invading Capitol

January 6, 2021 By Ashley Byrd

As a joint session of Congress began the process of approving the electoral college results of the 2020 presidential election, pro-Trump rioters pushed past U.S. Capitol Police and entered the House chambers and Senate offices. Vice-president Mike Pence and members of Congress evacuated to “safe quarters” inside the office buildings. Then they began tweeting their responses. Missourinet got the following messages and tweets from the delegation.

Sen. Roy Blunt was one of the first to denounce the mob’s actions: “The events unfolding at the Capitol are shameful. There is no justification for violence and destruction. It has to stop now. This is not who we are as a nation. Thank you to the Capitol Police who are keeping us safe.”

Senator Josh Hawley, who had been leading an electoral college protest effort inside the Senate Chamber, sent this statement after the police reinforcements had arrived: “Thank you to the brave law enforcement officials who have put their lives on the line. The violence must end, those who attacked police and broke the law must be prosecuted, and Congress must get back to work and finish its job.”

Veteran Democrat Rep. Emanual Cleaver of Kansas City spoke with TV partner KMBC. Mike Mahoney shared: KC Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, in KMBC interview, says protesters are “all over the Capitol complex” Cleaver is locked down in his House office, not inside the Capitol. Says this is making the US look like a 2-bit country in world’s eyes

Rep. Cori Bush, newly sworn-in Democrat from St. Louis tweeted: “I’m in the Capitol. I’m safe, and my team and I are sheltering in place. The President of the United States has incited a riot that has now stormed the Capitol. There are rioters roaming the halls of the Capitol. I saw them with my own eyes. Our country deserves better.
She later announced: “I believe the Republican members of Congress who have incited this domestic terror attack through their attempts to overturn the election must face consequences. They have broken their sacred Oath of Office. I will be introducing a resolution calling for their expulsion.”

Rep. Ann Wagner, R-MO2, tweeted: “The violent riots we are seeing right now are despicable and have no place in our nation. The President needs to take decisive action immediately to stop this seditious behavior.”

Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer tweeted: “Peaceful protesting is acceptable. Violence, lawlessness and attacks on law enforcement are absolutely not.”

Rep. Sam Graves of northwest Missouri: “Peaceful protests are protected by the Constitution, but this is not how we settle disputes in America. The violence and lawlessness happening at the United States Capitol right now is completely unacceptable and un-American. This is not what democracy looks like.”

Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-MO4, tweeted: “The violent rioting on Capitol Hill is appalling and must stop! These so-called protesters have exhibited behavior one would expect to witness during a third world coup. This disgusting behavior is not representative of what we stand for as a country. This is thuggery and violators must be punished to the fullest extent allowed under federal law. We cannot heal our divides as a nation if this lawlessness persists.”

Rep. Jason Smith, R- MO8, tweeted: “I condemn this violence and give my complete support to the brave Capitol Police officers working to restore order. Pray for America. It was Oscar Wilde who said ‘When Liberty comes with hands dabbled in blood, it is hard to shake hands with her. The current acts of violence can never be accepted under any circumstances no matter your political affiliation.”

Rep. Billy Long, R-MO7, issued this press release: “What happened at the Capitol Building is disgraceful and completely unacceptable and I condemn the actions of those involved,” said Rep. Long. “I commend the brave men and women of the United States Capitol Police, the Washington Metropolitan Police and the officers of the various federal agencies that assisted in restoring order in the Capitol and keeping Members of Congress and their staff safe. I was at the Capitol only briefly this morning, long before any of this started, and did not witness anything unfold in person. My staff and I are safe, and I am urging people to leave the Capitol complex calmly and peacefully and to comply with the Mayor’s 6:00 pm curfew.”

Luetkemeyer, Graves, Hartzler, and Long have all planned to protest the election of Joe Biden today, saying they believe there was voting fraud in key states that Biden won.