Rep. Pramila Jayapal warned Wednesday that trust among members is eroding in the House of Representatives amid concerns that last week’s riot inside the U.S. Capitol may have been aided by lawmakers.
“There’s no trust within the chamber, within our colleagues, even as we get security briefings. There’s no trust that we don’t have people within our own membership of Congress” passing this information on to help those who staged the attack," Jayapal (D-Wash.) said on "The View."
Since the attack, a number of Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns with how quickly rioters were able to find their targets in the large Capitol complex. Any members of Congress involved should be removed for helping to plan the insurrection, Jayapal said, adding that it was “one of the most troubling things” that lawmakers may have been involved.
On a Friday caucus call, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) said he believed the riots were “an inside job,” according to two lawmakers on the call.
Rep. Mike Sherrill (D-N.J.) said Tuesday that she witnessed colleagues gave “reconnaissance” tours through the Capitol the day before the riots. She did not provide further evidence, but told POLITICO Wednesday that she had referred the matter to the authorities.