Gebhardt did not present more depth about the character of his clients’ complaints relating to the Capitol Law enforcement department or the retaliation he suggests they face, past his allegations of two probable firings.
But a independent letter — despatched by a man or woman who submitted a whistleblower report to Congress pertaining to the Capitol Law enforcement earlier this yr, and who is not Gebhardt’s client — consists of detailed allegations about the sort of retaliation that law enforcement intelligence whistleblowers now encounter. That letter, which POLITICO reviewed and has not beforehand been claimed, has been sent to the Jan. 6 select committee, as properly as the Residence Administration Committee and the Senate Guidelines Committee.
Dated Nov. 8, that letter mentioned Capitol Law enforcement intelligence analysts have produced at minimum 93 problems about “abuse and mismanagement of the USCP intelligence operations” prior to and following Jan. 6. These issues have absent to office supervisors, the department’s Place of work of Qualified Accountability, the department’s inspector common and congressional committees.
“The analysts experienced mind-boggling intelligence indicating that armed militia was likely to attack in drive to seize the Capitol,” the letter reads. “This was disregarded by the ‘experts’ commanding the IICD.”
The letter states there is a “culture of retaliation and intimidation” in the department’s intelligence division.
In the months before the attack, Capitol Law enforcement installed new leadership at the intelligence division who began to overhaul it. By mid-November, the unit’s new chief “was laying out new priorities,” CNN documented.
The letter POLITICO reviewed cites the reorganization as a big factor contributing to the failure of Capitol Law enforcement to realize the gravity of the danger posed on Jan. 6 and to system appropriately. Before that reorganization, in accordance to the letter, “there experienced in no way been an intelligence failure associated to demonstrations.”
“The failure of the 6th is a stark distinction to the historic good results of this device, but this failure was not on the analysts,” the letter reads. “They furnished extra than sufficient really unique warning. No, the intelligence failure relaxation [sic] squarely on the IICD management.”
“The accurate heartbreak article January 6th is the ongoing retaliation and intimidation that proceeds versus most members of the IICD that sounded the alarms about the intelligence and disorganization prior to tragedies of January 6th,” the letter adds.
A spokesperson for the Capitol Police declined to remark, citing the likelihood of litigation.
Federal regulation presents considerable protections to men and women who operate in the govt branch and file whistleblower grievances. But personnel in the legislative department — which features Capitol Police staff — get pleasure from significantly less protection.
Gebhardt, the attorney, claimed this is a challenge.
“There needs to be far more robust whistleblower protections for workforce in the legislative department,” he advised POLITICO.
