Failed former acting US Capitol Police chief condemns Trump's pardons to J6 political prisoners

WASHINGTON, DC - Yogananda Pittman, who failed her way up from assistant chief and acting chief of the US Capitol Police to chief of police for UC Berkeley, is concerned about January 6 political prisoners who received pardons Monday from President Trump, NBC Washington reports. 

Pittman told the outlet that she wanted those who had harmed police officers held accountable. 

“We want to make sure those that harmed law enforcement officials acting in their official capacity are held accountable,” Pittman said. While she was the assistant chief during the insurrection that wasn’t, after former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund was thrown under the bus by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), she was promoted to acting chief. 

Pittman also tried to politicize the death of Officer Brian Sicknick, the Capitol police officer who died days after the Capitol siege of what was determined to be natural causes. 

“When I think of Ms. Gladys Sicknick, who lost her son, Officer Brian Sicknick, my heart breaks having that up-close-and-personal relationship. When I think of Officer Howie Liebengood, who the United States Capitol Police has a wellness center named after Howie because he lost his life after January 6th,” Pittman said. 

It should be noted that Officer Liebengood committed suicide, and it was never tied directly to what occurred at the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. 

Pittman told the outlet that the Capitol police changed their security measures and operations after the January 6 incident. 

“We had to change the way we did tactics. We changed the way we did training. We changed the way that we communicated with each other. I believe our relationships in the National Capital Region are stronger because of what we experienced on January 6th.” 

Among a slew of pardons issued by Biden as he sailed off into the sunset, including the controversial “pre-emptive” pardons of his family, Anthony Fauci, and the January 6 commission, were pardons of several police officers who testified before that committee. Among those officers is Captain Michael Byrd, who gunned down unarmed Ashli Babbitt in cold blood during the Capitol siege. 

“If there are those that questioned the manner in which we provided that protection, we are open to answer any questions by the community and by the public. We’re obligated to answer for our actions,” Pittman said. 

“I would hope that more importantly than being pardoned, that we are recognized for the service that we provided to protect and serve the nation’s capital on that day. I believe our service will speak for itself.” 

Within three weeks of the January 6 siege, the U.S. Capitol Police Labor Committee, which represents some 1,000 Capitol police officers, slammed Pittman and her leadership team after she admitted in testimony that she and top department brass knew that violence at the Capitol was possible, however, failed to secure the building, The Hill reported. 

“The officers are angry, and I don’t blame them. The entire executive team failed us, and they must be held accountable. Their inaction costs lives,” said Gus Papathanasiou, chairman of the union. 

He said Pittman and the department’s leadership “betrayed” his officers and felt they failed the force by not relaying important intelligence to the rank-and-file officers so they could adequately prepare. 

Many of the injuries sustained by officers during the incident can be directly attributed to the leadership failures of Pittman and her team. 

“I have officers who were not issued helmets prior to the attack who have sustained brain injuries. One officer has two cracked ribs and two smashed spinal discs. One officer is going to lose his eye, and another was stabbed with a metal fence stake,” Papathanasiou said in a statement. 

Pittman admitted in her testimony before Congress that while the Capitol Police had over 1,200 personnel on duty that day, they were no match for the number of people who breached the Capitol grounds. She also confirmed that despite reports to the contrary, Sund's requests to the Capitol Police Board to declare a state of emergency and deploy the National Guard were turned down. 

According to the House Subcommittee on Oversight, President Trump also requested the National Guard to keep the peace at the Capitol, but senior Pentagon officials ignored him. 

“Pentagon leadership prioritized concerns of optics over their duty to protect lives,” said subcommittee chairman Barry Loudermilk (D-GA). “President Trump met with senior Pentagon leaders and directed them to make sure any events on January 6, 2021 were safe. It is very concerning that these Senior Pentagon officials ignored President Trump’s guidance AND misled Congressional Leaders to believe they were doing their job, when they were not.” 

Loudermilk called the DoD IG’s report “fundamentally flawed” and said, “It does not draw conclusions from the interviews they conducted but pushes a narrative to keep their hands clean.” 

In a separate release, the Subcommittee on Oversight addressed a documentary recorded by Pelosi’s daughter, Alexandra, who happened to be in DC on the day of the siege. In the videos, Pelosi discusses firing Sund and House Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving but says blaming anyone besides President Trump would be a “diversionary tactic.” 

“We have totally failed. We have to take some responsibility for not holding the security accountable for what could have happened. Oh my God, I cannot believe the stupidity of this. And I take full responsibility,” Speaker Pelosi said. 

Loudermilk added that the J6 Select Committee “had this footage but did not release it publicly and did not archive this footage at the end of the 117th Congress or hand it over when Republicans took the majority at the beginning of 2023.”