Steven Sund

Last updated

Steven Sund
Steven Sund.jpg
Official portrait, 2020
10th Chief of the United States Capitol Police
In office
June 14, 2019 –January 8, 2021
January 6 United
States Capitol attack
2021 storming of the United States Capitol DSC09156 (50826223403) (cropped to gallows).jpg
Timeline • Planning
Background
2020 presidential election
and other causes
Related groups and persons
Participants
Notable people
Organizations
Law enforcement response
Aftermath
Biden inauguration
Investigations and charges
Corporate actions
Reactions
Impeachment and 2024 presidential election

Sund was chief when, on January 6, 2021, rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol building while Congress was counting the electoral votes of the 2020 presidential election. [6] Rioters were able to reach the chambers of the Senate and the House of Representatives, marking the first time since 1814 that the Capitol building had been breached. [7] [8]

Capitol Police received major backlash after video emerged of what looked like some officers allowing rioters into the Capitol, and another officer filmed taking a selfie with rioters. [9] [10] [11] [12]

Sund said in February 2021 that on January 3, he contacted House Sergeant-at-Arms Paul D. Irving and Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael C. Stenger to request support from the D.C. National Guard in advance of the January 6 joint-session of Congress. According to Sund, his request was denied by Irving who stated concerns about "optics". [13]

Resignation

In the early morning hours of January 7, Sund issued a statement defending the department's response. [14] [4] That afternoon, during a televised press conference, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for Sund's resignation, citing "a failure of leadership at the top" of the department [15] and added that Sund had not contacted her since the event. [16] [14] (An aide to Pelosi later clarified that Pelosi and Sund had spoken on the evening of January 6, but not after that time). [17]

That afternoon, Sund submitted a letter of resignation stating his intention to remain in the post until January 16. [18] [19] The following day, January 8, Sund's command ended; [20] Yogananda Pittman was sworn in as acting U.S. Capitol Police Chief, the first female and first African American to hold the post. [21]

Aftermath

On February 1, 2021, Sund sent a letter to Speaker Pelosi detailing the events leading up to and including January 6. [13] Sund provided a timeline for the aid he sought from local law enforcement agencies and D.C. National Guard units, and an accounting of the meetings he had after the perimeter had been breached while he sought assistance. [13] Toward the end of the letter, Sund acknowledged a breakdown in some systems, which he argued could nonetheless be rectified through provision of resources, training, updates to policy, and accountability. He did not specify which systems failed but pointed to the lack of intelligence, noting officials did not predict an armed assault on the Capitol. [13]

On February 23, Sund testified before Senate committees about the storming. [22] [23] Sund later stated he regretted his resignation. [24]

On March 3, 2021, Major General William J. Walker, the commanding officer of the D.C. National Guard testified in a U.S. Senate hearing. His testimony supported Sund's account of events. [25] Walker testified that he spoke with Sund at 1:49 p.m. Walker said, "It was an urgent plea" from Sund, "and his voice was cracking, and he was serious, he needed help right then and there, every available Guardsman." [26] Within minutes of the call, the Capitol was breached.

Sund maintained that the U.S. Capitol Police "did not fail", that its officers had acted bravely and that, "outnumbered and against tremendous odds", they had maintained the safety of members of Congress. [19]

External videos
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg After Words interview with Sund on Courage Under Fire, January 8, 2023, C-SPAN

Sund has written a book, Courage Under Fire: Under Siege and Outnumbered 58 to 1 on January 6 ( ISBN   9798200983520), published in January 2023 by Blackstone Publishing. It became an "Amazon triple bestseller" in the first week of publication. [27] [28] [29] In the book, Sund highlights failures by several intelligence agencies to heed various warnings of the Jan. 6 attack.

In September 2023, Sund testified before the United States House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight. He argued that intelligence officials were responsible for the Capitol attack, and that they had neglected to properly share warnings about the potential of the event becoming violent. Republican members of the subcommittee indicated they felt Sund received disproportionate blame for the attack on the Capitol from political figures including Pelosi. [30]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Capitol Police</span> Police agency protecting the U.S. Congress

The United States Capitol Police (USCP) is a federal law enforcement agency in the United States with nationwide jurisdiction charged with protecting the United States Congress within the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its territories. It answers to the Capitol Police Board and is the only full-service federal law enforcement agency appointed by the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate</span> Highest-ranking federal law enforcement officer of the Senate of the United States

The sergeant at arms and doorkeeper of the United States Senate is the protocol officer, executive officer, and highest-ranking federal law enforcement officer of the Senate of the United States. The office of the sergeant at arms of the Senate currently has just short of 1,000 full time staff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul D. Irving</span> American law enforcement officer (born 1957)

Paul Douglas Irving is an American former law enforcement officer who served as the Sergeant at Arms of the United States House of Representatives from January 17, 2012, until January 7, 2021, succeeding Wilson Livingood in that post. He resigned due to his inability to fulfill his duty during the 2021 United States Capitol attack.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William J. Walker</span> United States army general

William J. Walker is a retired United States Army major general and former Sergeant at Arms of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was the 38th House Sergeant at Arms and the first African-American to hold the office. He last served as the 23rd Commanding General of the District of Columbia National Guard. This responsibility includes command of the District of Columbia Army and Air National Guard units. Walker previously served in the Drug Enforcement Administration as a Special Agent and was promoted to the Senior Executive Service in January 2003, with his final assignment being Deputy Assistant Administrator in Charge of the Office of Strategic Warning Intelligence. Walker is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a National Academy of Public Administration Fellow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter E. Piatt</span> American Army general

Walter E. Piatt is a retired United States Army lieutenant general who was appointed chief executive officer of Wounded Warrior Project on March 18, 2024. He last served as the 57th Director of the Army Staff from 2019 to 2024. He enlisted in the army in 1979 and served four years as an infantryman. After graduating from Lock Haven University, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1987. Prior to assuming his current position, Piatt was the Commanding General, 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum. His other assignments as a general officer include serving as the 52nd Chief of Infantry; Deputy Commanding General-Support, 10th Mountain Division; Commander, Joint Multinational Training Command; Deputy Commanding General, United States Army Europe; and director of Operations/director, Rapid Equipment Fielding, Army Rapid Capabilities Office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">January 6 United States Capitol attack</span> 2021 attempt to prevent presidential electoral vote count

On January 6, 2021, the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., was attacked by a mob of supporters of then-U.S. president Donald Trump, two months after his defeat in the 2020 presidential election. They sought to keep Trump in power by occupying the Capitol and preventing a joint session of Congress counting the Electoral College votes to formalize the victory of President-elect Joe Biden. The attack was ultimately unsuccessful in preventing the certification of the election results. According to the bipartisan House select committee that investigated the incident, the attack was the culmination of a seven-part plan by Trump to overturn the election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Killing of Ashli Babbitt</span> 2021 shooting in the U.S. Capitol Building

On January 6, 2021, Ashli Babbitt was fatally shot during an attack on the United States Capitol. She was part of a crowd of supporters of then U.S. president Donald Trump who breached the United States Capitol building seeking to overturn his defeat in the 2020 presidential election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael C. Stenger</span> American law enforcement officer (1950–2022)

Michael Conrad Stenger was an American law enforcement officer who served as the 41st Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate from April 16, 2018, to January 7, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jennifer Hemingway</span> American law enforcement officer

Jennifer A. Hemingway is an American federal law enforcement officer and former political advisor who briefly served as the acting Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate and acting chairwoman of the Capitol Police Board. After being passed over for the position, Hemingway became chief of staff to the Senate's Sergeant at Arms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Death of Brian Sicknick</span> American police officer (1978–2021)

On January 7, 2021, a United States Capitol Police (USCP) officer, Brian Sicknick, died after suffering two strokes the day after he responded to an attack on the U.S. Capitol. The District of Columbia chief medical examiner found that Sicknick had died from stroke, classifying his death as natural and additionally commented that "all that transpired played a role in his condition", a decision which was criticized by some expert neurologists, who have stated that stress from the attack may have very well caused the stroke. His cremated remains were laid in honor in the Capitol Rotunda on February 2, 2021, before they were buried with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of the January 6 United States Capitol attack</span>

The following article is a broad timeline of the course of events surrounding the attack on the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, by rioters supporting United States President Donald Trump's attempts to overturn his defeat in the 2020 presidential election. Pro-Trump rioters stormed the United States Capitol after assembling on the Ellipse of the Capitol complex for a rally headlined as the "Save America March".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yogananda Pittman</span> American police officer

Yogananda D. Pittman is an American police officer who is the University of California, Berkeley chief of police. She was formerly the assistant chief and acting chief of the United States Capitol Police (USCP), serving in those posts during and after the 2021 insurrection at the United States Capitol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Domestic reactions to the January 6 United States Capitol attack</span>

In the aftermath of the January 6 United States Capitol attack, after drawing widespread condemnation from the U.S. Congress, members of his administration, and the media, 45th U.S. President Donald Trump released a video-taped statement on January 7 to stop the resignations of his staff and the threats of impeachment or removal from office. In the statement, he condemned the violence at the U.S. Capitol, saying that "a new administration will be inaugurated", which was widely seen as a concession, and his "focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly, and seamless transition of power" to the Joe Biden administration. Vanity Fair reported that Trump was at least partially convinced to make the statement by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who told Trump a sufficient number of Senate Republicans would support removing him from office unless he conceded. Kayleigh McEnany, the White House Press Secretary, had attempted to distance the administration from the rioters' behavior in a televised statement earlier in the day. On January 9, The New York Times reported that Trump had told White House aides he regretted committing to an orderly transition of power and would never resign from office. In a March 25 interview on Fox News, Trump defended the Capitol attackers, saying they were patriots who posed "zero threat", and he criticized law enforcement for "persecuting" the rioters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aftermath of the January 6 United States Capitol attack</span>

The January 6 United States Capitol attack was followed by political, legal, and social repercussions. The second impeachment of Donald Trump, who was charged for incitement of insurrection for his conduct, occurred on January 13. At the same time, Cabinet officials were pressured to invoke the 25th Amendment for removing Trump from office. Trump was subsequently acquitted in the Senate trial, which was held in February after Trump had already left office. The result was a 57–43 vote in favor of conviction, with every Democrat and seven Republicans voting to convict, but two-thirds of the Senate are required to convict. Many in the Trump administration resigned. Several large companies announced they were halting all political donations, and others have suspended funding the lawmakers who had objected to certifying Electoral College results. A bill was introduced to form an independent commission, similar to the 9/11 Commission, to investigate the events surrounding the attack; it passed the House but was blocked by Republicans in the Senate. The House then approved a House "select committee" to investigate the attack. In June, the Senate released the results of its own investigation of the attack. The event led to strong criticism of law enforcement agencies. Leading figures within the United States Capitol Police resigned. A large-scale criminal investigation was undertaken, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) opening more than 1,200 case files. Federal law enforcement undertook a nationwide manhunt for the perpetrators, with arrests and indictments following within days. Over 890 people had been found guilty of federal crimes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">January 6 commission</span> Failed legislation proposed during the 117th U.S. Congress

The National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex, known colloquially as the January 6 commission, was an unsuccessful proposal to create a commission that would have investigated the January 6 United States Capitol attack. On February 15, 2021, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi announced that she planned to create a "9/11-type commission". The details were initially negotiated by Republican John Katko, and would have consisted of an equal number of Democrats and Republicans. A bill forming the commission passed the House of Representatives on May 19, with all Democrats and 35 Republicans voting in support of it. However, it was blocked by Senate Republicans on May 28, with 54 Senators voting in favor and 35 voting against, failing to clear the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Criminal proceedings in the January 6 United States Capitol attack</span> List of people charged with crimes

On January 6, 2021, supporters of then President Donald Trump attacked the U.S. Capitol Building, disrupting the joint session of Congress assembled to count electoral votes to formalize Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 United States Presidential Election. By the end of the month, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had opened more than 400 case files and issued more than 500 subpoenas and search warrants related to the riot. The FBI also created a website to solicit tips from the public specifically related to the riot and were especially assisted by the crowdsourced sleuthing group Sedition Hunters. By the end of 2021, 725 people had been charged with federal crimes. That number rose to 1,000 by the second anniversary of the attack, and to 1,200 by the third anniversary, at which point over 890 people had been found guilty of federal crimes. These federal cases are handled by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia (D.C.). State cases, of which there are fewer, are handled in the D.C. Superior Court.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Law enforcement response to the January 6 United States Capitol attack</span>

Law enforcement mounted a response to the January 6 United States Capitol attack, initially failing to maintain security perimeters and protect parts of the building from being breached and occupied, but succeeding at protecting members of Congress, and subsequently, as reinforcements arrived, to secure the breached Capitol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Barnett (Capitol rioter)</span> American convicted for participating in Jan 6 Capitol riot

Richard Morris "Bigo" Barnett is an American convicted felon who took part in the United States Capitol attack on January 6, 2021. A photograph of Barnett with his feet on a desk in Nancy Pelosi’s office in the Capitol building became one of the most prominent images of the January 6 attack.

Ahead of the January 6 United States Capitol attack, there were widespread predictions of violence. Trump supporters, their opponents, media figures, and law enforcement all warned of upcoming violence. In 2023, a Senate report would conclude the attack was "planned in plain sight". Researchers predicted the violence was likely to occur if the elections were close and if Trump could not ensure that his supporters would commit fraud on his behalf.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Executive Team". United States Capitol Police. June 16, 2016. Archived from the original on March 31, 2020. Retrieved April 26, 2020.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  2. ↑ Leonnig, Carol D.; Davis, Aaron C.; Hermann, Peter; Demirjian, Karoun. "Outgoing Capitol Police chief: House, Senate security officials hamstrung efforts to call in National Guard". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Steven A. Sund Appointed New Assistant Chief of Police". United States Capitol Police. January 5, 2017. Archived from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  4. 1 2 Norman, Greg (January 8, 2021). "Who is Steven Sund, the Capitol Police chief resigning after DC riots?". Fox News. Archived from the original on February 8, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  5. ↑ "DC Police Vet Steven Sund Joins Noblis as Business Development Director; Pat Brosey Comments". ExecutiveBiz. January 28, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  6. ↑ "READ: Testimony from United States Capitol Police Captain Carneysha Mendoza". CNN. February 23, 2021. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  7. ↑ Salo, Jackie (January 6, 2021). "US Capitol building invaded for first time since War of 1812". New York Post. Archived from the original on January 7, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  8. ↑ O’Gorek, Elizabeth (January 13, 2021). "Officers "Shook to Their Core" from Capitol Battle, Says MPD Commander | HillRag" . Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  9. ↑ Leonnig, Carol D.; Davis, Aaron C.; Lamothe, Dan; Fahrenthold, David A. (January 6, 2021). "Capitol breach prompts urgent questions about security failures". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 7, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  10. ↑ Gramenz, Jack (January 6, 2021). "Vision emerges of police moving barricades to allow rioters into US Capitol, taking selfies". News.com.au. Archived from the original on January 7, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  11. ↑ Elis, Niv (January 6, 2021). "Capitol Police face heat following mob breach". The Hill. Archived from the original on January 7, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  12. ↑ McSwane, Logan Jaffe, Lydia DePillis, Isaac Arnsdorf, J David (January 7, 2021). "Capitol Rioters Planned for Weeks in Plain Sight. The Police Weren't Ready". ProPublica. Archived from the original on January 9, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. 1 2 3 4 Peter Nickeas (February 6, 2021). "Former US Capitol Police chief details delays in aid and intelligence failures during assault on Capitol". CNN. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  14. 1 2 Graff, Garrett M. "Behind the Strategic Failure of the Capitol Police". POLITICO. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  15. ↑ Fitz-Gibbon, Jorge (January 7, 2021). "Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund resigns in wake of turbulent DC protests". New York Post. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Pelosi calls for resignation of Capitol Police chief". Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund Defends Agency's Role In Jan. 6 Attack". 88.5 WFDD. January 15, 2021. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Latest Updates: Capitol Officer Dies From Injuries Sustained During Riot". NBC Los Angeles. January 7, 2021. Archived from the original on January 10, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  19. 1 2 Date, Jack (February 6, 2021). "Former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund says entire intelligence community missed signs of riot". ABC News. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  20. ↑ MacFarlane, Scott (January 10, 2021). "US Capitol Police Name Acting Chief After Riot".
  21. ↑ "Executive Team". United States Capitol Police. June 16, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Ex-officials blame intelligence failure, red tape for botched response to Capitol attack". www.cbsnews.com. February 24, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Document Viewer : NPR". Archived from the original on April 12, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  24. ↑ Johnson, Kevin. "Ex-Capitol police chief: Pelosi's call for his resignation premature". USA TODAY. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  25. ↑ "Capitol riot probe zeroes in on Pentagon delay in sending troops". POLITICO. March 3, 2021. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  26. ↑ "Michael Flynn's brother warned about 'optics' of sending uniformed troop response to Capitol siege, DC Guard chief says". Washington Examiner. March 4, 2021. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  27. ↑ Vittert, Leland (December 7, 2022). "Will we see the full Jan. 6 record? Ex-Capitol Police chief's book raises questions". The Hill. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  28. ↑ "As Capitol police became overpowered on Jan. 6, the Pentagon sent security to the homes of military leaders, per the former Capitol police chief". sports.yahoo.com. January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Courage Under Fire: A Conversation with Former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund". wacphila.org. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  30. ↑ Adragna, Anthony (September 19, 2023). "A former Capitol Police chief labeled the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol "an intelligence failure."". Politico.

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