- Tonight, the first publichearing from lawmakers

intent on cracking openhow law enforcement

missed the warning signs

that allowed the January 6th rioters

to breach the United States Capitol.

- Those who were in charge of securing

and defending the Capitolwere in the hot seat today.

CBN national securitycorrespondent Eric Philips

has tonight's top story.

Eric?

- Jenna and John,

the hearing boiled downto three main themes,

intelligence, preparedness, and response.

In fact, one witness flatly said

he was surprised by theresponse, or lack thereof.

(shouting overlaps)

These images remain burnedinto the memories of Americans,

perhaps even more sofor those in this room,

many living through theattack as it happened.

- We need to know,

was there credible intelligenceabout potential violence,

when was it known, and who knew it.

- [Eric] On the hot seat, theformer US Capitol Police chief

along with former sergeant at arms

of both the House and Senate.

Each resigned after the riots,

with the chief now sayinghe regrets doing so.

Also appearing before the Senate panel,

the acting chief of the DCMetropolitan Police Department.

Three themes resonated repeatedly,

first the insufficient intelligence

leading up to January 6th.

- We properly plannedfor a mass demonstration

with possible violence,

what we got was a military-style

coordinated assault on my officers

and a violent take overof the Capitol Building.

- Based on the intelligence,

we all believed thatthe plan met the threat

and that we were prepared.

We now know that we had the wrong plan.

- [Eric] Then a generalissue with preparedness.

- No civilian law enforcement agency,

to include the UnitedStates Capitol Police,

is trained or equippedto repel an insurrection

of thousands of individuals

focused on breaching abuilding at all costs.

- [Eric] Thirdly, response.

Acting police chief RobertContee told the committee

that DC Metro Police could not respond

until he got the requestfrom US Capitol Police.

- The mob sustained assault on the Capitol

precipitated an equallyunprecedented response

with then Capitol Police Chief Steve Sund

issuing an urgent request

for MPD to come assistin defending the Capitol.

- [Eric] He says his forceresponded immediately,

but questions the sluggishness

in requesting National Guard help.

- I was surprised at the reluctance

to immediately send the National Guard

to the Capitol grounds.

- [Eric] Investigatingthe events of January 6th

continues to be a centralfocus in Washington.

Attorney general nominee Merrick Garland

even testified duringhis confirmation hearing

that prosecuting white supremacists

and others who stormed the Capitol

would be his top priority if confirmed.

- I don't think that thisis necessarily a one-off.

We must do everything in thepower of the Justice Department

to prevent this kind ofinterference with the policies

of American democratic institutions.

- Today will not be the last time

lawmakers look into what happened

before, during, and after the siege.

In fact, next week they will hear

from federal agencies like the FBI,

Department of Homeland Security,

and the Department of Defense

to find out more about intelligence and.