EVANS: Capitol Hill riots leave unanswered questions

Published 10:00 am Saturday, January 23, 2021

The vicious and deadly, Jan. 6, 2021, attack against our government demands a through and detailed investigation. Let me be crystal clear, this was not a protest, but a well-planned and organized treasonous attack against the government of the United States. No effort should be spared in rooting out and severely prosecuting each and every culpable individual. Let us not forget that people died. Any person, regardless of  title, power or position, who by direct participation, willful neglect of duty, criminally conspiring, or inciting those to riot, bear various degrees of criminal liability for the deaths occurring during this incident. Each and every one of these actors must be vigorously prosecuted in accordance with applicable laws governing these offenses. Many citizens are rightfully asking who made the decision to not have adequate manpower or necessary riot equipment on hand. Why effective barriers and security perimeters were not in place to prevent rioters from bringing weapons, bats, metal pipes and backpacks into what should have been a well-secured area?  Why the usual contingent of pre-staged buses and plastic cuffs usually in place in anticipation of mass arrests were conspicuously absent for this group? Had the police officers, who obviously were very hesitant, even appearing fearful of using force, been cautioned against using force when confronting this particular group? How did rioters know to bypass and leave untouched some congressional leaders marked public offices and were able locate and proceed to vandalize legislators private unmarked functional offices?  Were the cameras deactivated in the Congressional Hall during this assault as some have reported? Who ordered and what was the rational for dismantling the Homeland Security Threat Assessment Unit in the weeks preceding this attack?  This was clearly an organized domestic terrorist rebellion and must be recognized as such and quickly crushed. America cannot and will not survive if we continue to elect legislators who refuse to come together and defend it against all enemies both foreign and domestic.

Hudman S. Evans Sr.

Baldwin County