Allegations of suspicious tours in the days before the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol were being investigated and members of Congress who "aided and abetted" the rioters could face charges, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday.
According to a USA Today report, a group of more than 30 House Democrats sent a letter to Capitol Hill law enforcement officials on Jan. 13 asking for them to investigate what they deemed suspicious groups in the Capitol leading up to the riot.
"The reports about coordination between some Republican lawmakers and those who planned the events outside of the Capitol building are extremely alarming," said Congresswoman Lori Trahan, who represents the 3rd District of Massachusetts. "Even worse are the allegations that some of those same members gave tours to several domestic terrorists who attacked the Capitol days later, essentially giving them the opportunity to conduct reconnaissance and plan their attack."
Although the Capitol is currently closed to public tours, lawmakers and staff have flaunted some of the restrictions. Several of the Democratic lawmakers told USA TODAY the groups were wearing MAGA hats and other clothing that indicated their political affiliation.
The rioters at the Capitol on Jan. 6 had an "unusually detailed" knowledge of the Capitol's layout, the lawmakers said, and they wanted potential ties between the tour groups and the riot to be investigated.
"It’s clear that an investigation is necessary, including into members of Congress, to get to the bottom of these allegations," Trahan said. "If corroborated, those members should be expelled and referred to law enforcement for possible criminal prosecution as co-conspirators of the insurrection.”