Officials have suspended six Capitol Police officers without pay for their alleged actions during the riots at the U.S. Capitol on January 6. Twenty-nine others have been placed under investigation by the Office of Professional Responsibility and could face punishment.
"Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman has directed that any member of her department whose behavior is not in keeping with the Department's Rules of Conduct will face appropriate discipline," Capitol police spokesman John Stolnis said.
Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, who chairs a committee that oversees the Capitol police, told reporters that one of the suspended officers was seen taking selfies with the rioters, while another was wearing a red "Make America Great Again" hat as he directed people inside the U.S. Capitol building.
Authorities refused to provide more details about the suspended officers or on-going investigations.
Capitol Police union chairman Gus Papathanasiou blasted the investigations, claiming they "appear to be an attempt by USCP's upper management to divert the attention away from their significant leadership failures of January 6."
Earlier in the month, 92% of the union members voted that they had no confidence in their leadership, including Pittman. The Inspector-General of the Capitol Police has also opened an investigation into the agency and is probing the security failures that allowed the mob of angry Trump supporters to make it inside the Capitol Building.
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