CNN anchor Jim Sciutto pushed back Monday against Democrat Tennessee Rep. Steve Cohen who suggested that the U.S. National Guardsmen protecting the Capitol ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration may pose a threat because many of them are “predominately conservative” and male.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is vetting every National Guard member deployed to Washington, D.C., due to Pentagon officials worrying about a possible insider attack, according to the Associated Press. The Guard secured the nation’s capital after a mob of supporters for President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol Building on January 6th, in an attempt to stop the Congressional certification of Biden’s electoral victory.
“The [National] Guard is 90 some-odd percent male, and only about 20 percent of white males voted for Biden,” Cohen told Sciutto Monday morning. “You gotta figure that in the Guard, which is predominately more conservative … there are probably not more than 25% of the people that there protecting us that voted for Biden.”
“To have voted for Trump, that is far different from being a threat of violence inside National Guard or law enforcement,” Sciutto said, interrupting Cohen. “I’m curious, is there — is there anything you’ve seen to substantiate just how broad this insider threat maybe if it exists?”
“Actually not, Jim,” Cohen responded. “But you know, you draw circle first, and the first circle is people who worked for Trump and not for Biden, as far as people who would be within the zone of folks who you would be suspect of. The suspect group is large.”
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Five individuals died due to the riot, including Ashli Babbit, a 35-year-old Air Force veteran, who was shot by law enforcement. Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick also reportedly died after being injured “while physically engaging with protesters,” as previously reported.
The FBI is also investigating whether the woman who stole Speaker of the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s laptop amid the riot tried selling it to Russia, according to Politico. (RELATED: FBI Investigating Whether The Person Who Stole Pelosi Laptop Tried Selling It To Russia)