Representatives Andy Biggs (R., Ariz.), Mo Brooks (R., Ala.), and Paul Gosar (R., Ariz.) are denying any involvement in organizing last week’s rioting at the U.S. Capitol after a protest organizer claimed he “schemed” with them to put “maximum pressure on Congress while they were voting.” https://www.nationalreview.com/news/gop-reps-deny-giving-reconnaissance-tours-to-capitol-rioters/
The Washington Post notes that videos and posts on social media suggest ties between Alexander, who is a felon, and all three congressmen.
Gosar called Alexander “a true patriot” on Twitter and the pair both spoke at a “Stop the Steal” rally in Phoenix last month. At the same event, Alexander played a video message from Biggs, who called him a “friend” and “hero.”
“When it comes to January 6, I will be right down there in the well of the House with my friend from Alabama representative Mo Brooks,” Biggs said in the recording.
In June 2019, Donald Trump Jr. retweeted Alexander’s false claim that Vice President-elect Kamala D. Harris is not an “American Black.” The following month, Alexander attended a “social media summit” at the White House, alongside a number of far-right figures who had accused companies of anti-conservative bias. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/01/13/ali-alexander-capitol-biggs-gosar/
Eideard 
☐ “Before Mob Stormed the Capitol, Days of Security Planning Involved Cabinet Officials and President Trump : A Pentagon memo offers one version of events — six days of preparation for a rally that quickly spiraled out of control.” (ProPublica 1/7/21) https://www.propublica.org/article/before-mob-stormed-the-capitol-days-of-security-planning-involved-cabinet-officials-and-president-trump
☐ “FBI report warned of ‘war’ at Capitol, contradicting claims there was no indication of looming violence” (Washington Post 1/12/21) https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/capitol-riot-fbi-intelligence/2021/01/12/30d12748-546b-11eb-a817-e5e7f8a406d6_story.html
☐ “Six hours of paralysis: Inside Trump’s failure to act after a mob stormed the Capitol” (Washington Post 1/11/21) https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-mob-failure/2021/01/11/36a46e2e-542e-11eb-a817-e5e7f8a406d6_story.html
☐ “President Donald Trump doubled down on the incendiary rhetoric that incited the Capitol riot, warning that it was dangerous to the United States for him to be impeached.
Trump also claimed his inflammatory comments at a rally shortly before the outbreak of violence in the halls of Congress, which lead to four deaths, were not harmful.” (CNBC 1/12/21) https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/12/trump-warns-impeachment-is-a-danger-to-us-in-first-public-comments-since-riot.html
☐ “‘Totally appropriate’: Trump shows no remorse over role in Capitol attack” (Guardian UK 1/12/21) https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/12/donald-trump-texas-impeachment-effort
☐ “President Trump lashes out at social media companies following Twitter ban : House Democrats are planning to look into social media’s role in Capitol riot as part of a broad disinformation inquiry.” (Washington Post 1/12/21) https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/01/12/facebook-twitter-trump-capitol-riot/
☐ “A total of 15,000 National Guard members have now been activated and will deploy to Washington, D.C., to help provide security in the run up to the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.” (AP 1/12/21) https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-impeachments-capitol-siege-490620813bdd49295b675715da1f4603 p/s: “deployment: twice as large as troop levels in Afghanistan and Iraq combined” https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-army/2021/01/11/national-guard-inauguration-deployment-twice-as-large-as-troop-levels-in-afghanistan-and-iraq-combined/
“Roots Of U.S. Capitol Insurrectionists Run Through American West” (NPR January 12, 2021) https://www.npr.org/2021/01/12/955665162/roots-of-u-s-capitol-insurrectionists-run-through-american-west
“Experts warn Cliven Bundy’s rhetoric following U.S. Capitol riot could mean danger ahead” (Reno Gazette Journal 1/8/21) https://www.rgj.com/story/news/2021/01/08/cliven-bundys-comments-capitol-riot-could-prelude-darker-times-experts-warn/6598069002/
“The Capitol Riot Was Just the Beginning” https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/01/capitol-riot-radicalization-what-next.html
“America’s most senior military leaders condemned the violent invasion of the US Capitol last week and reminded service members of their obligation to support and defend the Constitution and reject extremism in a statement that underscored the unprecedented challenges facing the country in the aftermath of the January 6 insurrection attempt by President Donald Trump’s supporters.” https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/12/politics/joint-chiefs-condemn-sedition/index.html
“The letter was addressed to the Joint Force, which is made up of about 1.3 million active-duty service members and more than 811,000 National Guardsmen and reservists — all of whom swore an oath to “Support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” The oath has stood since the United States’ founding nearly 250 years ago.” https://www.npr.org/sections/congress-electoral-college-tally-live-updates/2021/01/12/956170188/joint-chiefs-remind-u-s-forces-that-they-defend-the-constitution
Military Joint Chiefs statement condemning ‘sedition and insurrection’ at US Capitol https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/20449003/pages/jcs-message-to-the-joint-force-jan-12-21-p1-normal.gif (click to enlarge)
Meanwhile: “Lawmakers, deeply shaken by the hours of violence last week, are discussing steps to protect themselves, citing Republican members who may have cooperated or communicated with the rioters and other Republican colleagues who carry guns into the Capitol against the regulations.” https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/12/politics/house-democrats-safety-worries/index.html
“Right-wing activist Ali Alexander, who organized the “Stop the Steal” movement, said he hatched the plan — coinciding with Congress’s vote to certify the electoral college votes — alongside three GOP lawmakers: Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Mo Brooks (Ala.) and Paul A. Gosar (Ariz.), all hard-line Trump supporters.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/01/13/ali-alexander-capitol-biggs-gosar/
“GOP lawmakers’ fiery language under more scrutiny after deadly Capitol riot” https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/12/politics/gop-lawmakers-fiery-language-under-scrutiny-invs/index.html
“‘Can’t Stop Me’: GOP Lawmakers Refuse to Pass Capitol Metal Detectors After Pro-Trump Riot” https://www.newsweek.com/cant-stop-me-gop-lawmakers-refuse-pass-capitol-metal-detectors-after-pro-trump-riot-1561058
Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), a Navy veteran and Annapolis grad who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, said she saw fellow members of Congress “who had groups coming through the Capitol that I saw on Jan. 5, a reconnaissance for the next day.” https://thehill.com/homenews/house/533978-new-jersey-dem-says-members-of-congress-led-reconnaissance-tours-ahead-of
Lawmakers gave groups ‘reconnaissance’ tours of the Capitol one day before riots, Democratic congresswoman says https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/01/13/mikie-sherrill-reconnaissance-capitol-attack/ “We can’t have a democracy if members of Congress are actively helping the president overturn the election results,” she said.
Critics have also taken aim at one freshman GOP lawmaker who tweeted out the location of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) during the chaos. https://www.coloradopolitics.com/2020-election/boebert-swings-back-at-critics-amid-bipartisan-scrutiny-over-tweets-during-capitol-riot/article_4e8979c2-550e-11eb-b6c4-6ff20714d2b0.html
Representatives Andy Biggs (R., Ariz.), Mo Brooks (R., Ala.), and Paul Gosar (R., Ariz.) are denying any involvement in organizing last week’s rioting at the U.S. Capitol after a protest organizer claimed he “schemed” with them to put “maximum pressure on Congress while they were voting.” https://www.nationalreview.com/news/gop-reps-deny-giving-reconnaissance-tours-to-capitol-rioters/
The Washington Post notes that videos and posts on social media suggest ties between Alexander, who is a felon, and all three congressmen.
Gosar called Alexander “a true patriot” on Twitter and the pair both spoke at a “Stop the Steal” rally in Phoenix last month. At the same event, Alexander played a video message from Biggs, who called him a “friend” and “hero.”
“When it comes to January 6, I will be right down there in the well of the House with my friend from Alabama representative Mo Brooks,” Biggs said in the recording.
In June 2019, Donald Trump Jr. retweeted Alexander’s false claim that Vice President-elect Kamala D. Harris is not an “American Black.” The following month, Alexander attended a “social media summit” at the White House, alongside a number of far-right figures who had accused companies of anti-conservative bias. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/01/13/ali-alexander-capitol-biggs-gosar/
Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, says an investigation is underway looking at “potentially members of Congress” who gave tours to pro-Trump rioters prior to the insurrection last week on the U.S. Capitol. https://www.npr.org/sections/congress-electoral-college-tally-live-updates/2021/01/13/956426253/rep-tim-ryan-probe-under-way-on-whether-members-gave-capitol-tours-to-rioters
“More than 30 House Democrats are demanding information from Capitol security officials about “suspicious” visitors at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 5 — a day before violent insurrectionists swarmed the building — that would only have been permitted entry by a member of Congress or a staffer.” https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/12/mikie-sherrill-capitol-hill-attack-458655
“QAnon congresswoman who live-tweeted Nancy Pelosi’s location to rioters now facing calls for arrest : The calls for freshman GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert’s resignation grow louder” https://www.salon.com/2021/01/11/qanon-congresswoman-who-live-tweeted-nancy-pelosis-location-to-rioters-now-facing-calls-for-arrest_partner/
“From lynchings to the Capitol: Racism and the violence of revelry : The history of the US shows us that, when it comes to white supremacy, entertainment and violence go hand in hand.” https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2021/1/13/from-lynchings-to-the-us-capitol-us-racism-and-the-violence-of-revelry