By Steve Neavling
Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is urging the Department of Homeland Security to take extra measures to protect the capital ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.
In a letter to acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf, Bowser called last week’s insurrection an “unprecedented terrorist attack” and outlined additional steps to secure the area between Jan. 11-24.
“While I will be reaching out to a broad range of local, regional and federal partners to enhance cooperation among our bodies, I strongly urge the United States Department of Homeland Security to adjust its approach to the Inauguration in several specific ways”, Bowser wrote in the letter.
The mayor is calling for steps beyond the ones taken during previous inaugurations.
“We believe strongly that the 59th Presidential Inauguration on January 20 will require a very different approach than previous inaugurations given the chaos, injury, and death experienced at the United States Capitol during the insurrection,” Bowser wrote.
She also urged the acting attorney general to direct the FBI to “provide an intelligence and threat briefing on a daily basis” during the extended period.
In addition, Bowser is requesting coordination between federal law law enforcement agencies to protect federal buildings so that D.C. police can respond to issues throughout the city that are unrelated to the inauguration.
The violence led to the deaths of five people, including a Capitol Police officer.
