US: Federal investigators probe communication between lawmakers and Capitol attackers

Federal investigators are examining records of communications between members of Congress and the pro-Donald Trump mob that attacked the US Capitol. The investigators are probing if the lawmakers willingly or unwillingly helped the rioters, reported CNN citing a US official. The data so far gathered in the investigation indicates contact of pro-Trump mob and lawmakers in the period surrounding the attack.  

'Communications between rioters and lawmakers'

Communications between lawmakers and the pro-Trump mob do not indicate wrongdoing by the lawmakers. CNN reported that the members of Congress are not being targeted by investigators as of now. The investigators have to find a link that indicates lawmakers and their staff aided the rioters and for that. To probe this angle, officials have to seek warrants to check the content of the communication. 

Presently, over 300 people are facing charges as investigators are probing who had participated in the riots and had planned the assault to disrupt the process of election results. The Justice Department has assigned more than two dozen prosecutors to carry out the investigation. The Justice Department wants the investigating team to find everything that conspired to the attacks like the funding of rioters and also if the politicians including lawmakers and their staff aided the attack, CNN reported quoting an official. 

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The investigators have also sought mobile phone tower data to identify people who attacked the Capitol on January 6. According to investigators, the major failure that day was leaving the rioters without arresting them. Investigators are also checking Capitol Police security footage to find if the rioters were given a tour before January 6. Democrats had accused unnamed Republicans of providing access to rioters. In a telephonic interview with CNN, Whitehouse said that the investigation will not be limited to the assaulters who entered the Capitol but also the members of Congress who need to be investigated. 

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Acting US Attorney for the District of Columbia Michael Sherwin told CNN that after the initial stage of rounding up rioters, prosecutors and investigators would begin examining more difficult aspects including the funding and organizing of the riot. So far, investigators have not found evidence that members of Congress knowingly aided or were involved in the insurrection, reported CNN quoting the US official. The FBI has seized devices belonging to alleged rioters and has found communications that show connections that investigators plan to examine further. FBI chief Chris Wray in the hearing on February 3 said he cannot provide the line of investigation the FBI is undergoing right now.