Rep. Burgess Accuses Pelosi of Failing in Duty to Protect House

Rep. Michael Burgess Wednesday accused House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of failing in her duties to oversee the security of the House of Representatives and claimed that as the investigation unrolls, "we are going to learn that offers of additional help were declined by the speaker" before the violence at the Capitol. 

But, when pressed on his claims on Fox Business' "Mornings with Maria" by host Maria Bartiromo, the Texas Republican conceded that he "doesn't know whether Nancy Pelosi herself declined" offers for additional protection before the Capitol was attacked.

"I hold Nancy Pelosi partly responsible for a week ago because she is the one constitutionally charged with the protection of the House of Representatives," Burgess told Bartiromo. "We are hearing stories about how offers of additional help were declined ... the rank-and-file House members have not heard from FBI what has been learned. It has been a week. I also believe at some point we are going to learn that offers of additional help were declined by the speaker and that was wrong."

But even when he said he wasn't sure if Pelosi directly refused help, he still insisted that "her job is to ensure the safety (and) security of the Capitol. No one does anything unless she makes the decision. The Sergeant at Arms, the head of Capitol Police, all answer to her."

Burgess also insisted Wednesday that the push to impeach President Donald Trump is a rush job being done to "damage" him going forward because Democrats fear facing him at the ballot box in 2024, and argued back against a lawmaker who says she has tested positive after being confined during the riots with Republicans who weren't wearing masks. 

"My personal feeling is that the House should make available to every member at the entrance to the House interior an N59 mask to place on their face before going on the House floor," he said. "If we are going to do this let's do it right."

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