ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

World

    • After Senate review, questions persist about U.S. Capitol attack

    Share
    WASHINGTON -

    A bipartisan Senate report released last week details security failures surrounding the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and recommends how to fix them. But it has only added to the unanswered questions about the attack, when hundreds of former President Donald Trump's supporters broke through windows and doors and interrupted the certification of President Joe Biden's win.

    The report, which detailed broad failures across government and law enforcement, was narrowly focused and did not examine the broader motivations of the rioters or Trump's role as he spread lies about his election defeat. The joint investigation by two Senate committees was finished quickly to ensure that the necessary security improvements could be made, and some government agencies didn't fully cooperate.

    The scope of the report was also narrowed to win the support of Republicans, most of whom have signaled they have little interest in revisiting the political motivations of the rioters.

    Democrats, and some Republicans, believe that a bipartisan, independent commission is still needed. But Republicans in the Senate blocked legislation that would have created a panel similar to the one that probed the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks 20 years ago, saying another review would be redundant, partisan and unnecessary.

    House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said that if the Senate does not act on the commission, she will move to set up investigations in the House instead.

    Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, chair of the Senate Homeland and Governmental Affairs Committee and one of the authors of the Senate report, says that Jan. 6 was an awakening for the country on domestic terrorism in the way that 9/11 was an awakening on international terrorism. A commission would be able to do "a much broader analysis, looking at the bigger picture," Peters said.

    A look at what questions remain:

     

    HOW DID INTELLIGENCE FAIL?

    The Senate report found intelligence failures across many areas of government. The Capitol Police and other agencies had information in the weeks before the insurrection that Trump supporters were openly planning to stop the certification of Biden's victory. But there was a breakdown in sharing and communications, and senior leaders never saw most of the intelligence.

    The two Senate committees that conducted the investigation, the Homeland panel and the Senate Rules Committee, said that the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security did not fully comply with their probe. So the extent of those agencies' role in the missed intelligence is still unclear.

    Lawmakers say they want to know why so many agencies failed to predict the attack, even though it was planned in plain sight on social media and the internet. The Senate report said that in many cases, intelligence agencies decided that the internet posts weren't credible.

    "To me, that's very, very problematic," Peters said. "We need to have a better understanding of that and ask questions as to why did you think that the statements you were seeing on social media about individuals' intent to come to the Capitol to engage in violence, why didn't you think that was credible? Was it something about who the people were that made it not credible?"

     

    HOW DID EXTREMIST GROUPS PLAY A PART?

    Democrats have also said they want to know more about the organization and motivation of some of the far-right groups that mobilized at the Capitol in support of Trump. While the Justice Department has made more than 400 arrests in their own criminal investigation, their probes may be limited to what can be prosecuted and proved as a crime.

    More than three dozen members and associates of the far-right groups the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers have been charged. Beyond the criminal charges, though, a commission could look at the broader influences of those groups, how they were formed and what they might have planned next. Lawmakers have also asked questions about their financing and about whether anyone helped pay for their actions in Washington.

     

    WHAT WAS TRUMP'S ROLE?

    The most obvious question that hasn't been explored is what role Trump played and what he said and did during the attack. The House impeached Trump for inciting the insurrection when he told his supporters at a rally beforehand to "fight like hell" to overturn his defeat, but the Senate acquitted him. Senate Republicans again made clear that they don't want Trump investigated when they blocked the commission.

    But members of both parties have still repeatedly raised questions about his actions. According to an account shared by another House Republican, Trump spoke with House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy and defended the rioters as they were breaking into the building. Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska told a radio host that he was told Trump was "delighted" as the riot was unfolding.

    More broadly, a commission would likely look into the influence of Trump's false claims about the election. He has repeatedly said that it was stolen even though that claim has been refuted on a bipartisan basis by election officials, courts across the country and even his own attorney general. The claims were repeated by the rioters as they broke in, and some of them have used his words in court as a defense for their actions.

     

    WAS THERE INSIDE COORDINATION?

    Some Democrats, including Pelosi, have suggested that Republican lawmakers may have known in advance that some of Trump's supporters were planning violence. Pelosi has said that if members of Congress were "accomplices" to the insurrection, they would have to be prosecuted.

    There is no evidence of such coordination, which Republicans have strongly denied.

     

    WHAT LED TO SEVEN DEATHS?

    Seven people died during and after the riots, including three Trump supporters who had medical emergencies and a fourth Trump supporter who was shot and killed as she attempted to break into the House chamber. A Capitol Police officer, Brian Sicknick, collapsed and died after engaging with the rioters, but was ruled to have died of natural causes. Two police officers who were there died by suicide in the days that followed.

    Questions have swirled around most of the deaths, including from family members who want to know more about what happened. Sicknick's mother and partner visited the offices of Senate Republicans just before the vote on the commission, questioning how anyone wouldn't want to know more.

    "I suggest that all Congressmen and Senators who are against this Bill visit my son's grave in Arlington National Cemetery and, while there, think about what their hurtful decisions will do to those officers who will be there for them going forward," Gladys Sicknick said in a statement. "Putting politics aside, wouldn't they want to know the truth of what happened on January 6?"

    CTVNews.ca ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

    BREAKING

    BREAKING

    Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.

    A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.

    Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.

    The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

    Canada

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.

    • Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    • The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

    • The debate over sexual orientation and gender identity education in schools is heating up. Protests both for and against SOGI in the curriculum took place across the country Friday.

    • The parents of a teenager who died after allegedly consuming the poisonous products of a Mississauga man are now suing him, as well as several doctors involved in her care.

    • Relatives of a 60-year-old man who took his own life in a Nova Scotia jail after long periods of confinement in his cell have launched a lawsuit against the province.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    • A Nova Scotia woman has applied for a medically assisted death, saying after years of battling to receive out-of-country surgery for an illness that causes 'indescribable' pain, she struggles to maintain the will to live.

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    • Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

    • It was the last show for longtime children's TV star Ron (Buck Shot) Barge Friday as hundreds of family, friends and fans attended a public memorial in Calgary.

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    • The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have won five in a row. The Edmonton Elks have won five of their last six games. They are the two hottest teams in the West. When they meet Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium, something has to give.

    • Agreement in principle has been reached to build a new NHL arena at LeBreton Flats has been reached between the Ottawa Senators and the National Capital Commission (NCC), the two sides announced Friday.

    • F1 star Max Verstappen punished over bad word

      Formula One points leader Max Verstappen was ordered to 'accomplish some work of public interest' after uttering an inappropriate word Thursday at the news conference ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

    An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

    They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

    A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

    Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

    The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

    The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

    It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

    A Good Samaritan in New Brunswick has replaced a man's stolen bottle cart so he can continue to collect cans and bottles in his Moncton neighbourhood.

    • The debate over sexual orientation and gender identity education in schools is heating up. Protests both for and against SOGI in the curriculum took place across the country Friday.

    • A fire that destroyed a historic bridge in Kamloops, B.C., is now being investigated as arson, local Mounties say.

    • A teenager has been charged with multiple offences related to stabbings that occurred in Surrey's Newton neighbourhood last week.

    • Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    • The parents of a teenager who died after allegedly consuming the poisonous products of a Mississauga man are now suing him, as well as several doctors involved in her care.

    • Michael Ford, Ontario's minister of citizenship and multiculturalism, says he is taking a leave of absence from cabinet to prioritize his health.

    • Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek is urging the Alberta government to preserve pieces of the massive Green Line transit project now being dissolved.

    • A Lethbridge resident is facing charges after police seized drugs and weapons at a traffic stop for bicycle equipment violations.

    • It was the last show for longtime children's TV star Ron (Buck Shot) Barge Friday as hundreds of family, friends and fans attended a public memorial in Calgary.

    • Agreement in principle has been reached to build a new NHL arena at LeBreton Flats has been reached between the Ottawa Senators and the National Capital Commission (NCC), the two sides announced Friday.

    • Police say a man, 34, who was taken to hospital in critical condition after being shot Thursday night has died.

    • Ottawa police are investigating a shooting downtown Friday afternoon.

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.

    • When Bernard Morissette got a call from Loto-Quebec on Sept. 18 and was asked if he was sitting down, he had no idea what was coming his way.

    • "We love you, Eddy!" screamed the 350 students at Terry Fox Elementary School in Pierrefonds. They didn't know the man their school is named after, but they knew Eddy Nolan who would visit regularly and encourage the students to participate in "the Terry Fox Run".

    • Mounties say there was an increased police presence in the Emerald Hills area of Sherwood Park on Friday morning as officers searched for a man who is wanted by police.

    • There are plenty of fun happenings in Edmonton this weekend. It's time to savour that last little bit of the summer season before the leaves really start coming down.

    • Alberta Health Services says an E. coli outbreak at a daycare in Blackfalds has ended.

    • A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.

    • Relatives of a 60-year-old man who took his own life in a Nova Scotia jail after long periods of confinement in his cell have launched a lawsuit against the province.

    • Family, friends and fans of late hip hop artist and battle rapper, Pat Stay will gather at events held in his honour on Saturday and Sunday.

    • The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

    • Pedestrians are getting a step closer to being able to cross Portage and Main.

    • A Manitoba veterinary clinic has two new ways of figuring out what’s causing a horse to be lame.

    • Five Regina schools have been placed in lockdown or secure the building mode following a report of a weapons investigation at Miller High School on Friday.

    • A 21-year-old man from Codette, Sask. is facing numerous charges in connection to a fatal crash near Wapella, Sask. Wednesday night that claimed the life of a 22-year-old Alberta woman.

    • The Métis Nation of Saskatchewan has pulled out of a national body representing Métis, citing problems with an Ontario group and throwing the future of the Métis National Council into question.

    • Protests were held in front of Kitchener City Hall on Friday, both for and against LGBTQ2S+ inclusive education and queer rights in schools.

    • Levels of hydrogen sulfide gas are being monitored at Brantford Collegiate Institute after a leak in their geothermal system.

    • Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    • The Métis Nation of Saskatchewan has pulled out of a national body representing Métis, citing problems with an Ontario group and throwing the future of the Métis National Council into question.

    • The second-degree murder trial of Thomas Hamp is being adjourned until December so an expert witness central to the trial can testify.

    • A 69-year-old woman from Outlook, Saskatchewan is dead and three people are injured after a truck and SUV collided on Highway 15 on Thursday.

    • Emergency crews in northern Ontario found the bodies of four people inside a home where a fire broke out Thursday night.

    • Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    • A 26-year-old driver from Surrey, B.C., has been charged with three counts of criminal negligence causing death and bodily harm in a crash that killed two youths in northern Ontario last year.

    • On Thursday, just before noon, emergency services were called to the area of Curtis Street and Hiawatha Street due to reports of a couch on fire.

    • The timeline is short, but London officials are confident in their ability to submit a strong application for a Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub that the province will begin funding next year.

    • A man is in hospital with life threatening injuries following a collision between a motorcycle and a vehicle on Friday afternoon.

    • Two men from Barrie have been charged after a deadly shooting at a park in Keswick on Wednesday.

    • A 17-year-old from Markham is facing serious charges after an August 11 shooting at a party in Caledon.

    • Provincial police are investigating vandalism in Huntsville after the "senseless destruction" of flower displays along Main Street East.

    • The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is searching for the occupants of a vehicle caught on security cameras during a fatal police-involved shooting on Goyeau Street.

    • Windsor police say a 25-year-old mother has been charged with the drowning death of her 5-year-old child in the family’s backyard pool.

    • The University of Windsor has been given the privilege of hosting the 2026 U Sports men’s volleyball championship at the Toldo Centre.

    • New Democrat Leader David Eby has launched his British Columbia election campaign a day early, making the key battle ground of Surrey his first stop.

    • The Old Man Lake wildfire near Sooke is the only one currently burning on Vancouver Island. It’s a region of the province that this year saw a drastic drop in blazes in the backcountry.

    • The debate over sexual orientation and gender identity education in schools is heating up. Protests both for and against SOGI in the curriculum took place across the country Friday.

    • A pair of runaway pigs are in the custody of an animal sanctuary in the Okanagan after evading police and volunteers for hours earlier this week.

    • The Red Bridge, a historic landmark in Kamloops, B.C., was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.

    • Animal protection officers in British Columbia have rescued three pit bulls – including one that gave birth to 10 puppies – from a rat-infested home in Kelowna.

    • A Lethbridge resident is facing charges after police seized drugs and weapons at a traffic stop for bicycle equipment violations.

    • A Vulcan, Alta., man has been charged with a Lethbridge woman's murder after her body was found in the Oyen area.

    • A Lethbridge couple got a good reminder as to why you should keep your vehicle doors locked at all times.

    • A 26-year-old driver from Surrey, B.C., has been charged with three counts of criminal negligence causing death and bodily harm in a crash that killed two youths in northern Ontario last year.

    • Ontario Provincial Police say three suspects from southern Ontario have been charged and drugs worth $300,000 have been seized following a traffic stop Sept. 16.

    • A Brampton driver, 27, was charged this week when northern Ontario police stopped the SUV he was driving on Highway 17 after a reported shooting and found more than $100,000 in cash.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow CTV News