Federal Investigators Examine Communications Of US Lawmakers And Rioters During The Capitol Hill Riot

Riot on Capitol Hill. (Wikimedia Commons / Tyler Merbler)

JAKARTA - United States (US) federal investigators are examining the records of communications between members of Congress and the pro-Donald Trump crowd that attacked Capitol Hill, Washington DC, the United States on January 6.

One official said this was carried out in line with the increasingly linked investigations to explore whether there was a connection between members of Congress and the rioters.

"The data collected so far include indications of contact with lawmakers in the days around January 6, as well as communications between suspected rioters discussing their relationship with members of Congress, the official said", reported CNN.

The existence of such communication does not necessarily indicate an error by the MP (Member of Parliament). And, investigators have not targeted members of Congress in the investigation, the official said. If investigators discover a possible cause that a member of parliament or their staff might be assisting the rebels, they can request a warrant to obtain communication content. There is no indication that they have taken such a step at this point.

In total there are about 300 people who have been charged with the Capitol Hill rioting. Investigations are now leading to the possibility of an alleged conspiracy planning the attack to interfere with the constitutional process of certifying the results of the US election by Congress.

"Justice Department officials have assigned more than two dozen prosecutors, including some from outside Washington, to investigate more complex questions, including the possibility of insurgent funding and whether political figures, including lawmakers and staff, assisted in the attack", the US official said.

Law enforcement officials said one of the first steps taken in the wake of the uprising was to search cell phone tower data to try to identify people on the Capitol that day, a tactic permitted under existing legislation. It was necessary, officials said, because among the many failures that day was the US Capitol Police allowing the hundreds of people who had attacked the building to leave without being arrested.

Apart from that, law enforcement also uses what they call an 'exemption list'. The list allows investigators to view mobile devices that are allowed on the Capitol, such as those for members and staff of Congress, law enforcement, and other government and public safety officials, while screening out unauthorized persons in the building, according to the federal court that filed the case related to riots.

There has been no comment from the FBI and the Department of Justice on this matter.