THE BIG STORY

State capitols are bracing for pro-Trump mobs

Across the US, governors are readying themselves for possible attacks from violent pro-Trump mobs ahead of Joe Biden’s inauguration later this week.

To prepare, states are deploying hundreds of National Guard troops, building security fences around their capitol buildings, barricading windows, closing statehouses and roads, and holding online legislative sessions.

The moves come after the FBI warned that “armed protests” involving extremists were being planned in all 50 states in the days leading up to the inauguration, according to an Associated Press report.

Some examples of the preparation underway:

👉 California Gov. Gavin Newsom authorized 1,000 National Guard personnel to protect the state Capitol.

👉New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy ordered state employees to work remotely on Jan. 20, because of the “level of tension in the country,” the AP reported.

👉 The National Guard is on call in Arizona, and a chain-link fence was installed around the Capitol complex in Phoenix.

👉 Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine authorized 580 National Guard troops and announced that the Ohio Statehouse would be closed from Jan. 17 through Jan. 20.

Workers begin boarding up the Wisconsin state Capitol building in Madison on Jan. 11. Todd Richmond / AP

STAYING ON TOP OF THIS

Park Police officers worried that chronic understaffing could endanger the public. Then the Capitol riot happened.

In the wake of the riots at the Capitol, much public scrutiny has been directed at the US Capitol Police’s preparations, or whether the National Guard and the Metropolitan Police Department responded quickly enough.

Far less attention, however, has been paid to the Park Police, one of the oldest uniformed law enforcement agencies in the US and among the most experienced with protests. The force is responsible for large swaths of Washington, DC, including the National Mall and the Ellipse.

But unlike other forces, the Park Police suffers from chronic understaffing and deeply diminished resources. Since 2001, its ranks have shrunk by a third.

Read the excellent report from Brianna Sacks and Rosalind Adams on how the Park Police struggled to deploy enough resources to help confront the unruly mob on January 6.

SNAPSHOTS

A US Navy contractor allegedly urged the pro-Trump mob to “advance” into the Capitol. Timothy Louis Hale-Cusanelli, an Army reservist, was arrested after he admitted to entering the US Capitol and encouraging other members of the mob to “advance,” federal authorities said.

Phil Spector, convicted murderer and pioneering pop producer, has died. Spector leaves a legacy of violence and abuse in addition to his work with pop artists and decades of hits. He was 81.

Facebook said it would pause US ads for gun accessories military gear after complaints. The move came after we revealed that Facebook displayed ads for gun holsters and body armor in the News Feeds of people who engaged with content about the riots. But even 22 hours after announcing the pause, we continued to find ads for firearm accessories on the social network.

Climate activists have a new target: moms. A new advocacy group featuring climate scientists who are also moms is hoping to move the needle by making the climate crisis personal.

Build time into your day to celebrate your wins,

Elamin