Man who took part in Capitol riot was given tour of building by Republican on January 5

About 24 hours before the January 6 Capitol attack, a Republican member of Congress, Barry Loudermilk, led an unofficial tour through the House office buildings, passing by the security checkpoints located at the entrances to the tunnels leading towards the Capitol building.

The tour included a man who took photos of the tunnel entrances and the US Capitol police checkpoints, and then joined thousands of Donald Trump supporters the following day to march on the Capitol from the rally on the Ellipse.

The footage showing the man, and others, stopping to photograph the tunnels and checkpoints bolsters the allegation from Democrats that the tour amounted to a reconnaissance event in preparation for the Capitol attack.

The tour was also notable because officially, tours were banned at the time due to Covid measures. The only people in the Capitol that day should have been members of Congress and staff, reporters, US Capitol police and official business visitors.

But members of Congress tend to bend rules as they see fit. For instance, two sources familiar with the matter said, a member wanting to give a tour could have given one name to the appointments desk and have an entire group let in.

The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss how the group might have been authorized to be in the complex. They added it was possible the names of the entire group were never recorded, but if they were, it would be in the possession of the House sergeant at arms.

According to the select committee, Loudermilk led an hours-long tour for approximately 10 people around the Rayburn, Cannon and Longworth House office buildings, as well as the tunnels leading from Rayburn and Longworth to the Capitol building itself.

Citing additional video clips obtained in its investigation, the panel said the man that took a photograph of a staircase in Longworth, located next to a hallway leading to one of the tunnels, joined the march to the Capitol and threatened members of Congress.

The select committee had previously requested voluntary cooperation from Loudermilk last month, which he flatly refused as he denied any wrongdoing. The latest request came with screenshots of the tour group taking photos of secure areas inserted in the letter.