‘OUTRAGEOUS AND INEXCUSABLE’

Pelosi Slams FAA for Not Warning Capitol Cops of Incoming Skydivers

The House speaker called the chaos and panic “unnecessary,” particularly in light of the residual trauma of Jan. 6.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday night called the Federal Aviation Administration’s failure to notify the U.S. Capitol Police of a planned skydiving demonstration that evening “outrageous and inexcusable.” The appearance of an unidentified “aircraft that [posed] a probable threat” prompted the U.S. Capitol Police to issue an evacuation order for the Capitol, sparking confusion and anxiety. The aircraft was soon identified as a military plane carrying members of the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team. In a statement, Pelosi excoriated the FAA, saying, “The unnecessary panic caused by this apparent negligence was particularly harmful for Members, staff and institutional workers still grappling with the trauma of the attack on their workplace on January 6th.” She added that Congress was “looking forward” to a review that would identify who to hold responsible “for this outrageous and frightening mistake.” In its own statement, the Army said it was “reviewing all aspects of the event,” and would not be commenting further until able to “determine the facts of the situation.”