Judicial Watch sues U.S. Capitol Police in pursuit of emails and videos pertaining to Jan. 6 riots

Judicial Watch has lodged a lawsuit against the U.S. Capitol Police in an effort to obtain emails and videos pertaining to the riot that transpired Jan. 6 at the Capitol.

The watchdog organization said in a press release that it filed the suit under the common law right of access to public records following the Capitol Police declining to provide materials sought in a Jan. 21 request.

"The public has a right to know about how Congress handled security and what all the videos show of the US Capitol riot," Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a statement. "What are Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer trying to hide from the American people?"

The January request sought all video from within the U.S. Capitol during a nine-hour period on Jan. 6.

The request also sought "Email communications between the U.S. Capitol Police Executive Team and the Capitol Police Board concerning the security of the Capitol on January 6, 2021. The timeframe of this request is from January 1, 2021 through January 10, 2021," according to Judicial Watch. The request also sought, "Email communications of the Capitol Police Board with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security concerning the security of the Capitol on January 6, 2021. The timeframe of this request is from January 1, 2021 through January 10, 2021," according to the watchdog group.

The Capitol Police said in a Feb. 11 letter that the materials sought do not constitute "public records," according to Judicial Watch.