Acting Capitol Police chief declines to testify Tuesday about Jan. 6 breach, sparking GOP criticism

Pittman will reportedly testify before the committee at a later date.
The Capitol in DC at dusk
By Brianna Kraemer

Acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman has declined to testify Tuesday at a House Oversight Committee hearing on the Jan. 6 Capital breach, sparking Kentucky GOP Rep. James Comer to call her decision "pathetic."

Comer also said Pittman, who has testified before Congress about the matter, is trying to "avoid answering the hard questions."

The U.S. Capitol Police said they believed Pittman was a "last minute addition" to the hearing and could not attend due to a schedule conflict with the House Administration Committee’s hearing.

However, she had agreed to testify at a different time, according to Politico.

Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, reportedly said she was "disappointed" that Pittman will not be testifying, but a committee aide also said Pittman has committed to testifying "in the near future."

Capitol Police Inspector General Michael Bolton is scheduled to testify at a different hearing on Tuesday and is expected to address the security gaps and failures from officers on the scene.

"She must watch another hearing where [Bolton] is testifying in case she has to respond in some way to what’s said at that hearing," Comer also said about Pittman, who became the acting police chief after Jan. 6.