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Citing March 4 security threat, House cancels Thursday session

David Knowles
·Senior Editor
·2 min read

The House of Representatives decided Wednesday to cancel its scheduled session on Thursday due to what authorities deemed credible reports of a second possible attack on the Capitol.

According to the Washington Post, the U.S. Capitol Police told lawmakers on Wednesday that they had "obtained intelligence that shows a possible plot to breach the Capitol by an identified militia group on Thursday, March 4." That specific date has circulated on right-wing conspiracy websites and social media as the day former President Donald Trump is, according to the extremists, supposed to be sworn in again.

"Our Department is working with our local, state, and federal partners to stop any threats to the Capitol," the Capitol Police said in a statement on Wednesday. "We are taking the intelligence seriously. Due to the time-sensitive nature of this information, we cannot provide additional details at this time."

The Senate, which was debating on Wednesday whether to pass President Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, is still scheduled to meet on Thursday. The House planned to hold its final vote of the week on Wednesday night.

An empty speaker's lectern is seen in the rain outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, October 10, 2013. U.S. House of Representatives Republicans are weighing a short-term debt limit increase with no added policy changes, such as deficit-reduction requirements, according to a source with knowledge of the discussions. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS)
An empty speaker's lectern outside the U.S. Capitol in 2013. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) (Jonathan Ernst / reuters)

The Capitol has been subject to higher-than-normal security in recent weeks after it was stormed by militant Trump supporters in January. They had gathered for a Jan. 6 rally, where they listened to the then president urge them to march to the Capitol to voice their displeasure with the certification of the Electoral College vote showing Trump had lost to Biden.