The Latest: Congressman braces for threat against Capitol

A former chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee who was among those briefed about a possible new threat against the Capitol says lawmakers are braced for it

Capitol Breach Threat (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

The Latest on a possible threat against the Capitol (all times local):

9:50 a.m.

A former chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee who was among those briefed about a possible new threat against the Capitol says lawmakers are braced for it.

Republican Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas says he thinks “we’ll see some violence."

The threat appears to be connected to a far-right conspiracy theory promoted by QAnon supporters that former President Donald Trump will rise again to power on Thursday, which is March 4, the original presidential inauguration day.

But unlike on Jan. 6, the Capitol is now fortified against intrusions. McCaul says there's razor wire and a National Guard presence that weren't at the Capitol on Jan. 6 so he feels "very confident in the security.”

McCaul warns there could be another diversionary tactic — much like the pipe bombs discovered at the political campaign offices on Jan. 6 appeared to be an attempt to lure law enforcement away from the Capitol ahead of the insurrection.

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HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT A POSSIBLE THREAT AGAINST THE CAPITO :

Law enforcement is on high alert around the U.S. Capitol after intelligence uncovered a “possible plot” by a militia group to storm the iconic building again, two months after a mob of Donald Trump supporters smashed through windows and doors to try to stop Congress from certifying now-President Joe Biden’s victory.

Read more:

— Takeaways: What hearings have revealed about Jan. 6 failures