Prior to the Capitol insurrection, the panic buttons in the office of Rep. Ayanna Pressley's (D-Massachusetts) were removed without her information, hinting at the possibility of an insider's role in the attacks. Following the exposing revelation, an investigation has been ordered into the mysterious removal of the panic buttons.
Thousands of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol on January 6th after Vice President Mike Pence told the lawmakers that he will not block the congressional certification of Joe Biden's victory. Since the attack, numerous videos and images of the rioters destroying the property inside the government building and indulging in fatal attacks have surfaced.
'Every Panic Button Was Torn Out Completely'
Until now two democrats including Rep. Ayanna Pressley's (D-Massachusetts) and Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) have claimed that the panic buttons were not present in their offices at the time of the siege.
Speaking to Boston Globe, Pressley's chief of staff, Sarah Groh said that the panic buttons from the congresswoman's office had been removed without explanation or warning. It was only the day of attack that they staff made the startling discovery. "Every panic button in my office had been torn out — the whole unit," Groh said, adding prior the buttons were regularly tested in the past.
Stating that she was "deeply concerned" about the disappearance of panic buttons Groh told the outlet that she felt "the heat was being turned up in terms of the rhetoric and Trump's aims to incite violence."
In a tweet, Bowman said that his office did not have panic button. "FYI, my office also did not have panic buttons during the insurrection," he wrote.
In another tweet he wrote, "Remember I'm new to congress. I was sworn in on Jan 3rd. There were no panic buttons in my office on the 3rd. They were just installed today."
Panic Buttons Replaced, Investigation Ordered
According to Forbes, a spokesperson for Pressley's office stated that new buttons have been installed in her office. Pressley's office said the buttons' disappearance is under investigation, but declined to say which agencies are investigating it, the outlet reported.
The mysterious removal of the panic buttons created a sensation in the wake of the recent allegation made by Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-New Jersey) who claimed that lawmakers helped run "reconnaissance" of the Capitol the day before the protest through public tours.
The social media was also buzzing with several users wondering who was behind the removal of panic buttons. "Who gave Trump's Mob a tour Jan 5? Who showed the Mob where Clyburn's office was? Who removed the panic button from Pressley's office? What other panic buttons have been removed?" tweeted a user.
"So who removed the entire panel to which the panic button was attached in rep. Pressley's office? This indicates premeditation, planning before the attack on the capitol. Is the FBI looking into this?" wrote another.
