A new report by Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz has revealed critical gaps in the FBI’s handling of confidential human sources (CHS) during the events leading up to and during the January 6, 2021, breach at the U.S. Capitol. The findings highlight a significant lapse in the Bureau’s intelligence collection and sharing processes, raising questions about its ability to effectively assess and respond to such pivotal events.

Key Findings: The Role of Confidential Sources

The report disclosed that while the FBI officially assigned only three confidential sources to monitor the January 6 rally, an additional 26 sources were present in the crowd. These sources were connected to multiple FBI field offices and were not specifically tasked with monitoring the Capitol events.

Among these 26 sources:

4 entered the Capitol building during the breach.
13 entered restricted areas surrounding the Capitol, which had been secured in preparation for the certification of the Electoral College votes.
9 sources did not enter any restricted zones or engage in illegal activity.
Notably, none of these sources have been prosecuted, and the report found no evidence that FBI informants incited violence or organized any part of the day’s events.