Concerns Over Capitol Police Corruption Ignored by Media

Corporate media has been criticized for often overlooking, disregarding, or outright denying stories that contradict prevailing narratives. While some claims are too significant to ignore, the recognition of others often falls behind in urgency.

It appears that this pattern hasn’t reached the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) yet.

“Corruption persists due to what they know about problematic council members and their misconduct.”

For years, allegations revolving around corruption have plagued the USCP. Yet, both local and national media continue to overlook these issues, even following the appointment of an interim chief with a scandalous background.

Last year, investigative reporter Steve Baker from Blaze News published a comprehensive report detailing severe fraud within the USCP. His findings allege misconduct involving perjury, government fund misuse, and fraud, particularly highlighting former captain Sean Gallagher and his subordinates’ involvement in a 2010 overtime scheme.

According to a 2012 internal investigation by the Department of Undergraduate’s Office of Expert Responsibility, Gallagher was found to have forged his supervisor’s signature on overtime forms. He contended that the forgery didn’t yield personal benefits. A 2014 National Journal Report confirmed previous allegations regarding overtime abuse, although it didn’t name specific officers.

Despite the gravity of Baker’s revelations, they received minimal coverage from other media outlets, including major ones like the Washington Post and WUSA9.

Baker questioned, “Why does Blaze Media seem to dominate reporting on various Capitol Police corruption cases, while other media, particularly those accountable to local institutions, ignore the story?”

Such inaction has notable repercussions. There’s been a decrease in media scrutiny, leading to weakened institutional accountability, while careers continue to flourish in spite of significant accusations.

On June 2nd, the USCP announced Gallagher would serve as interim chief, despite his troubled history. His promotion drew criticism even from within the department.

The Capitol Police Labor Commission, representing the military officers, issued a rare statement, claiming Gallagher “fails to meet necessary trust and integrity standards.” This public pushback stirred some interest among local journalists but didn’t generate widespread media attention.

J. Thomas Manger, the Chief, defended the decision, asserting that Gallagher’s experience outweighed past controversies. He also accused the union of orchestrating a “smear campaign.”

Nevertheless, the union’s objections proved effective. Shortly after, Michael Sullivan, the former deputy police chief of Phoenix, was appointed as the permanent head of the USCP.

“It’s significant that the Capitol Police are purportedly responsible for the protection of all congressional members, yet coverage is lacking.”

For Baker, the issues run deeper. “These officers understand where the skeletons are buried,” he remarked. “Corruption thrives based on their knowledge of problematic council members and their actions.”

He pointed out the case of former Assistant Yogananda Pittman, accused of failing to act decisively during the January 6, 2021, Capitol protests and who later became chief at the University of California, Berkeley.

There’s a broader issue here: officers with serious infractions often land jobs in other law enforcement agencies. This points to systematic failures in reporting misconduct.

Baker mentioned the Lewis Registry, a significant resource that logs officers with disciplinary actions against them. This registry aims to alert potential employers about past issues and provides defense attorneys access to pertinent records when officers testify in court.

Baker believes the Capitol Police scandal deserves more attention than just a local story. “This isn’t merely a DC issue,” he expressed, emphasizing the broader implications of the USCP’s failures.

Attempts to reach out to the Capitol Police, Washington Post, and WUSA9 for comments were unsuccessful.