(Bloomberg Government) -- Federal officials are beefing up security for the counting and certification of votes at the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2025, seeking to avoid planning missteps that left law enforcement unprepared for the violence that erupted in 2021.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas designated the forthcoming vote-counting proceedings as a National Special Security Event, a label that comes with increased planning and resources.
It’s the first time the typically routine congressional meeting to certify the quadrennial presidential result has received the special security designation, highlighting early efforts to prepare for any disputes over election tallies as former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris face off at the polls in November.
“National Special Security Events are events of the highest national significance,” Eric Ranaghan, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Dignitary Protective Division, said in a statement Wednesday.
A federal watchdog faulted the Department of Homeland Security for failing to use that designation for the 2021 joint session of Congress that was disrupted by angry Trump supporters who disputed his defeat in the 2020 presidential election.
Jan. 6 Security Planning Marred by Confusion, Watchdog Says
The Secret Service, which has been mired in controversy for security lapses surrounding the attempted assassination of Trump in July, will lead planning for the January electoral vote certification. Representatives from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies will meet in the coming weeks to craft plans.
To contact the reporter on this story: Ellen M. Gilmer in Washington at egilmer@bloombergindustry.com
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Robin Meszoly at rmeszoly@bgov.com; Bill Swindell at bswindell@bloombergindustry.com
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