Craig Caplan is a Twitter denizen.
He is also a CSPAN producer at the Capitol.
Yesterday he posted a number of Tweets, starting with this:-
Capitol Hill right now: “The USCP is tracking an aircraft that poses a probable threat to the Capitol Complex. Evacuate the U.S. Capitol, Capitol Visitor Center, Hart, Dirksen, Russell, Cannon, Longworth, Rayburn, Library of Congress and U.S. Botanic Garden buildings.”Rayburn, Library of Congress and U.S. Botanic Garden buildings.”
FYI: House & Senate are both on holiday break today and are not scheduled to be back for votes until next week.
"Update from US Capitol Police: “The Capitol was evacuated out of an abundance of caution this evening. There is no threat at the Capitol. More details to come.”
"Tonight’s aircraft alert ends on Capitol Hill: “The aircraft no longer poses a threat to the Capitol Complex and the USCP is now preparing buildings for reentry.”-US Capitol Police.
"U.S. Capitol Police last night conducted a “routine training exercise” on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol with federal, state and local partners using emergency vehicles and helicopters flying at low levels."
Pelosi: “The FAA’s apparent failure to notify Capitol Police of the pre-planned flyover Nationals Stadium is outrageous and inexcusable.”
MK Comment:- The incident was apparently triggered by a helicopter circling over Nationals Stadium. A passerby captured footage of several military guys parachuting from the chopper into the stadium.
But here's the thing. The whole event raises a number of pertinent questions.
Maybe they have said it elsewhere, but there is no mention in the Capitol Police tweets of that helicopter and the skydivers jumping into the stadium.
Why is their explanation simply that they were "conducting an exercise"?
That might be the truth, but forgive me for wondering, because there have been a number of incidents where disaster has struck, while just by coincidence police were somewhere nearby "conducting an exercise" associated with that very scenario.
DC airspace has been a no-fly zone for decades, while military jets are on standby 24/7 just in case protection is needed or an incoming plane needs to be brought down.
At least, that's the official story - but those of us who remember the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon, also remember that no jets came to the rescue that day, because they were "conducting an exercise" elsewhere. (They had actually been ordered to stand down by then Vice President Dick Cheney).