A former official from the D.C. National Guard and high-level military lawyer accused two top Army leaders this week of being “absolute liars” in their testimony to Congress over the Capitol storming on Jan. 6. The official alleged the pair lied as part of a secret effort to reframe the military’s response to the riot.
In the 36-page memo sent to the Jan. 6 committee obtained by Politico and reported Monday, Col. Earl Matthews, who worked in top positions on the National Security Council and at the Pentagon during former President Donald Trump’s administration, blasted the Pentagon’s inspector general for allegedly creating a report designed to protect a top Army official.
Matthews also called Gen. Charles Flynn and Lt. Gen. Walter Piatt “absolute and unmitigated liars” for how they described the events of Jan. 6.
During the riot, Matthews was the top attorney to Maj. Gen. William Walker, who was the commanding general of the D.C. National Guard at the time. Matthews defended Walker’s response to the Capitol storming.
“Every leader in the D.C. Guard wanted to respond and knew they could respond to the riot at the seat of government,” Matthews’ memo stated. Rather than taking control of the situation, Matthews said D.C. guard officials “set [sic] stunned watching in the Armory” during the first hours of the riot.
Matthews said that both Flynn and Piatt lied to Congress about how they responded to pleas that the Guard be rapidly deployed. He also alleged that the Pentagon inspector generals’ report on Army leadership related to the storming of the Capitol was “replete with factual inaccuracies” and that the Army had generated its own document about the riot that’s “worthy of the best Stalinist or North Korea propagandist.”
“Our Army has never failed us and did not do so on January 6, 2021,” Matthews said when reached for comment, according to Politico. “However, occasionally some of our Army leaders have failed us and they did so on January 6th. Then they lied about it and tried to cover it up. They tried to smear a good man and to erase history.”
Army spokesperson Mike Brady rejected Matthews’ claims, writing in a statement that the Army’s “actions on January 6th have been well-documented and reported on, and Gen. Flynn and Lt. Gen. Piatt have been open, honest and thorough in their sworn testimony with Congress and DOD investigators.”
“As the Inspector General concluded, actions taken ‘were appropriate, supported by requirements, consistent with the DOD’s roles and responsibilities for DSCA, and compliant with laws, regulations, and other applicable guidance,” Brady continued. “We stand by all testimony and facts provided to date, and vigorously reject any allegations to the contrary. However, with the January 6th Commission’s investigation still ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
