- Sen. Mitt Romney claims that then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ignored his text before January 6.
- Romney, after talking to another senator, was reportedly concerned about the Capitol's security.
Then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reportedly ignored Sen. Mitt Romney's last-minute plea to review the Capitol's security plans shortly before the January 6 Capitol riot, according to a forthcoming book.
Romney, after talking with Sen. Angus King, a Maine independent, was concerned about his own safety and that of the Capitol on the day when lawmakers would meet in a joint session to formally count the Electoral College votes.
According to the book, King had warned Romney of an unnamed high-ranking Pentagon official who had told King of concerning online comments about plans for violence. Many posters were mentioning Romney specifically.
According to "Romney: A Reckoning," Romney then texted the top Senate Republican to share his concerns.
"In case you have not heard this, I just got a call from Angus King, who said that he had spoken with a senior official at the Pentagon who reports that they are seeing very disturbing social media traffic regarding the protests planned on the 6th," the book, written by journalist McKay Coppins quotes Romney as having written. "There are calls to burn down your home, Mitch; to smuggle guns into DC, and to storm the Capitol. I hope that sufficient security plans are in place, but I am concerned that the instigator—the President—is the one who commands the reinforcements the DC and Capitol police might require."
According to Coppins, McConnell never replied to Romney's message. Of course, rioters would later overtake the Capitol on January 6. Romney himself would come dangerously close to the rioters after he left the chamber to try to get stock of the situation. The Utah Republican later thanked Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman for leading him to safety.
Representatives for Romney and McConnell did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Coppins has said that Romney provided him unprecedented access for the memoir both in terms of interview time and the ability to review private messages and diary entries. Some Republicans are reportedly concerned about what Romney will say about them.
Romney announced on Wednesday that he will not run for reelection next year.