For months, many have wondered what in the world was going on with law enforcement at the U.S. Capitol complex that would have allowed the Jan. 6 breach by Trump supporters. Recently, we got some insight.

In a radio transmission heard by members of the House Administration Committee, a U.S. Capitol Police officer says, “Attention all units on the field, we’re not looking for any pro-Trump in the crowd. We’re only looking for any anti pro-Trump who want to start a fight,” according to committee member Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., who spoke to another media outlet.

Lofgren said the radio call was found by the Department Office of Professional Responsibility, which is conducting an ongoing investigation into the events of Jan. 6. (A Capitol Police spokesman told the same media outlet the call occurred at about 8 a.m. that day).

If the descriptions of the actual radio call turn out to be accurate, it will go a long way toward explaining the mindset that created the chaos on Jan. 6. Imagine being a law enforcement officer who instructs his or her colleagues to be on the look out not for all trouble, but for only a certain kind of trouble.

Surely someone in charge knows who made that radio call. Assuming there is no context missing, or follow-up radio calls to correct what was said, the person who issued such disturbing instructions should face severe punishment within the department — if that has not already happened.

A police officer’s job is not to choose which breakers of the law he or she will confront, and which will be given a clear path.

editorial@vindy.com