Trump supporters caused even more damage to the Capitol than was previously known

The Capitol architect told a House committee that damage inside the building following the Jan. 6 riot was much worse than the public realized.

Brett Blanton, who oversees the buildings and grounds on Capitol Hill, told lawmakers that former president Donald Trump's supporters stole photography equipment, damaged the inaugural platform and tracked blue paint onto priceless stone features during their violent attempt to stop the election certification.

"On January 6, members of my team were preparing the grounds and the presidential inauguration stage. Our artists and trades teams were excited to finish painting the stands a bright white with a deep blue edging on the main stage of the platform," Blanton told the Committee on House Administration.

"As crowds began to appear on the West Front at about mid-day, my staff was moved indoors or sent home. Shockingly, over the course of a couple of hours, the hard work of our team was destroyed. The platform was wrecked, there was broken glass and other debris littering the grounds, sound systems and photography equipment were damaged beyond repair or stolen, two historic Olmsted lanterns were ripped from the ground, and the blue paint — we had so painstakingly worked on all morning — was tracked all over the historic stone balustrades and Capitol Building hallways."

Decorative painters were needed to restore the damage, Blanton said.

"Statues, murals, historic benches and original shutters also suffered varying degrees of damage. This damage to our precious artwork and statues requires expert cleaning and conservation," he noted.

A $2 billion emergency spending bill to boost security at the Capitol includes funding for a wellness center for Capitol police officers named after Officer Howie Liebengood, of Virginia, who took his life shortly after serving on duty against the insurrection. A second officer, Jeffrey Smith, of Virginia, also took his life about a week after the riot.