Domestic Darkness

“Politics watchers will find this portrait of an agency in need of reform alarming—and most urgent.”—Kirkus

“An alarming and thoroughly captivating explanation of how and why the January 6, 2001, breach of the U.S. Capitol materialized. As Assistant Director of Intelligence for the U.S. Capitol Police on that fateful day, Julie Farnam has performed an important public service with her first-hand account of what is at stake when strategic warning, the process of alerting senior leaders to the emergence of real and serious threats requiring a decision, are not made and acted upon in time. Domestic Darkness is a book that belongs in the library of serious homeland security practitioners.”—William J. Walker, former Sergeant at Arms, U.S. House of Representatives, head of the DC National Guard on January 6, 2021

“Farnam produces more than just a postmortem on the failings of Capitol Police. She lays out a digestible guide of the groups on the front lines of domestic terror, digging into how vulnerable people get drawn to destructive ideologies and how white supremacy is fueling a movement that federal law enforcement calls the leading threat to the homeland.”—from the introduction by Robin Peguero author, With Prejudice and One in the Chamber, investigative counsel on the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol

“A stunning insider account of how the Capitol Police failed to heed warnings about the insurrection and how federal agencies remain ill-prepared to defend against far-right political violence.”—Trevor Aaronson, author, The Terror Factory: Inside the FBI’s Manufactured War on Terrorism

After being named Assistant Director of Intelligence for the Capitol Police just days before the 2020 election, Julie Farnam warned its leadership of the upcoming insurrection, sharing that “Congress itself is the target on the 6th.” Tragically, her warnings were ignored.

Domestic Darkness takes us inside the explosive events of January 6, 2021, revealing how the Capitol Police disregarded intelligence about the right-wing extremists who would seize the capitol on that fateful day.

In addition to offering a harrowing view of what it was like on the ground, watching the violence unfold and knowing it could have been prevented, Domestic Darkness also examines the specific groups and ideologies, such as the Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, QAnon, and white supremacists, who were central to the events of January 6th and who, emboldened by Trump and other right-wing leaders, continue to be a threat to our democracy. The book will also explore what happened within the Capitol Police in the wake of the insurrection, and how to address the dangers to upcoming elections from domestic terrorism.

With the 2024 presidential election just around the corner, we need to look at the lessons January 6 taught us to ensure something like that never happens again.

Julie Farnam served as the Assistant and then Acting Director of Intelligence for the United States Capitol Police during one of the most tumultuous periods in this country’s history. During her time there, she oversaw the identification and vetting of nearly 20,000 threats against members of Congress, most of which were made by U.S. citizens who adhered to extremist ideologies.

Prior to joining the Capitol Police, Farnam served with the Department of Homeland Security for over fifteen years.