The January 6 Committee hearings that were televised and streamed on Thursday revealed video footage that the public has not seen before.
During the Capitol riots, when the assembled were knocking down blockades, breaking windows and entering the Capitol building, some members of Congress were hiding in a secure location, and were trying to alert authorities who would hopefully take responsibility for ending the turmoil and protecting the lawmakers and Capitol police.
The seven minute footage shows Nancy Pelosi, the House Speaker, calling the Governor of Virginia, Ralph Northam, begging him to send Virginia’s National Guard troops into Washington, DC to assist. As she is phoning the governor, a television is broadcasting what’s going on outside the building, while Donald Trump’s supporters are breaking in.
“It’s just horrendous, and all at the instigation of the President of the United States,” Pelosi is heard saying on the video.
In another portion of the video, Pelosi can be heard speaking with Vice President Mike Pence, and asking him when the lawmakers would be able to return safely to the Capitol. Pelosi was left with the impression, based on the conversation, that the Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, wanted his members to return to do their business (the Electoral College certification) as soon as possible.
Pelosi tells her colleagues, that in order to return to the premises, which have been taken over and are now a big mess, they would have to get the place cleaned up, and, in her words, “Well we’re getting a counter point that it could take time to clean up the poo-poo, literally and figuratively, and it could take days to get back.”
Did the rioters actually defecate on the grounds of the US Capitol?
Jeff Rosen, Acting Attorney General under Donald Trump, was called by Chuck Schumer, the Majority Leader, and Schumer asked Rosen if he could convince the President to have his supporters leave the Capitol.
Other video clips show Democrats huddled with Republicans, trying to call for help.
While the video footage depicts scenes and information that have already been described in the media, the presentation gave a close-up view to the fear, chaos and helplessness that the lawmakers were feeling as they tried to end the violent crisis.
After the video was shown, the January 6 Committee voted 9-0 to subpoena Donald Trump to testify under oath and hand over any documents he has that would shed light on his actions or inaction during the Capitol attack.
Trump responded to the request and the committee’s accusations with his expected vitriol. Wondering about how long it will take for Trump to comply with the subpoena brings to mind the image of Hell freezing over.
