Business Insider has a fascinating article today interviewing 34 people who were at the capitol on January 6th. The following is just the intro:
“We have the building!” Those words sent “a wave of terror” through congressional staffer Jay Rupert as he barricaded himself in his House office on January 6 while an angry pro-Trump mob breached security and ransacked the building.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth made a split-second decision to hide alone with a staffer, fearing to use Capitol escape routes ill-designed to accommodate wheelchair users.
A Metropolitan Police Department officer described being beaten back and crushed by a mob, only to be finally knocked out by a perfectly-timed blast of bear spray. Photojournalist Alan Chin thought of his 7-year-old daughter as an angry group of Proud Boys surrounded him.
Though more than 600 people have so far been charged for their roles in the attack on the Capitol, and investigations continue, pro-Trump factions of the Republican Party continue to downplay what happened 10 months ago when Congress was supposed to certify Joe Biden as president-elect.
Insider has created a comprehensive and vivid account of the January 6 riot, compiled from interviews with 34 lawmakers, journalists, photojournalists, law-enforcement officers, Capitol Hill staff, and others. They shared the details of that day, where split-second decisions may have saved their lives.
A Metropolitan DC police officer and two custodial workers were granted anonymity to allow them to speak candidly without risking their jobs.
On the morning of January 6, 2021, supporters of Donald Trump, the defeated president, gather for a rally at the Ellipse, outside the White House, that starts at 11. Over on Capitol Hill, lawmakers, reporters, and a skeleton crew of staff make their way to Congress ahead of a noon session to formally certify the election results.
Rep. Jake Auchincloss, a freshman Massachusetts Democrat: I woke up, and I actually said to my roommate, another member of Congress, and I was like, “It’s going to be a good day. We took Georgia.”
Sen. Rob Portman, an Ohio Republican: I was nervous about that day already. I was concerned that something might happen, based on the information that I had.
Katherine Tully-McManus, a reporter for CQ Roll Call: I know that a friend, very early in the morning, texted me, like, “Stay safe today.” Or something. I literally texted back, “I don’t think I’m going to be fighting Proud Boys on my commute. Thanks.”
John Eastman, an attorney and Trump associate who spoke at the Ellipse: I’m working with several of the teams that have been putting together evidence — statistical, sworn affidavits — with legal teams from around the country to try and get members of Congress to object to the various certification slates as the various states came up. And then the president apparently was still on the phone with the vice president and therefore was delayed in heading over to give his speech at the rally on the Ellipse.
Rep. Gerry Connolly, a Virginia Democrat: I’m a 24-year veteran of Capitol Hill. And that is the only time I felt a sense of real personal threat and menace. But my reaction was: I’m coming. I don’t care. By God, no one’s going to stop me from being a witness to this election.
Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat: What I do specifically remember is parking on Delaware Avenue and getting out, and seeing a handful of Trump folks with flags and signs but not looking particularly menacing, and saying, “Oh, there’s going to be a big protest today, right? Yes.” And saying, “I’m sure the Capitol Police have got this.”
Jay Rupert, deputy director of the House Periodical Press Gallery: I came in around lunchtime. And I remember my direct quote, “I work in the safest building in DC. Next to the Pentagon.”
A Metropolitan Police Department officer: There was just a standard briefing. “This is what we got coming. This is what we expect.” But we kind of knew it wasn’t going to be a regular day just from the sheer number of people. Also the day before there had been arrests of guys with guns from, like, the Proud Boys.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat: While things were closed off, there wasn’t a significant Capitol Police presence that would have indicated that there was going to be big problems, big trouble brewing. It seemed like we were ready. And I felt pretty secure.
Karlin Younger, a Capitol Hill resident: If you live in this neighborhood, this happens a lot. We had gone through the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and so you just kind of know when people are going to kind of show up in the neighborhood.
Rep. Ruben Gallego, an Arizona Democrat: I thought that security was way too light considering the threats that we had heard. I thought there would be more present and they would be more heavily armed.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican: I usually don’t take my gun to work. I can, but I usually don’t, just because we have so many police. But I did take it that day.
Around noon, about a mile from Capitol Hill, Trump starts talking to thousands of supporters. He and other speakers egg the crowd on to fight for him.
That’s just the beginning. It’s actually a fascinating read to see from the perspective of all these different participants in the events that day, what they went through.
Whenever I read something like this or watch one of the documentaries I’m struck again by how outrageous and dangerous it was and how easily it could have been so much worse.