‘Un-American’: California lawmakers shelter as pro-Trump activists storm Capitol
California lawmakers pleaded for additional help as a mob supporting President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol building Wednesday.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, declared that “help is needed” in a live phone interview with CBS News, as lawmakers evacuated the House and Senate chambers and sheltered in place.
“I think for the security of others, I think help is needed,” McCarthy said. “Let’s get this under control.”
Congress was in the process of certifying the win of President-elect Joe Biden when the mob forced its way into the Capitol. Some of the rioters went into the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, whose staff had evacuated, and pictures showed them waving flags and sitting in chairs in her office.
Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego, described a chaotic chain of events as Capitol police told those in the House chambers to take off their American flag lapel pins so they wouldn’t be targeted and to be ready to put on gas masks as they tried to leave the room.
“When we got over to other side of the gallery, the Republican side, they made us all get down, you could see that they were fending off some sort of assault, it looked like,” he told reporters.
“They had a piece of furniture up against the door, ... the entry to the floor from the Rotunda, and they had guns pulled.”
Many California lawmakers remained on lockdown for hours in the Capitol, though no injuries to members of Congress have been reported. Both Republicans and Democrats condemned the rioters.
The people invading the building broke windows, got into violent clashes with police officers and there are pictures of an armed standoff on the House floor between the invaders and law enforcement.
House members confirmed to The Sacramento Bee that gunshots had been fired. House members in the chamber and the press were given gas masks, as other pictures showed tear gas deployed in the halls of Congress.
Democratic Rep. Jared Huffman wasn’t in the House chambers, but said, “I have been texting with a colleague who was and obviously shots have been fired and gas masks deployed. I mean, this is just unbelievable.”
“It’s absolutely bat---- crazy. I never would have imagined I would be locked down in my Capitol office riding out a violent coup, incited by an American president, but that is exactly what’s happening right now,” he added.
There was a limited amount of members in the House chamber, since the House has directed members to come in limited groups due to the ongoing pandemic.
Capitol Police shut down the Capitol, instructing people to shelter in place while they tried to get the invaders out the building.
“This is so un-American... I could not be sadder or more disappointed at the way our country looks at this very moment...’‘ McCarthy told Fox News during the lockdown. “People are getting hurt.”
Congressman-elect David Valadao, R-Hanford, who was not at the Capitol due to a positive COVID-19 test, also condemned the violence.
“The behavior of these ‘protesters’ on the Capitol Complex is absolutely abhorrent. This is un-American,” Valadao tweeted. “I denounce this behavior to the fullest extent. We are so much better than this.”
Rep. John Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove, blamed Trump for the violence.
“Donald Trump is proven once again that he wants to be a dictator, that he doesn’t believe in democracy, doesn’t believe in the normal processes that have made America great as the longest standing democracy in the world and the strongest country in the world, because of the nature of our government,” Garamendi told The Sacramento Bee. “He’s never believed in that. And he is carrying out one of his diabolical schemes right now, using his supporters as his shock troops.”
Californians like Garamendi have confirmed they were not on the House floor when it was breached and that they are safe.
“I am quite certain that there has been violence. Certainly, there has been a trespass and invasion of the Capitol ... the security at the Capitol is non existent,” Garamendi said. “And therefore, the operation of one branch of the government has stopped.”
Others, such as Sen. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, confirmed they were safe through tweets.
“I am currently sheltering in place in the Capitol at a secure location,” Thompson said. “I will give more updates. This is a very sad day for democracy.”
The office of Reps. Josh Harder, D-Turlock, and Ami Bera, D-Elk Grove, said they were also not in the House chamber and are sheltering in place at the Capitol. The office of Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, said he was safe in a secured location.
Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale, among those who said they would challenge certification of Biden’s victory, posted on Facebook that he was in a “safe and secure” location.
“Violence, no matter by who or for what reason is inexcusable and must be dealt with immediately, forcefully and with the full force of the law,” he wrote. “The actions at the Capitol today hurt our country. We intend to resume our duties soon. The voice of the House of the People will not be silenced for long by a small group that violates the goodwill of all Americans to the right to redress their grievances.”
Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove, who said he planned to vote to certify Biden’s win, said the attack “strikes at the most sacred act of our democracy: the peaceful transfer of power. It is an outrage and a threat to our most fundamental principles as a free people.”
This story was originally published January 6, 2021 at 12:51 PM.
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