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NEW: @TheHill put together an oral history of last week’s insurrection at the Capitol. https://thehill.com/homenews/house/533932-i-saw-my-life-flash-before-my-eyes-an-oral-history-of-the-capitol-attack
In the morning, @RepAdamSmith ran into some protestors near barricades at the Capitol. “How do we get in?” they asked. “You don’t,” he said. 1/
In the morning, @RepAdamSmith ran into some protestors near barricades at the Capitol. “How do we get in?” they asked. “You don’t,” he said. 1/
Sen. @timkaine thought it was important he focus on the debate over challenges to the electoral college results … so he left his phone on his desk.
“In hindsight, I wish he’d had his phone,” chief of staff @henry_mike said. 2/
“In hindsight, I wish he’d had his phone,” chief of staff @henry_mike said. 2/
House Speaker Pelosi gaveled in the joint session just after 1pm. In the gallery, members were watching live streams of increasingly violent clashes at the barricades outside. “It struck me that the number of rioters far exceeded the number of police,” said @RepJasonCrow 3/
“After this, we’re going to walk down there, and I’ll be there with you,” Trump told his fans. Then he went back to the safety of the White House. 4/
When Cannon House Office Building was evacuated, some with offices there decided to head over to the Capitol.
“I kept telling my parents it’s OK, I’m in the House gallery, the House floor, I’m probably in the safest place I could be,” said Rep. @sarajacobsca. 5/
“I kept telling my parents it’s OK, I’m in the House gallery, the House floor, I’m probably in the safest place I could be,” said Rep. @sarajacobsca. 5/
At 1:40pm, Mayor Bowser declared a 6pm curfew. 9 mins later, Cap Police Chief requested immediate assistance. @RepAdamSmith got on the phone to SecDef, Army Sec. McCarthy and Joint Chiefs Chair Milley.
“Yeah, we’re going to need help,” he told them. 6/
“Yeah, we’re going to need help,” he told them. 6/
In his office, @RepGallagher had a surreal moment: “I never thought I'd be having a conversation w/ my staff about how to barricade the doors … and whether I could use the Marine Corps sword I have hanging on the walls of my office as a defensive weapon if the mob came.” 7/
As rioters closed in on the House chamber, @RepJasonCrow told members to take off their pins so they would be less recognizable as targets. “I was preparing to either make a stand or fight our way out.” He called his wife to tell her he loved her. 8/
MD @GovLarryHogan was meeting with the Japanese Ambassador when his chief of staff interrupted to tell him the Capitol was under attack. “They were asking for help. The Capitol Police and the Metropolitan police were overwhelmed.” 9/
On the floor, @RubenGallego shouted instructions for putting on gas masks. “You gotta understand, I've not used a gas mask before. Most people in Congress, you know, they didn't know how to put it on,” said @MondaireJones. 10/
In MD, Nat Guard leaders couldn’t get approval from the Pentagon to deploy into DC. Hogan ordered them activated and to get ready just across the border. He got a call from Army Sec. McCarthy asking to send help, so he took that as authorization and the MD Guard entered DC. 11/
“Sending family members texts saying I’m not sure if I’m safe is not something I ever saw happening on the Congress beat,” said @juliegraceb. She sheltered in @RubenGallego’s office with colleagues. 12/
Heading back to the Capitol after lockdowns were lifted, Rep. @JakeAuch was reminded of patrol bases in Helmand Province, where he was a platoon commander. “There was detritus everywhere. There was trash.” 13/
“I came across an abandoned, opened box of epinephrine beside some syringes. I wondered what kind of medical emergency happened here and if the person needing the epinephrine had survived,” my colleague @cimarcos told me. 14/
My colleague @cimarcos noticed a sign honoring the late Rep. John Lewis outside Rep. Steny Hoyer’s office was missing. Hoyer said later the rioters had vandalized the sign. 15/
My thanks to colleagues @cimarcos, @juliegraceb, @jordainc, @jared_gans, @ryshothesheriff, @niallstanage, @brett_samuels27 and not-on-Twitter Greg Nash. Read the full piece here: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/533932-i-saw-my-life-flash-before-my-eyes-an-oral-history-of-the-capitol-attack 16/16
