The January 6th committee unveiled sensational footage shot by Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Ca.) daughter last week that depicts Democrats as heroes stepping in to save “democracy” from Donald Trump and his supporters.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sought to reiterate that message in a CNBC report, saying he and Pelosi were “resolute” about calling in the military to intercept the pro-Trump “hooligans” who took over the Capitol.
Pelosi ‘resolute’ about using military
The renewed focus on January 6th among Democrats comes weeks before the midterm elections, as Democrats look to distract voters from a failing economy by portraying the right as dangerously extreme.
Polling suggests that Republicans are gaining the upper hand, with Democrats expected to lose control of the House and possibly the Senate as well.
Schumer told reporters Sunday that Democrats were determined to use the military on January 6th to expel Trump protesters from the Capitol, so that Congress could finish certifying the election count.
“Speaker Pelosi and I were resolute that first the military should come in and remove people from the Capitol. The Capitol Police were overwhelmed,” Schumer said.
“And we called the Secretary of Defense. We call[ed] the governors of Virginia and Maryland who had national guard as well as the D.C. police and urge[d] them to send reinforcements to the Capitol to make sure that these hooligans were removed.”
Dramatic video suddenly emerges
Schumer’s comments came days after the Democrat-led January 6th committee publicized snippets of dramatic, previously unseen video taken on January 6th by Pelosi’s daughter. The full tape, which depicts Pelosi and other congressional leaders responding to the riot, was obtained exclusively by CNN.
Democrats and the media have showcased the surprise video as demonstrating a leadership vacuum left open by Trump. Many on the right, including Trump, have said the opposite: that Pelosi, out of negligence or perhaps malice, left the Capitol unguarded.
The new footage of January 6th shows Pelosi and other congressional leaders moving promptly to send in the troops, something Trump was criticized for threatening to do during the “mostly peaceful” George Floyd riots.
In the video, an exasperated Schumer says he’s “going to call up the effing” Pentagon. In another moment from the tape, Pelosi vents about her desire to physically assault the president, who was then speaking to supporters at the Ellipse before the riot began.
“I hope he comes,” Pelosi says. “I want to punch him out. This is my moment. I’ve been waiting for this. For trespassing on the Capitol grounds. I want to punch him out, and I’m going to go to jail, and I’m going to be happy,” she said.