The frantic and frenetic atmosphere within the Capitol as a mob of Trump-supporting rioters overran its usually well secured halls is evident in the raw, contemporaneous reports journalists sent out Wednesday as the breach was underway.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, congressional reporters have been operating a pool to limit the number of reporters who needed to be on Capitol Hill. That means that a small crew of reporters who are at the Capitol on any given day are sending out usable tidbits of information to the other reporters who would also normally be covering Congress in person, but are staying home to help limit the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak.
The reports that Hill journalists were contributing to the pool on Wednesday were critical to understanding in real time what was happening at the Capitol. Some of the reports were sent from journalists who were in the Senate and House chambers, while others came from reporters monitoring the situations from locked down locations elsewhere within the Capitol.
Here is a rundown of those pool reports as they came in the critical hour between when the Capitol first went on lockdown, a little after 2 p.m., and when evacuations started happening around 3 p.m.:
2:06 p.m.
via Axios’ Alayna Treene
SUBJECT: SENATE PRESS GALLERY
FYI — staff in the Senate press gallery just informed us that if protestors storm the Capitol they will usher us into the Senate chamber and lock the door.
2:08 p.m.
via Bloomberg’s Erik Wasson
SUBJECT: House chamber print pool report. 2 p.m. color
As Trump supporters storm the east front barricade outside, the debate is comparatively sedate in the House chamber
Joe Neguse spoke, arguing objectors have presented no evidence, no explanation of why courts have not backed claims of fraud
House Dem side is more sparsely populated as members observe social distancing. more dems are in gallery
GOP aide has larger group on the floor
Jim Jordan sitting next to Scalise, conferring in a whisper
GOP Rep. Mike Johnson rises to support objection, arguing Arizona judges changed voting stature against will of the legislature
murmuring by Jayapal, others in gallery
2:12 p.m.
via AP’s Mary Clare Jalonick
SUBJECT: Re: SENATE PRESS GALLERY
We are told same in House.
2:14 p.m.
via Axios’ Alayna Treene
SUBJECT: Pence left
PK says Pence has just left Senate chamber
2:16 p.m.
via New York Times’ Emily Cochrane
SUBJECT: RE: Pence left
they’re closing the House gallery doors, which have been open.
2:17 p.m.
via Bloomberg’s Erik Wasson
SUBJECT: Locking the House doors@!
House press gallery staff warning they may lockdown the chamber
press not able to leave gallery
police have closed the doors upstairs
Scalise leaving hurredly
Hoyer left quickly
Rep Dean Phillips yelled loudly “THis is because you !”
Commontion
2:18 p.m.
via New York Times’ Emily Cochrane
SUBJECT: Dean Phillips
just yelled out “this is because of you” as people are closing the gallery doors. Capitol Police presence has increased in the chamber, and debate has stopped.
2:19 p.m.
via Bloomberg’s Erik Wasson
SUBJECT: House has recessed
2:19 p.m.
via The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jonathan Tamari
SUBJECT: RE: Dean Phillips
what looked like security personnel – but I can’t be sure – rushed Hoyer off the floor
2:22 p.m.
via Bloomberg’s Erik Wasson
SUBJECT: Capitol police addressed lawmakers
from the rostrum, Capitol police officer told lawmakers that the chamber is in lockdown due to a breach of the building.
He urged members not to leave the building
Lawmakers applauded saying “thanks to the Capitol police!”
Top leaders have been enscorted out
2:26 p.m.
via Bloomberg’s Erik Wasson
SUBJECT: McGovern gavels House back
he recognizes Gosar
House back into recess
2:30 p.m.
via Bloomberg’s Erik Wasson
SUBJECT: House back into recess
Lawmakers are told to stay in their seat
“Sit down! Stay calm” says Pelosi floor manager
2:32 p.m.
via Fox News’ Jason Donner
SUBJECT: Grassley was told this: “The protesters are in the building,” right before Senate recessed when he was sitting in the chair,
You can hear it on the mic right before it cuts out and Senate recesses
2:34 p.m.
via Bloomberg’s Erik Wasson
SUBJECT: House poo report
The officer told lawmakers they may need to duck under their chairs
protestors are in the rotunda we are told
“We now have individuals that have breached the Captiol building. they are in the Rotunda area”
Lawmakers told to “be prepared” to relocate to cloakrooms
“At this point in time there is no threat to the chamber”
The doors are barracede
Rep. Steve Cohen screams “Call Trump! Call your friend!”
2:40 p.m.
via Bloomberg’s Erik Wasson
SUBJECT: HOUSE BEING EVACUATED
LAWMAKERS are being evacuated
protestors it seems banging on door
2:44 p.m.
via Bloomberg’s Erik Wasson
SUBJECT: Armed standoff house floor
There’s an armed standoff at the house front the door police officers have their guns drawn at someone who is trying to reach the front door
They tried to reach the main doors pick up Chara please a barricade the door with a heavy bureau
2:45 p.m.
via Bloomberg’s Erik Wasson
SUBJECT: Sound of a shot
I’ve been down on the floor of the Press Gallery on the third floor sounds like gunfire
Ruby order to get down to the floor it’s an arm stand off the main house the door was at least a statuary hall. Producers of broken the glass that are sticking some objects into the house chamber
2:51 p.m.
via Bloomberg’s Billy House
SUBJECT: Re: Sound of a shot
We can’t twmell if a shot…three dozen members up in gallery with us, some yelling down to police to come get them.
Officer says they will..we atr moving out!
2:54 p.m.
via Huffington Post’s Igor Bobic
SUBJECT: Protesters are in the Senate chamber (photo attached)
One got up on the dais and yelled “Trump won that election”
Several dozen are roaming through the halls, yelling “Where are they”
A bunch are up in the galleries
They’re in the chamber. One is up on the dais yelling “Trump won that election!” This is insane pic.twitter.com/p6CXhBDSFT
— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) January 6, 2021
