Raskin Bristles When CNN’s John Berman Asks if Fleeing Hawley Clip Was ‘Gratuitous’: ‘I Would Stand By – Forever – Our Decision’

Outspoken January 6 committee member Rep. Jaime Raskin bristled when CNN anchor John Berman asked if it was “gratuitous” to show footage of Sen. Josh Hawley sprinting away from Capitol rioters whom he had recently egged on.

At Thursday night’s primetime hearing of the January 6 committee, witnesses and video clips told the harrowing, outrageous tale of the 187 minutes between the start of the riot and Trump’s tepid effort at calling it off — and beyond. But there was one unmistakably comical moment that set observers all abuzz.

The committee displayed the infamous photo of Hawley fist-pumping for the crowd at the Capitol, then showed never-before-seen footage of Hawley running away like one of those cartoon characters who disappear from the frame with a bullet-ricochet sound effect, leaving any objects they were holding spinning in mid-air, as rioters closed in.

On Friday morning’s edition of CNN’s New Day, Berman asked Raskin about criticism that showing the footage — including a slow-motion replay — was “gratuitous. Raskin objected:

JOHN BERMAN: The committee showed us video of Josh Hawley running last night after raising his fist there. We just showed it on the screen. You even slowed it down so people could see it, fleeing different rooms in the Capitol. Former impeachment adviser for Donald Trump’s first impeachment, Daniel Goldman, attorney, called that clip gratuitous. Why did you show it?

REP. RASKIN: It was not gratuitous at all. In fact, what we were showing is that there were people who were exhorting the crowd in the mob, galvanizing them, inciting them on to further action, who later come to downplay the whole thing and say, “Oh, this was just a little rally that got out of control.” And I thought it was very important to show that people who were cheerleaders for the insurrection, themselves were terrified. And I would stand by — forever — our decision to include that. And he stood for a bunch of other people, too.

Watch above via CNN.