WATCH: GOP Congressman Claims Capitol Insurrection Was Not an Insurrection, Looked Like a ‘Normal Tourist Visit’
A congressman argued Wednesday that the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol was not an insurrection.
During a House Oversight hearing titled “The Capitol Insurrection: Unexplained Delays and Unanswered Questions,” Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) expressed disagreement with the name of the proceeding.
“Let’s be honest with the American people,” Clyde said. “It was not an insurrection. And we cannot call it that and be truthful.”
The Georgia congressman read several dictionary definitions of the word insurrection — under the apparent belief that they bolstered his argument.
“The Cambridge English dictionary defines an insurrection as, and I quote, ‘an organized attempt by a group of people to defeat their government and take control of their country, usually by violence,'” Clyde said.
Videos from the Capitol on Jan. 6 show violent assaults on officers by an organized group of people whose stated intentions were to overthrow the election and keep former President Donald Trump in office.
Regardless, Clyde doesn’t believe the attack rose to the definition of an insurrection.
“There was an undisciplined mob. And there were some who committed acts of vandalism. But let me be clear: There was no insurrection. And to call it an insurrection, in my opinion, is a bold-faced lie.”
The Georgia congressman went on to compare the rioters to ordinary tourists.
“You know, if you didn’t know the TV footage was a video from January 6, you would actually think it was a normal tourist visit,” Clyde said.
Footage reveals the attackers smashed windows, infiltrated rooms, and vandalized offices — running counter to the idea that those who breached the building that day were simply looking to take a few pictures.
The mob also violently beat police officers — more than 100 were wounded in the attack, and two died by suicide afterwards — and called for the executions of elected officials including Nancy Pelosi and Mike Pence.
Watch above, via PBS.
