More than six months after extremist supporters of former President Donald Trump stormed the United States Capitol in an effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election, right-wing lawmakers and media personalities continue to downplay the severity of the Capitol Riots.
One of these Republicans is Congressman Andrew Clyde of Georgia, who generated controversy this past May when he said the riots simply resembled a "normal tourist visit."
Clyde's exact words were:
"There was no insurrection, and to call it an insurrection, in my opinion, is a bold-faced lie. Watching the TV footage of those who entered the Capitol and walked through Statuary Hall showed people in an orderly fashion staying between the stanchions and ropes taking videos and pictures. You know, if you didn't know the TV footage was a video from January the sixth, you'd actually think it was a normal tourist visit."
As hours upon hours of video footage confirm, the deadly failed insurrection was violent, with rioters shattering windows, beating police officers, ransacking offices, and calling for the execution of any lawmaker they deemed disloyal to Trump, including his own Vice President, Mike Pence.
In a House Rules Committee hearing on Tuesday, just hours after the House Select Committee heard harrowing testimony from police officers who defended the Capitol, Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin of Maryland, called Clyde out in a tense exchange.
Watch below.
Explosive back-and-forth in the Rules Committee as Jan. 6 select committee member Jamie Raskin uses his time to grill GOP Rep. Andrew Clyde on his comments downplaying Jan. 6.\n\n"I stand by that exact statement as I said it," Clyde says of his "normal tourist visit" remark.pic.twitter.com/Fn9JqYVWAI— Andrew Solender (@Andrew Solender) 1627430210
Raskin addressed Clyde:
"[The officers] were asked the question by several of our colleagues ... about statements that you made, saying that the January 6 violent insurrection against Congress was akin to a 'normal tourist visit,' and those officers said they weren't tourists, they were terrorists. Do you stand by your statement that they were tourists?"
Clyde responded:
"I would like you to quote my exact statement, not your interpretation of my statement."
When Raskin did just that, Clyde retorted:
"I stand by that exact statement, as I said it."
Raskin emphasized the testimony of the officers just hours before, and asked if Clyde agreed with their evaluation that the rioters were terrorists.
Clyde proceeded to deflect.
The tense exchange made waves across social media.
Having an infinite capacity of shameless is a prerequisite to being a pro-Trump member of the modern GOP.https://twitter.com/andrewsolender/status/1420171351248285697\u00a0\u2026— Ahmed Baba (@Ahmed Baba) 1627490202
It could be surmised that Andrew Clyde is either incapable of rational thought or is deeply duplicitous. Either one renders him incapable of doing the job he was elected to do.\nThe citizens of Georgia's 9th district & our country deserve better caliber of representative than him.https://twitter.com/andrewsolender/status/1420171351248285697\u00a0\u2026— \ud83c\udf0a\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udc89\ud835\udd4d\ud835\udd52\ud835\udd54\ud835\udd54\ud835\udd5a\ud835\udd5f\ud835\udd52\ud835\udd65\ud835\udd56\ud835\udd55 \ud835\udd4d\ud835\udd56\ud835\udd64\ud835\udd66\ud835\udd67\ud835\udd5a\ud835\udd66\ud835\udd64 \ud83d\udc89\ud83d\udd25\ud83c\udf0a (@\ud83c\udf0a\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udc89\ud835\udd4d\ud835\udd52\ud835\udd54\ud835\udd54\ud835\udd5a\ud835\udd5f\ud835\udd52\ud835\udd65\ud835\udd56\ud835\udd55 \ud835\udd4d\ud835\udd56\ud835\udd64\ud835\udd66\ud835\udd67\ud835\udd5a\ud835\udd66\ud835\udd64 \ud83d\udc89\ud83d\udd25\ud83c\udf0a) 1627471722
There is no doubt that @Rep_Clyde was not misquoted or taken out of context and when given multiple opportunities to condemn the insurrectionists that broke into the capitol he whines, but never does so. \n@RepRaskin demolishes the tiny leaf of credibility Clyde had left.https://twitter.com/AndrewSolender/status/1420171351248285697\u00a0\u2026— Pete Fuller (@Pete Fuller) 1627482244
Unfreakin' believable that these cowards con't to lie to appease some1 who is clearly deranged, a danger to this country & every1 he encounters.\nSeems that @Rep_Clyde needs glasses, a hearing aid, a conscience or a spine. There is no logic to his continuing to lie & downplay 1/6.https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1420384604444368899\u00a0\u2026— EL Brooks (@EL Brooks) 1627490863
Force Clyde to watch video of the insurrectionists and then explain the similarities to a normal tour.https://twitter.com/AndrewSolender/status/1420171351248285697\u00a0\u2026— larry mondo (@larry mondo) 1627491599
Wow. Dude.https://twitter.com/andrewsolender/status/1420171351248285697\u00a0\u2026— Sherry Ahearn, sans appendix. (@Sherry Ahearn, sans appendix.) 1627491371
People pointed to photos of a rightly fearful Clyde on the House floor during the insurrection.
Here is a photo of GA Congressman @Rep_Clyde barricading the House chamber from what he called \u201ctourists.\u201d https://twitter.com/andrewsolender/status/1420171351248285697\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/5iRuGhHNqo— Nabilah Islam (@Nabilah Islam) 1627490800
In which Rep Clyde doubles down on his lies about #January6th, despite photographic evidence of him being protected by an officer on that day.\n\nThe party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. \n\n#DemVoice1https://twitter.com/andrewsolender/status/1420171351248285697\u00a0\u2026— \ud835\udd6c\ud835\udd91\ud835\udd86\ud835\udd89\ud835\udd89\ud835\udd8e\ud835\udd93\ud835\udd74\ud835\udd93\ud835\udd98\ud835\udd86\ud835\udd93\ud835\udd8a \ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udf1f\u267f\ufe0f\ud83c\udf0a\u2795 (@\ud835\udd6c\ud835\udd91\ud835\udd86\ud835\udd89\ud835\udd89\ud835\udd8e\ud835\udd93\ud835\udd74\ud835\udd93\ud835\udd98\ud835\udd86\ud835\udd93\ud835\udd8a \ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udf1f\u267f\ufe0f\ud83c\udf0a\u2795) 1627488446
Hahaha he looks so clam here https://twitter.com/andrewsolender/status/1420171351248285697\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/bRnYZXSobr— Drafting Taylor and Gibson, tell me im wrong (@Drafting Taylor and Gibson, tell me im wrong) 1627487392
Hahaha he looks so clam here https://twitter.com/andrewsolender/status/1420171351248285697\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/bRnYZXSobr— Drafting Taylor and Gibson, tell me im wrong (@Drafting Taylor and Gibson, tell me im wrong) 1627487392
Raskin concluded by urging Clyde and the rest of his colleagues to watch the testimony of the officers.
