GOP Senator Claims Capitol Riots 'Didn't Seem Like an Armed Insurrection' and People Brought the Receipts

On January 6, a mob of pro-Trump extremists stormed the United States Capitol in a deadly failed insurrection, prompted by then-President Donald Trump's constant lies that Democrats orchestrated widespread election fraud to "steal" the 2020 presidential race from him.

In the unprecedented siege of the Capitol by its own citizens, the rioters shattered windows, smeared excrement across the walls, ransacked offices, and attacked Capitol police officers. The calamity resulted in the deaths of at least five people.

In addition to the destruction, the rioters sought to murder politicians they deemed disloyal to Trump—including his own Vice President, Mike Pence, who refused to unilaterally dismiss certified electoral votes of swing states Trump lost.

Further videos released at Trump's subsequent impeachment trial last week showed just how close Pence and other lawmakers came to intersecting with the rioters in what could have been a deadly confrontation.

As the nation still reels from the domestic terror attack on its foremost symbol of Democracy, a number of Republican lawmakers have urged Americans to "move on," seeking to dismiss the calamity and Trump's role in it.

Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) attempted to do that in an interview for the Jay Weber show earlier this month.

Watch below.

Johnson said:

"This didn't seem like an armed insurrection to me. I mean, armed. When you hear of armed, don't you think firearms? Here's the questions I would've liked to ask: How many firearms were confiscated? How many shots were fired? I'm only aware of one."

Rioters wielded pepper spray, baseball bats, and flagpoles, which they used as spears. Multiple rioters were seen with flexicuffs believed to be for kidnapping lawmakers. They erected a gallows outside the Capitol.

Multiple pipe bombs were found in connection to the riots and later arrests led to the discovery of more weapons.

People didn't hesitate to remind Johnson of the violence on display that day.

People found Johnson's defense absurd.

Last week, Trump was acquitted by the Senate for inciting an insurrection, with 57 Senators voting in favor of conviction—10 short of the number needed to convict.