On Now: 7:00PM
Nugget is Dead? A Christmas Story
Up Next: 9:00PM
Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage
Next Newscast: 10:00PM
CBS 58 News at 10p
Next Newscast: 10:00PM
CBS 58 News at 10p

‘This is banana republic crap:’ Wisconsin Congressional members condemn storming of U.S. Capitol

By: Victor Jacobo
Posted: Jan 6, 2021 8:30 PM CST
NOW: ‘This is banana republic crap:’ Wisconsin Congressional members condemn storming of U.S. Capitol
NEXT:

Milwaukee (CBS 58) – Members of Wisconsin’s Congressional delegation were in the middle of debate over the certification of the Electoral College votes Wednesday, Jan. 6, when the U.S. Capitol was stormed by a mob of violent Trump supporters and had to be evacuated out of the House and Senate chambers.

Wisconsin Democrats were swift with their condemnation of the insurrection and violence.

“It's a sad day for America when the president is inciting domestic terrorism and is acting so incredibly irresponsibly because he is not happy he lost the election,” Rep. Mark Pocan said in a video he posted to Twitter. Pocan, like other members of Congress, had to take shelter in offices.

In another video, Pocan expressed dismay at the situation.

“This is pretty serious,” Pocan said. “We need to have our country to be the beacon of democracy that it is for the world and it’s certainly not today.”

Senator Tammy Baldwin tweeted she was safe and added, “it’s disgraceful that our country has to experience this violence because of Trump’s lies, conspiracies and un-American attacks on our democracy.”

Congresswoman Gwen Moore called the situation “shameful” and also said the 25th Amendment should be invoked to remove President Trump from office.

Congressman Ron Kind said he and other members were determined to hold their ground.

“I’m not ceding any ground,” Kind told reporters in a Zoom call from his office.

Kind said the violence would not deter Congress from completing its work.

“We’re going to finish this,” Kind said. “As soon as we’re allowed to get back in we’re going to start it now and we are going to work until this is done.”

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, a former Wisconsin Congressman, had a question for the current Wisconsin lawmakers.

“Are you on the side of the insurrection, or are you on the side of the peaceful transfer of power in our democracy?”

Republicans also condemned the violence.

Sen. Ron Johnson – who participated in objecting to the certification of the Electoral College votes – tweeted a tepid call for people storming the Capitol to leave.

During the storming of the Capitol, he tweeted “the Capitol Police have acted with incredible professionalism. I sincerely thank them for their service and condemn all lawless activity."

Congressman Glenn Grothman called the situation “embarrassing” to the country.

In a statement, Congressman Bryan Steil said, “those wishing to express their First Amendment rights need to follow the law.” He added, “anyone not authorized to be in the Capitol needs to immediately leave.”

The strongest response came from Congressman Mike Gallagher of Green Bay.

Sheltered in his Washington D.C. office, Rep. Gallagher said the riot at the U.S. Capitol was the cost of fellow Republicans challenging the 2020 presidential election.

“This is the cost of this effort," Gallagher said. "This is the cost of countenancing the effort by Congress to overturn the election and telling thousands of people that there is a legitimate shot of overturning the election today.”

Gallagher called out some of his Republicans colleagues, who he said planned to object to the results of the election, knowing they would not succeed in overturning it.

"The vice president of the United States was just rushed off the floor of the House by Secret Service? This is banana republic crap.”

Contributions to this story also made by: Brendan Cullerton
Share this article: