‘It Was A Trauma’: A Virginia Congressman On The Day That Would Permanently Change Capitol Hill
By Jordan Pascale
Gerry Connolly was defiant, waiting on the House floor as a mob pounded on the door outside the chamber. The Democratic congressman from Virginia’s 11th District would be among the last to evacuate.
“Part of me, the Irish in me, didn’t like this… like ‘who is this mob to interrupt the workings of the House?’” Connolly recalled. He saw dozens of angry faces, bodies slamming against the door. “And I’ll be damned if I was going to be intimidated by that crowd.”
Many members of Congress stayed away from the floor that day — leaders asked those not involved to be elsewhere because of COVID concerns. But Connolly had never missed the counting of Electoral College votes in his 13 years as a representative.
“I was coming here, no matter what, and I was going to witness the counting of the ballots, given Trump’s assault on the legitimacy of the election, and his lies and false assertions,” he said. “I felt it was very important… to give witness to the constitutional requirement of the counting of the ballots.”
Most lawmakers were focused on the work at hand, unaware of the violent scenes unfolding outside, Connolly said.
Originally seated in the gallery, Connolly moved to the floor to speak with someone. He remembers House Speaker Nancy Pelosi being rushed off the dais and out of the room, and “that’s when I realized we had a problem.”
He and 150 others were ushered into the House Ways and Means Committee room where they sheltered for three hours. While it seemed they were safe, he wrote an email to his family: “If this goes really south … I love you. Please remember that.”
Connolly says he felt an unwavering sense of determination as the day unfolded, though he doesn’t deny the fear of those who were in the Capitol that day.
“There’s no question, it was a trauma. And I can tell you that because I have a lot of colleagues and staff members and family members who are still reliving trauma, and it has classic PTSD signs,” he said.
The insurrection has permanently changed the dynamics among lawmakers in the Capitol, but also the institution itself, he said. He’s personally offended by those who still voted to overturn the election.
“You’re siding with a violent mob … I think (that) has permanently created a wedge in relationships here that are going to be very difficult to ever overcome.”
He hopes the anniversary of the attack will serve as a somber reminder of a difficult day and a memorial for officers who lost their lives.
“I hope it can lead to maybe a rededication to constitutional democracy … freedom of expression within the bounds of constitutional norms,” he said.
“If we can learn from it, and recover from it and strengthen our democratic institutions, then we may in the future look back on this day as a turning point for good.”
Excerpted from "'It Was An Attack On Our Hometown': How 11 Washingtonians Remember The Insurrection." To read the full piece as it appeared on DCist, click here.
