Oregon lawmakers are rushed to safety, decry, condemn violence
(Update: Adding video, Merkley, Bentz statements)
WASHINGTON (KTVZ) -- Members of Oregon’s congressional delegation expressed shock and disbelief Wednesday as violent protesters poured into the U.S. Capitol, forcing them to flee to safety.
“It’s like a third-world country,” Rep. Suzanne Bonamici told The Oregonian/OregonLive. “Someone has been shot in the Capitol. The Capitol windows have been shot out. It’s unbelievable.”
The Oregon Democrat declined for safety reasons to disclose where was Wednesday afternoon, adding only that she’s in a “locked-down” location outside the Capitol and is safe. She called on President Donald Trump to act swiftly to end the assault.
“He needs to call this off right now,” she said. “He needs to speak up and tell his people to back off.”
Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., told reporters what it was like when the protesters broke in:
"Nobody runs on the floor of the chamber," he said. "Certainly, nobody runs up to the dais, certainly nobody interrupts the speech. So all of that was very, very sudden, very unusual, and because we could hear noises, my assumption is that protesters had entered the building. I mean that just seemed like the automatic response.
"And the moment the vice president was rushed off the floor, the instructions were given to leave the chamber, then immediately correct it, stay in the chamber. There was a sense that yes, this is all about protesters."
New 2nd District Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ore. -- who last month joined those urging a review of the alleged voting irregularities -- said he was saddened by Wednesday's events.
"I'm sad," he told NewsChannel 21. "It's not right that we have violence at the front door of the Capitol. That's not the way we need to do business here. And what's doubly sad is that we as Republicans on the floor of the Senate and the floor of the House, raising many of the issues I'm sure concern these people.
"We were progressing through the arguments in a very precise, considerate, practiced and educated way when the whole process was shut down with people bashing their way in -- and I mean it, bashing their way in," he said.
Rep. Peter DeFazio said he’s never seen anything like Wednesday’s violent demonstrations and held Trump responsible for the chaos.
“This is their attempt to invalidate the election,” he said. “We’re looking at an attempted coup being egged on by a minority of the Republican party and Donald Trump.”
DeFazio was speaking from his office building at the Capitol. Other members of the state’s congressional delegation reported that they are safe while condemning the attack.
Democratic Rep. Earl Blumenauer called the people storming the Capitol “domestic terrorists” emboldened by the Trump administration.
Later, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued this statement:
“What’s happening today in our nation’s Capitol is a direct assault on democracy, a riot by insurrectionists that caps off four years of Donald Trump fanning the flames of fanaticism. Every Republican lawmaker who supported his efforts to overturn a legitimate election shares responsibility for the violence at the heart of our democracy.
"All Americans must be able to elect House and Senate members safe in the knowledge that their views will be represented in civil debate here in Congress without mob rule ever squelching that discussion.
"As a steadfast defender of the First Amendment, I will always support peaceful protest even if I disagree with the views that are expressed. This is far from peaceful protest. But I thank the Capitol Police for their courage protecting all elected officials from criminals bent on destroying democracy. And I very much look forward to resuming the urgent work for our country, as soon as possible.”
