New Jersey Democrat says members of Congress led ‘reconnaissance’ tours ahead of riot

Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) on Tuesday said that she witnessed colleagues leading people on tours of the Capitol in the days prior to the violent riot that overtook the building last Wednesday, calling the walk-throughs “reconnaissance” for the siege.

“We can’t have a democracy if members of Congress are actively helping the president overturn the elections results,” Sherrill said during a livestream on Facebook.

“And so not only do I intend to see that the president is removed and never runs for office again and doesn’t have access to classified material, I also intend to see that those members of Congress who abetted him; those members of Congress who had groups coming through the Capitol that I saw on Jan. 5 — a reconnaissance for the next day; those members of Congress that incited this violent crowd; those members of Congress that attempted to help our president undermine our democracy; I’m going to see they are held accountable, and if necessary, ensure that they don’t serve in Congress,” she added.

BREAKING: Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), a Navy veteran and Annapolis grad who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, said she saw fellow members of Congress “who had groups coming through the Capitol that I saw on Jan. 5, a reconnaissance for the next day.” pic.twitter.com/YbZkW1qq7T

— John Kruzel (@johnkruzel) January 13, 2021

The comments come as House Democrats prepare to vote Wednesday to impeach President Trump for a second time. This time for the role he played in inciting the mob that stormed the Capitol as lawmakers prepared to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory.

On Tuesday night, the House passed a resolution calling on Vice President Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove Trump from office. Pence has said that he will not take such action.

The riot overtook the building, killed a Capitol Police officer and left four others dead. 

Sherrill joins a growing list of Democrats who are targeting colleagues for removal for the roles they say they played in inciting the mob.   

Democrats, led by Rep. Cori Bush (Mo.), are circulating a resolution that would expel any member that supported objections to the Electoral College certification from the House for inciting a “domestic terror attack.”

“I believe the Republican members of Congress who have incited this domestic terror attack through their attempts to overturn the election must face consequences,” Bush tweeted last week. “They have broken their sacred Oath of Office. I will be introducing a resolution calling for their expulsion.”

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