A House Republican says he barricaded himself in a bathroom with a sword during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot as a mob of former President Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol complex.
Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) told The New York Times in an interview published Monday that he was with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) in the GOP leader’s office after the riot began.
The lawmakers had reportedly gone to McCarthy’s office after the House chamber was evacuated. However, Westerman said he was left in McCarthy’s inner work area after the GOP leader’s security team took McCarthy to a more secure location.
Westerman said he took a Civil War-era sword that was on display in the office and barricaded himself inside McCarthy’s private bathroom, crouching on the toilet and waiting for the riot to be over, the Times reported.
Arkansas ABC affiliate KATV reported that Westerman had tweeted during the riot to declare the mob’s actions “absolutely unacceptable” and warn about people getting hurt. It was unclear where he was when he sent the tweet, the outlet reported.
The Hill has reached out to the Arkansas Republican for comment.
Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego (Ariz.) commented on Westerman’s account of barricading himself with a sword.
“He had a sword!! Wth I was looking for the sharpest pen to jab an insurgent in the eye,” Gallego tweeted Tuesday.
The Capitol was stormed on Jan. 6 by pro-Trump supporters while Congress was getting ready to certify President Biden’s Electoral College victory.
Federal authorities have made hundreds of arrests in connection to the riot and prosecutors have said they expect to bring charges against scores more.