WASHINGTON D.C., DC — While a nearly full House and Senate worked on the Electoral College certification, hundreds banged on the doors of the U.S. Capitol.
South Carolina representatives were among those evacuated as pro-Trump protesters turned rioters breached the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.
Congressman Ralph Norman recounted the events that took place in Washington DC while he and other members of the House and Senate were at work.
“Somebody had a baseball bat and was beating the windows out," he said.
“I’d never been through anything like that," Congressman Norman said, "to look up and see the door hinges almost coming off, to see the police stacking up furniture to keep them from coming in, to have their guns drawn, it gives you a greater appreciation for what the police go through.”
Congressman Norman said these weren’t democrats or republicans, they were criminals.
“All of us can have differences of opinions, but you don’t do this. And it’s criminals that’s doing this, that’s what’s happening and it can’t be tolerated.”
When the Capitol was cleared and the session resumed, Congressman Norman still voted ‘yea’ to objecting to the Electoral College certification as he had originally intended to.
“The riots had nothing to do with getting the electoral process legitimized," Congressman Norman said.
Congressman William Timmons from South Carolina thought the same thing.
"I represent hundreds of thousands of constituents and many of them believed that the election laws that were changed in the last minutes before the elections was not legal and because of that I thought it was only appropriate that I do what I told my constituents I would do,” Timmons said.
Congressman Timmons also believes those who stormed the Capitol should be punished.
“We need to fully prosecute everyone that came into the Capitol, it is just completely unacceptable that that happened.”
