Gohmert defends storming of Capitol
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert defended people arrested for storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, calling the vast majority of them “peaceful Americans” during an hourlong speech on the floor of the House of Representatives.
The Tyler Republican and former judge pointed to some defendants being held for weeks in jail in Washington awaiting trial, calling them “political prisoners held hostage by their own government.”
“You could call it a conspiracy because these people are working to silence anybody who supported Donald Trump,” Gohmert said, referring to the Justice Department and federal judges who have denied bail for some defendants and arguing they should have been let out of jail.
“The overwhelming number of people caught up in this ‘unprecedented’ investigation … they’re actually nonviolent, peaceful Americans,” Gohmert said. “Their only crime was sup
porting Donald Trump and concern about the fraud Democrats have been telling us about in elections for many years.”
The Justice Department has announced charges against more than 440 people accused of taking part in the Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol in which five people died. At least four dozen of those charged so far are Texans as the state leads the nation in accused insurrectionists. More arrests are expected.
Meanwhile, the top Democrat and top Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee on Friday announced a deal to create a bipartisan commission to investigate
the insurrection.
Gohmert spent much of his time on the floor Friday reading at length from articles published by conservative media.
He alleged that “people in leadership positions” were refusing to release all video footage from the day, which he said “could really establish what all went on,” calling it a “cover-up.”
And Gohmert stressed that none of the accused insurrectionists has been charged for bringing a gun to the Capitol, taking issue with those who have called it an “armed insurrection.” In court records, the Justice Department accuses a number of the alleged rioters of wielding tomahawks, bear spray, firecrackers and more against Capitol Police. About 140 police officers were assaulted during the riot, the federal prosecutors have said.
“Most did not come here to cause trouble,” Gohmert argued. “Most came here to protest in the manner that I’ve advocated for years — and that is the effective manner that Dr. King advocated for. So much more is done by peaceful protest.”
Gohmert also tore into President Joe Biden for calling the riots the “worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War,” pointing to Pearl Harbor, 9/11 and other incidents as “more of an attack on democracy.”
“I just want the president to understand there have been things worse than people without any firearms coming into a building,” he said.