From Washington to Annapolis, dismay, anger and disbelief
The shocking violence in Washington, spurred by President Donald Trump’s baseless calls to overthrow a democratic election, rippled the 26 miles out to Annapolis and generated widespread outrage and disgust.
“I am getting calls from overseas. The whole world is watching,” Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley said. “It’s a sad day for what we all believe is the greatest democracy in theworld.”
The outcome of two Senate run- off elections in Georgia Tuesday, twin Democratic wins that tip the balance of power in the nation’s capital, only added to the sense of the damage done to American democracy by events in Washington.
“You’re not great just because your hat says so. We give the rest of the world hope,” Buckley said. “Today, we just look pathetic.”
As Gov. Larry Hogan activated the Maryland National Guard and Maryland Capitol Police to assist law enforcement in Washington, local police departments reported varying levels of alert.
County Executive Steuart Pittman said he had been in communication with other Central Maryland county executives but wasn’t aware of any demonstrations in the county. He said he hopes the chaos will be contained in Washington and over soon. A Pittman aide reported there were no credible security threats to the county Wednesday afternoon.
As rioters breached entrances and swept past police into the Capitol midday, members of the Senate and House of Representatives took shelter. The Senate abruptly adjourned the process of confirming the 2020 presidential election results, which President-elect Joe Biden won soundly. All 50 states certified the election results.
Inside the House chamber, members of the U.S. Capitol Police drew their guns and pointed them through the barricaded doors as Trump supporters attempted to get inside. Members of the Maryland congressional delegation were reported as safely sequestered in secure locations on Capitol Hill.
Rep. Anthony Brown, who also represents part of Anne Arundel County, said he was getting ready to make his way to the house floor when rioters arrived.
”I really never thought I’d live to see this moment at the Capitol,” said Brown, DPrince George’s. “It’s a sad day for our country.”
Because of coronavirus restrictions, the number of people on the House floor was limited, he said. Brown told his staff to stay home Wednesday, expecting protests, but he was not prepared for a mob.
The congressman said he’s scared and angry: scared for Capitol police officers, the custodians, clerical staff, people who spend their days in service of the country whose safety is now jeopardized and angry at Trump for inciting the violence.
“It’s a really, this is a dark day for our country,” Brown said. “And this president has taken us down a number of dark alleys and dark days, but this has got to be one of the worse.”
Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen said that once the building is secured and the election has been certified, there needs to be an investigation into how the rioters were able to storm the Capitol. Brown agreed.
“Here we have a violent mob that was able to break through the doors, and yet, we have witnessed peaceful protestors being greeted with tear gas,” Van Hollen said. “When there were people engaged in peaceful protests, the president again fanned the flames, and now you have, essentially, this violent mob taking over the Capitol, and well, there’s going to have to be a major assessment of how this happened.”
U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin offered an angry retort after Trump tweeted his support of Capitol Police and law enforcement.
“Pouring the gasoline, lighting the match and then praising the firefighters,” Cardin tweeted. “Really quite unfathomable that this chaos was instigated — encouraged — by the President of the United States.”Despite the lawless occupation, police allowed the Trump supporters to loiter outside the Capitol and inside the halls of Congress. It was a stark contrast to the sometimes violent tactics police officers used to disperse peaceful demonstrators supporting civil rights and the Black Lives Matter movement over the summer.
In Anne Arundel County, Del. Sandy Bartlett, chair of the county delegation in the House of Delegates, called the Capitol breach in Washington an attempt at sedition — one she hopes will not be successful.
Flipping between news channels in her home office, she said she was praying for lawmakers, Capitol Hill staffers, journalists and medics on the ground.
Sen. Sarah Elfreth, who represents the capital city, said the mob in Washington should be referred to as terrorists. They stopped being protesters the minute they breached the Capitol, she said.
“The election is over. Everyone needs to accept that and calm down,” she said. “Frankly, this is the most un-American thing I have ever seen.”
Republican leaders decried the lawlessness, saying the rioters were not true members of the party.
“It’s outrageous,” said Dirk Haire, chairman of the Maryland Republican Party. “Anybody who went to the Capitol today to protest and trespass should be arrested.”
People too often are quick to describe either political party as “the party of Trump” or the “party of Hogan,” Haire said. “It’s the Republican party. I think we will have a very vibrant slate of Republican party candidates from here on out who will carry on our principles of freedom and personal responsibility.”
Del. Sid Saab, R-Crownsville, said he was speechless when he turned on his TV and saw people hanging off walls and breaking into the Capitol building.
”I support peaceful protest, but breaking into the Capitol and harming people is not acceptable. This is not how this should be handled,” Saab said. “If you want to protest peacefully on the street just like everybody else but endangering people and hanging on the walls, it’s unacceptable. We’re Americans. We don’t act that way.”
Alderman Fred Paone, the lone Republican on the Annapolis City Council, called the scenes of the mob breaching the Capitol “absolutely disgraceful.”
”It’s an affront to our democracy and an embarrassment to our country,” said Paone, who represents Ward 2. “These aren’t Republicans peaceably protesting.”
Sen. Ed Reilly, R-Crofton, said although he supports Americans using their First Amendment rights, he does not accept any demonstration that is not peaceful. He said he’s hopeful Congress will certify the presidential election in favor of Presidentelect Joe Biden and that there will be a peaceful transition of power.
Senate Minority Leader Bryan Simonaire urged peaceful protest without breaking the law.
In a text message with a Capital reporter, he wrote: “Peaceful protests are an essential and necessary part of democracy, but destruction of property, violence towards fellow citizens and disregard for the rule of law is unacceptable. I implore those protesting in Washington D.C. to protest fervently for their issues and concerns, but peacefully. We as a nation are better than lawlessness.”
Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, who represents part of north county, said in a text that lawmakers had been confined to their offices since 1 p.m. and were still locked down as of 8:45 p.m. But the night was far from over, as Congress reconvened to continue certifying the election.
“We are supposed to be voting for the next 24 hours straight,” he said.