Dem Congressman reveals some GOP lawmakers expressed 'glee' and 'were having a good time' during Capitol riot
Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) revealed some details about his experience on Jan. 6 when the Capitol was under siege.
According to the Congressman, while the Capitol was being torn apart, an attacker was being shot and terrified congressional staffers were hiding afraid for their lives, some Republicans were filled with "glee."
Maloney explained that the American public should know the truth and he encouraged the Biden White House to release Trump-era documents related to the hours when the riot took place.
"It's pretty simple," he began. "Let the facts come out. If the president and Kevin McCarthy and other members of Congress were involved in inciting or encouraging a violent attack on the Capitol, I think we should know that. If they weren't, we will know that, too. But I do think that it's important that this special committee get all the information about a completely unprecedented attack on our Capitol, and the American public should want that."
MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace asked him why Republicans seem to care so much about covering up their actions when so much of what they were saying and doing was in public view. She recalled Trump saying, "we want Mike to do the right thing."
"Where do you think the fervor comes from to keep secret their conversations with Donald Trump?" she asked.
He explained that's the question they hope to answer with the Jan. 6 committee.
"You are right, we already have, out in the open, outrageous conduct, inciting an insurrection against the Capitol, there is really no debate about that," said Maloney. "Denying the science and trying to flip the results in Georgia and other places. Let's know the details, too, let's know who on Capitol Hill was involved in it. That's fair. I think there is a reason why they are so freaked out about their conduct and their actions being revealed on that terrible day."
Wallace asked about the Republican officials who had already confirmed that they spoke to the president, so she and Maloney both didn't understand what they have to hide.
"Let's just get the facts," Maloney began. "I was there on the House floor, at that location with a bunch of Republicans who were -- one in particular who was gleeful of the events transpiring outside. It took me a minute to understand why she was having such a good time. But I saw it. I saw it with her staff who caught up with her. They were excited about what was going on. They had been at the White House, I believe, the day before talking about what was going to happen."
He noted that it wasn't exactly a mystery when Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) was at the rally "whipping up the crowd and pointing them to the Capitol, I believe with a bullet-proof vest on."
Malone explained that the important facts are about deciding what Trump knew and when he knew it and how he was coordinating with Republicans on the ground in the Capitol.
"Congressman, who was the gleeful Republican?" Wallace asked.
"Well, I don't want to say but her initials were Marjorie Taylor Greene," he said.
Maloney went on to recall what it was like being in the undisclosed location with Republicans mocking Democrats trying to give them masks.
"It took me a minute to notice why they were having a good time," he said. "Look, I am reading into their behavior but it seemed to me like they were enjoying what was happening and when they united with some of their staff and some of the people they had been separated from, it was clear to me that they were happy in a way that made no sense given the tragedy that was unfolding."
See the full interview below:
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