Updated: 4:33 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021
Members of Ohio’s congressional delegation are scattered across the U.S. Capitol campus as protesters storm the Capitol building and surrounding offices, including the House and Senate chambers.
Many members and staff are able to communicate only through Twitter and other social media as the Capitol complex is locked down and they shelter in place.
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) tweeted at 3:21 p.m. that he and his staff were safe and called for an end to the violence.
My staff and I are safe.
The violence at the Capitol needs to end now.
The lives of countless workers – journalists, staff, and Capitol Police are being put at risk by this attack on our democracy. — Sherrod Brown (@SenSherrodBrown) January 6, 2021
Public calls to end the protests that quickly turned violent came from members of both parties, including from Ohio’s Rep. Jim Jordan, a Republican and staunch supporter of President Donald Trump.
Stop the violence. Support Capitol Police. — Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) January 6, 2021
Rep. Marcy Kaptur, a Democrat, directly blamed the president for what is transpiring on Capitol Hill Wednesday afternoon, when the U.S. Senate was supposed to be accepting the votes of the Electoral College but instead was evacuated from the chamber as protests outside escalated.
This, all of this, is on Donald Trump. His rhetoric and actions to incite such mayhem for political gain is reprehensible and dangerous. This is not our America. https://t.co/A8rSg1twHd — Marcy Kaptur (@RepMarcyKaptur) January 6, 2021
Ohio’s Republican Sen. Rob Portman also decried the violence from the pro-Trump extremists, calling on the president on Twitter to “condemn this unacceptable vandalism and violence.”
The right to protest peacefully is protected under the Constitution but the actions by violent mobs against our law enforcement and property at the @USCapitol building today are not. @realdonaldtrump should condemn this unacceptable vandalism and violence. — Rob Portman (@senrobportman) January 6, 2021
Rep. Marcia Fudge, who in December was appointed to President-elect Joe Biden’s cabinet, called the situation “a sad day in the history of this great nation’s democracy” in a statement released around 3:30 p.m.
“This is a day that will live in infamy. The very people who believe they are protecting our country have succeeded in destroying it,” Fudge said.
Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan was reportedly “sheltering in place” on Capitol grounds, tweeting a call for prayers and confirming at 3:08 p.m. he was safe.
Thanks to everyone for reaching out. I am safe. In lockdown.
This is not ok. We are a nation of laws. Please pray for all of our law enforcement, elected officials and staff on Capitol Hill. Please pray for our country. — Congressman Tim Ryan (@RepTimRyan) January 6, 2021
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) called the insurrection on Capitol Hill “an embarrassment to our country” and “an affront to our Constitution” in a 4 p.m. emailed statement.
“This must stop immediately,” said DeWine, himself a former senator and member of the U.S. House. “The stopping of the count of the Electoral College votes has occurred because the security of the U.S. Capitol has been breached by a violent mob. As a nation of laws, this is simply not acceptable. Lawlessness is not acceptable.”
Peaceful demonstrations outside the Capitol are within the First Amendment rights of all Americans, DeWine said, but “stopping the constitutional process by which we elect the president is not.”
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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