On Wednesday, the House Oversight and Reform Committee held a hearing to further investigate the calamitous events of January 6, when a mob of pro-Trump extremists—motivated by the former President's lies about the 2020 election—stormed the United States Capitol in a deadly failed insurrection.
As committee members posed questions to the former Acting Attorney General and Defense Secretary, Republican representatives repeatedly dismissed the severity of the attack on the Capitol.
One of the most egregious claims came from Congressman Andrew Clyde (R-GA), whose claims about the insurrection were totally at odds with reality.
Watch below.
This is Rep. Andrew Clyde (Q-GA) saying the January 6 insurrection looked like “a normal tourist visit” inside the… https://t.co/6hCx2WtAh7— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@Rex Chapman🏇🏼) 1620843818.0
Clyde said:
"There was no insurrection, and to call it an insurrection, in my opinion, is a bold-faced lie. Watching the TV footage of those who entered the Capitol and walked through Statuary Hall showed people in an orderly fashion staying between the stanchions and ropes taking videos and pictures. You know, if you didn't know the TV footage was a video from January the sixth, you'd actually think it was a normal tourist visit."
While some videos showed attendees walking in an "orderly fashion" through the Capitol, which was closed to the public, the vast majority of the footage from that day paints a damning portrait.
The insurrectionists shattered windows, ransacked offices, smeared excrement across the walls, and attacked Capitol and DC Metro police officers, with one nearly crushed by rioters between a door.
In comments to reporters the following day, Clyde said his comments were taken out of context and claimed reporters weren't listening to him. He then walked away.
People were stunned to hear Clyde's delusional characterization of events.
i want to reiterate how crazy it is for Andrew Clyde to say this. bonkers. one of the craziest things i’ve heard ut… https://t.co/lxQQbCJ87H— Jake Sherman (@Jake Sherman) 1620865593.0
OMG! WE ALL WATCHED IT! https://t.co/jJCbc3vbo0— Carolyn Hughes (@Carolyn Hughes) 1620850846.0
Rewriting history from 5 months ago https://t.co/opcNJUhyc7— The Only Nicholas Hunt-Walker in Existence (@The Only Nicholas Hunt-Walker in Existence) 1620918332.0
Most tourist don’t break windows to gain entry. https://t.co/0O104sWW2h— lisa_goodheart (@lisa_goodheart) 1620849221.0
It will take about 30 seconds to watch Andrew Clyde's statement. - you should do that. This is a sitting member o… https://t.co/XWG9o7QlIb— Jim Warren (@Jim Warren) 1620906536.0
Don’t recall smearing feces on walls during a tour to be something normal. https://t.co/NynVSV7dyO— Melinda Moore (@Melinda Moore) 1620899196.0
Social media users soon reminded him what the so-called "tourist visit" actually looked like.
“You would actually think it was a normal tourist visit” https://t.co/VaLQFWZdmt https://t.co/aH0DZeM2js— danielle jones (@danielle jones) 1620846187.0
A NORMAL TOURIST VISIT Five dead, 425 arrests. @gop https://t.co/BkZeMOYFYK— Bombshell DAILY 💣 (@Bombshell DAILY 💣) 1620883216.0
Some shots of a "normal tourist visit". https://t.co/4REYGg6XFd https://t.co/Ji3gYsQB9T— Gary Frank🥃🐠 (@Gary Frank🥃🐠) 1620847344.0
Multiple officers from that day have reported experiencing severe emotional distress. Two officers took their own lives in the days following the riots, though it hasn't been verified that the insurrection played a factor in their actions.