Rep Jamie Raskin says an ‘assassination party’ of insurrectionists hunted Pelosi and Pence during Capitol siege

• Rep. Jamie Raskin on Sunday said US Capitol rioters were violently seeking House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Mike Pence during the Capitol siege on January 6.
• “They built a gallows outside the Capitol of the United States,” Raskin said in an interview on CNN’s State of the Union with Jake Tapper Sunday. “There was an assassination party hunting for Nancy Pelosi.”
• Raskin is the lead impeachment manager against President Donald Trump who on Wednesday faced a second impeachment for “incitement of insurrection.”
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Lead impeachment manager Rep. Jamie Raskin said the US Capitol riot was “an attack on our country” and recalled how pro-Trump rioters violently sought out Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the Capitol breach earlier this month.

In an interview on CNN’s State of the Union Sunday, Raskin said he heard rioters calling and chanting to “hang Mike Pence” outside the building where lawmakers had gathered to certify the presidential election results. 

“They built a gallow outside the Capitol building of the United States,” Raskin said. “There was an assassination party hunting for Nancy Pelosi.”

The Jan. 6 breach forced lawmakers to immediately evacuate the building and seek safety as the pro-Trump supporters wandered throughout the building. More than 100 people were arrested for their involvement including Richard Barnett who took pictures at Pelosi’s desk and Adam Christian Johnson who was seen holding Pelosi’s lectern.

On Jan. 14, Trump was impeached by the Democratic-controlled House for “incitement of insurrection” of the Capitol riots, which resulted in the deaths of five people including a Capitol Police officer. 

When asked about the timeline for the articles of impeachment, Raskin responded, “I know that everybody wants to focus on trial tactics and strategy and so on. I want people to focus on the solemnity and gravity of these events. Five Americans are dead because a violent mob was encouraged, exhorted, and incited by the President of the United States of America.”

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