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- Frightened lawmakers begged Mark Meadows to get Donald Trump to end the violence at the Capitol riot.
- Texts from lawmakers were revealed at a hearing by the special committee investigating January 6.
- The frantic messages informed Meadows that lawmakers were “under siege” and “helpless.”
Scared lawmakers seeking refuge when the Capitol building was breached by rioters frantically texted Mark Meadows, begging him to get Trump to end the violence, on Jan. 6.
On Monday, Wyoming Republican Liz Cheney read out several text messages sent by unnamed lawmakers to Meadows during the riot during a vote on whether Meadows should be charged with criminal contempt for not continuing to cooperate with the committee’s investigation.
“We are under siege here at the Capitol,” read one text message from an unidentified lawmaker.
Other lawmakers messaged Meadows that rioters had “breached the Capitol” and about an “armed standoff at the House chamber door.”
“Mark, protesters are literally storming the Capitol, breaking windows and doors, rushing in. Is Trump going to say something?” said another unnamed lawmaker in a text message Cheney read out during Monday’s committee meeting.
Cheney also recited a text sent to Meadows from a lawmaker sheltering inside the Capitol, which simply said: “We are all helpless.”
“Dozens of texts, including from Trump administration officials, urged immediate action by the president,” said Cheney.
The Wyoming lawmaker proceeded to read out more texts from Trump administration officials, one of which said: “POTUS has to come out firmly and tell the protesters to dissipate. Someone is going to get killed.”
Another text, in capital letters, read: “TELL THEM TO GO HOME.” Another Trump official also texted Meadows: “POTUS needs to calm this shit down.”
Apart from lawmakers, Meadows also received messages from Fox hosts like Laura Ingraham, Brian Kilmeade, and Sean Hannity, urging the chief of staff to get the president to end the violence at the Capitol. Donald Trump Jr. also repeatedly asked Meadows to get the president to make a speech to call off the riot.
“He’s got to condemn this shit ASAP,” Trump Jr. texted. “The Capitol Police tweet is not enough.”
“I’m pushing it hard. I agree,” Meadows responded.
“We need an Oval Office address. He has to leave now. It has gone too far and gotten out of hand,” Trump Jr. responded.
Meadows submitted emails, texts, and other information relating to the insurrection to the committee but then withdrew his cooperation with the investigation last week.
Meadows was held in contempt by the House panel on Monday and could face up to a year in prison if convicted.
There have been detailed accounts of the terror experienced by lawmakers and congressional staffers alike during the Jan. 6 riot. In November, Insider published an oral history of 34 lawmakers, journalists, Trump officials, and Capitol workers who recounted how they are still dealing with the fallout from the insurrection.
At press time, 719 people have been charged in connection with the Capitol riot.
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