WASHINGTON D.C. (KMOX) - The men and women of Congress representing Missouri and Illinois who are inside the U.S. Capitol that has been breached by protesters are tweeting and talking about the scene around them.
Rep. Anne Wagner of Missouri described her experience to our Mark Reardon and compared it to when she was at the Capitol during the attacks on 9/11.
"This is 1,000 times worse than even that was, in terms of my emotions and feelings," Wagner says. "We barely escaped. A staffer of mine and myself are out and we are safe.
"This feels terrible. It's just despicable what's going on. It really is."
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Sen. Josh Hawley, who led the challenge against the results of the Electoral College stated on Twitter, "The violence must end, those who attacked police and broke the law must be prosecuted, and Congress must get back to work and finish its job."
"I want a public response from each and every one of my Republican colleagues: do you think this is ok?" That message from US Senator Cori Bush (MO - D) on Twitter as protesters swarmed the US Capitol prompting lockdowns and evacuations.
A short time earlier, Senator Bush sent followers a message that she was safe, saying "my team and I are sheltering in place." She went on say she had seen "rioters" in the Capitol Halls "with my own eyes".
The lawmaker she replaced on Capitol Hill, Lacy Clay, also took to Twitter saying "history will record whether you defended the Constitution today or supported @realDonaldTrump."
Republican U.S. Senator Roy Blunt called the actions of Trump supporters in D.C. "shameful" adding, "There is no justification for violence and destruction."
Among Illinois lawmakers, Democrat U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth referred to protests as an "an attempted, violent overthrow in our own nation’s Capitol."
U.S. Representative Adam Kinzinger (IL-R) called the unrest a "coup attempt."
In another directed at the President he said, "You are not protecting the country. Where is the DC guard? You are done and your legacy will be a disaster."
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