Democratic Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib broke down crying on the House floor Thursday night when talking about the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, saying she is thankful she was not there.
A group of House Democrats spent time on the floor sharing their experiences from Jan. 6, when Trump-supporting rioters stormed the Capitol and committed acts of vandalism and violence which postponed the electoral college certification process and forced members of Congress to evacuate the building.
Before the floor speeches, a media advisory email was sent out which said: “Members of Congress will come together on the Floor today to recount their experiences of the January 6 Capitol attacks. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez worked with the Congressional Progressive Caucus to organize the special order hour with the goal of creating space for members to talk about their lived experience and to call for accountability.”
During Tlaib’s emotional speech, she mentioned that although she was not there, she was terrified watching it and hearing about it and also mentioned death threats she had received in the past. During the speech, Ocasio-Cortez can be seen standing next to Tlaib as she cries.
“This is so hard because as many of my colleagues know, my closest colleagues know, on my very first day of orientation I got my first death threat. It was a serious one. They took me aside, the FBI had to go to the gentleman’s home. I didn’t even get sworn in yet and someone wanted me dead for just existing. More came later, uglier, more violent. One celebrating in writing the New Zealand massacre and the hoping that more would come. Another mentioning my dear son Adam, mentioning him by name. Each one paralyzed me each time,” Tlaib said in her speech.
“So what happened on Jan. 6 all I could do was think, Allah, but I wasn’t’ here. I felt overwhelming relief and I feel bad for Alexandria and so many of my colleagues that were here. But as I saw it I thought to myself Thank God, I’m not there,” Tlaib continued.
WATCH:
Totally missed this yesterday… Rashida Tlaib had a full-blown crying meltdown on the House floor and she wasn’t even there on January 6. pic.twitter.com/R7R9KIPFTd
— Caleb Hull (I’m With the CCP Don’t Ban Me) (@CalebJHull) February 5, 2021
Ocasio-Cortez has continued to say she was fearing for her life during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. On Monday night, she posted an Instagram Live video saying she hid in her office bathroom after hearing loud banging and shouting. She then mentioned that it was not rioters banging at her door but a Capitol Police officer who entered her office. (RELATED: Ocasio-Cortez Accuses Nancy Mace, Who Said She Was Raped At 16, Of Minimizing Survivors’ Trauma)
Tlaib’s office did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller when asked where she was on Jan. 6.