MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Local lawmakers who found themselves in the middle of the violent chaos at the nation’s Capitol are speaking out.
Chaos erupted at the Capitol. A mob stormed the federal grounds, scaling buildings and leaving behind property damage. Four people are dead.
Memphis-based congressman Steve Cohen was in the building at the time. He describes the scene as a mini warzone.
“We heard the noise in the Capitol, people pounding on the doors to get in,” Cohen said. “We were in the midst of a mob. It was domestic terrorism.”
Related: Mid-South lawmakers say they are safe, decry violence in Washington
WREG asked Cohen what he thought about the President Trump’s reaction to the violence.
“President Trump is mentally ill. He needs to resign, he needs to go to Mar-a-Lago, he needs to start therapy,” Cohen said.
Republican congressman David Kustoff was also in the building. Kustoff has been a staunch supporter of Trump and questioning results of the election.
Kustoff agreed a mob attacked democracy, never imagining he would see the violent scene play out.
“We’ll grow stronger as a result of it and we’ll grow stronger as a nation,” Kustoff said.
Tennessee Republican Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty initially planned to object the results of the electoral college but after seeing the mob riot at the Capitol, they decided to certify the results. The senators condemned the violence on social media.
WREG asked their teams today if they feel any responsibility for the attack on the capitol. So far, we have not heard back.
But the attempted takeover begs new questions. The planned rally turned riot was well-advertised. Turnout was pushed by the President, bringing people from across the country.
Cohen questions where was the adequate amount of law enforcement?
“The head of the Capitol Police in my opinion needs to resign,” Cohen said. “That’s the honorable thing to do and other people need to be reprimanded.”
Mississippi Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, who voted against certifying election results, says she’s monitoring the situation closely.
A spokesperson for Hyde-Smith sent a statement, saying, “The U.S. Capitol Police and others will examine these events thoroughly in terms of how this tragedy occurred, how to prevent a repeated occurrence, and how to improve the security of the Capitol Campus while ensuring orderly and appropriate public access.”
Kustoff says he now believes the country must move forward.
“I think that we need to demonstrate to the world that we’re not scared and we’re going to conduct our inauguration safely,” Kustoff said. “Obviously, we’ve got the health concerns, but we go on, we swear in the President on January 20, and we get to work.”