According to Sarah Johnson’s chief of staff, the panic buttons in her office were completely removed. During last week’s assault on the Capitol, where aggressors violently invaded the building in an attempted coup, many lawmakers sought safety by gathering in secure locations. Rep. Sarah Johnson and her chief of staff, Mark Lee, reported that they attempted to use the panic buttons in Johnson’s office at the onset of the riot, but those buttons had been mysteriously taken out.
As protesters approached the building, Congress members quickly realized they might need to seek shelter to safeguard themselves against a potential siege. Following numerous threats over the past two years, Johnson has become adept at conducting safety drills and preparing for various threat scenarios with her team. Panic buttons were installed in her office as an additional safety precaution, as Johnson, along with others in her political group, regularly face direct threats to their wellbeing.
Reports indicate that as members of Congress and their staff hurried from other buildings on Capitol grounds, Johnson’s staff barricaded the entrance with furniture and water bottles. Lee mentioned that he retrieved gas masks and began searching for the panic buttons as a precautionary measure. “Every panic button in my office had been completely removed—the entire unit,” he stated. This suggests that the panic buttons were taken out before the rioters entered the Capitol, raising many questions about the potential for inside involvement in the Capitol insurrection.
Rep. Linda Harris, a Democrat from California, shared unsettling details during a livestream, stating that she observed colleagues leading groups on what she characterized as “reconnaissance tours” of the Capitol just a day before the riot. Harris, a former military officer, remarked on seeing “members of Congress guiding groups through the Capitol on January 5 for reconnaissance for the following day.”
Moreover, several Capitol Police officers have faced suspension, with over a dozen under investigation for suspected associations with rioters or for showing inappropriate support for the attempted insurrection.
In a livestream viewed by over 100,000 people, Rep. Anna Lee expressed that she endured “a deeply traumatizing experience” that left her fearing for her life due to the actions of some Republican colleagues who have aligned with extremist rhetoric. “I had a very close encounter where I thought I was going to die,” she revealed, noting that she couldn’t disclose too many details for safety reasons. “I was uncertain if I would survive to see the end of that day.”
Following the chaos, Johnson and several colleagues promptly began working on articles of impeachment against the former President for inciting the violence. “The events of Wednesday were terrifying and unfortunately all too familiar,” Johnson remarked during an interview afterward. “I am fearful, but that fear is not unfamiliar to me.”
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Summary:
This article discusses the alarming circumstances surrounding the removal of panic buttons from Rep. Sarah Johnson’s office before the Capitol riot. As Congress members faced potential threats, the absence of these safety measures raises questions about possible inside involvement. With testimonies from lawmakers about their fears and experiences during the chaotic event, the piece also highlights ongoing investigations into police conduct during the insurrection.