Pelosi condemns GOP lawmaker for "sick" comments downplaying Capitol assault

Washington — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday ripped Republican Congressman Andrew Clyde of Georgia for downplaying the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol, calling his comments describing the insurrectionists as behaving like they were on a typical Capitol tour "sick" and "quite appalling."

"It was beyond denial. It fell into the range of sick," Pelosi told reporters during her weekly press conference. "And that's what we have to deal with when we are saying it's urgent for us to secure the Capitol. 'Why? It was just a normal tourist day.' We have to strengthen our police force. 'Why? It was just a normal tourist day,' and we have to establish a commission for January 6. 'Why? It was just a normal tourist day.'" Clyde's comment came during a hearing before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Wednesday about the Trump administration's preparations for and response to the January 6 attack. Speaking about the footage of the assault that aired on television, the Georgia Republican said viewers may have thought it was a "normal tourist visit" being shown if they didn't know it was from January 6.