Capitol Chaos From The Perspective Of Oklahoma Leaders

Shortly after rioters breached the capitol Wednesday, senators and congressman, including those from Oklahoma, ran to safety. 

Right away, Senator Lankford says, he knew it was bad. 

“I knew immediately that is not just protestors in the building, its violence in the building,” said Lankford.  

Violence as rioters scaled walls, broke windows, even roaming the senate floor. 

“They’re trying to be able to go through, to be thugs, to be able to push through with their own perspective of trying to bully their way into something and that is not who we are as Americans,” said Lankford. “We solve things with elections, we solve things with debate, we solve things with conversations.” 

A conversation, Congressman Markwayne Mullin says, he had after protestors broke out windows on the doors of the House. 

“We at least got them to quit beating on the door,” said Mullin. “They did stop beating on the door, but they were pretty excited and I think they realized how lucky they were that they didn't end up getting shot.” 

While no longer objecting the Electoral Vote, Senator Lankford has this message. 

“We as Americans have to be able to re solve our differences and spend time talking to each other and hearing each other out,” said Lankford. “We've got to be able to do it in a peaceful way, how we have done it for centuries.” 

Many elected officials credit capitol police for protecting them.