GOP congressman questions whether any rioters attacked Capitol because of Trump. Video suggests they did.

During Wednesday's impeachment debate on the House floor, Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) asked his colleagues — many of whom have accused President Trump of inciting an insurrection — if any of the individuals who participated in the deadly riot at the United States Capitol building last week have been brought before Congress "to answer whether they did that because of our president."
Mast didn't receive an answer, which appeared to be his intent, and stood silently at the podium to prove his point. But while it's true that no one has actually spoken before Congress to say that they were inspired to storm the Capitol by or on behalf of Trump, observers quickly noted there is video evidence of at least some members of the mob who did claim to police that day that Trump "invited" them to the grounds, so it's unclear if Mast's point landed the way he intended. Tim O'Donnell
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Quiz of The Week: 1 - 7 March
Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By The Week Staff Published
-
Superboys of Malegaon: 'uplifting' Indian love letter to scrappy filmmaking
The Week Recommends 'Feelgood' comedy about a group of friends who make their own versions of Bollywood hits
By The Week UK Published
-
The week's best photos
In Pictures Rio’s dirtiest party, a pancake-flipping race, and more
By Anahi Valenzuela, The Week US Published
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Arab leaders embrace Egypt's Gaza rebuilding plan
Speed Read The $53 billion proposal would rebuild Gaza without displacing Palestinian residents
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Germany's conservatives win power amid far-right gains
Speed Read The party led by Friedrich Merz won the country's national election; the primary voter issues were the economy and immigration
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Russia frees US teacher Marc Fogel in murky 'exchange'
Speed Read He was detained in Moscow for carrying medically prescribed marijuana
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Hamas pauses Gaza hostage release, upending ceasefire
Speed Read Hamas postponed the next scheduled hostage release 'until further notice,' accusing Israel of breaking the terms of their ceasefire deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Baltic States unplug from Russian grid, join EU's
Speed Read Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are disconnecting from the Soviet-era electricity grid to join the EU's network
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
At least 11 killed in Sweden adult ed school shooting
Speed Read The worst mass shooting in Swedish history took place in Orebro
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Who is the Hat Man? 'Shadow people' and sleep paralysis
In Depth 'Sleep demons' have plagued our dreams throughout the centuries, but the explanation could be medical
By The Week Staff Published