Chuck Schumer says he’ll “never forget” attack on U.S. Capitol

A year after the Capitol riots, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer can recall that day vividly. The New York senator told “CBS Mornings” that he had just gotten to the floor at 1 p.m. and was preparing to give a speech when a Capitol police officer grabbed him. 

“A Capitol Hill police officer with a bulletproof vest, submachine gun across his waist, grabs me by the collar… I’ll never forget it. [He] says ‘Senator, we’re in danger,”’ Schumer said. 

Schumer said he was 30 feet from the rioters—one of them who was armed with a gun. He said that one rioter was reported to have said an anti-Semitic slur about Schumer. 

Although time has passed, Schumer said “when democracy is in danger, it often starts with a mob.”  

“Too many people excuse the mob, follow the mob. This is how democracy has eroded. History has shown us,” Schumer said.  

The division between both the Republican and Democratic parties that has remained a year after the Capitol riots is something Schumer is looking to fix. 

“I am eager to work with Republicans and to work with the other side to restore our democracy,” he said. 

Schumer said that the power that former President Trump has over the Republican party is “damaging,” but he has hope that some party members will stand up against Trump.   

“So, we hope and pray that more and more Republicans, the number of people who think Donald Trump is to blame on the Republican side, is increasing, not by enough yet, but increasing,” said Schumer.