WASHINGTON, D.C. — Speaking softly while barricaded inside a dark room in the U.S. Capitol Building on Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Florida, described an unfolding and tense situation in Washington, D.C.as "out of control."
"This is not what our country should be, and it's very scary here," Rep. Frankel told WPTV journalist Ryan Hughes in an exclusive interview. "It's pretty scary because there are people scattered all over the Capitol, and these people are out of control."
WATCH INTERVIEW WITH REP. FRANKEL:
Rep. Frankel, who represents parts of Palm Beach County, said she was inside the chamber on Wednesday afternoon as Congress began a joint session to confirm the Electoral College vote which gave President-elect Joe Biden a victory in the November election.
Frankel said she left the chamber and went to another location to wait for the confirmation.
That's when she said she received alerts about the U.S. Capitol being evacuated, a bomb scare, even reports of a shooting.
"We were told to stay in place. Do not go near a door. Don't go near a window. Don't go outside of a room," Frankel said, speaking to Hughes from an unidentified room inside the Capitol Building. "I think we're safe, but I don't know if anybody can get in the room where we are."
Frankel called it "very sad" that President Donald Trump rounded up people to come to Washington, D.C. to protest the proceedings, adding that Capitol police officers are unable to control the reckless crowds.
"Regardless of who you're voting for for president, we have a Democracy here. We have a system that's worked for hundreds of years," Frankel said. "Protesting is fine, but not violent protesting. It's not gonna work. They can yell, scream, protest all the want. Fact of the matter is, in the end, Democracy will prevail."
