The video is edited, full of profanity and was made by one of the people who yelled at Correa, who posted it on Friday. In it, Correa is seen being surrounded and confronted by people at Washington, DC airport located in Virginia.
Correa said he was looking forward to a long flight and sleep after the Chamber stayed up late to ratify the results of the Electoral College after the Capitol riot the day before. He said he turned the corner to go to his gate and several supporters of President Donald Trump had been there since the day before. He said that about 20 people confronted him as soon as they realized he was a member of Congress.
“They chose me and, man, they came after me,” Correa told CNN.
“It was going to get violent,” said Correa. “It wasn’t a fear. It was just a matter of waiting for the first punch to happen.”
At one point, the video shows a tense stalemate between Correa and a man who approaches him and hits him in the face.
“Nobody here voted for you,” someone yells at Correa. “We don’t want you.”
Later, Correa replies, “Okay, I don’t work for you.”
When asked what was on his mind, the California Democrat said, “Hold my position, don’t let them run over me and get ready for an important fight.”
The congressman said they were “spreading hatred”, “feeling angry” and spreading misinformation that he was a Chinese agent or that he was on the payroll of an electronic voting machine.
“I don’t blame them,” said Correa. “I blame the president because the president is the most powerful man in the world.”
“He basically said, ‘Yes, this is what’s going on, go get them,'” said Correa. “He is the one who is inciting all these things.”
The crowd yells at Correa, “Who voted for you?”
“Many people,” he replied. “70% of the people in my district.”
Later in the video, a woman yells at the congressman that he and others have ruined their children’s future.
“No, ma’am, it’s because of you,” he replied.
“You don’t care about any of us,” shouts a man.
“Because I don’t accept your lies,” replied Correa.
Correa said airport security ended up dispersing the crowd around him.
“I was shocked that at an airport with such security this kind of altercation occurred,” said the deputy. “I have always thought of airports as the safest place in America to be.”
He said the security guard wrote down his name, but “didn’t seem” to obtain the names of the individuals who harassed him. “So that was another big shock,” he said.
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority spokesman Micah Lillard told CNN that there were no arrests or charges in connection with the incident. He made no further comment.
Correa is a member of the House Judiciary Committee and supports the House Democrats’ efforts to impeach the president by inciting the crowd to try to nullify Trump’s loss.
News of Correa’s confrontation follows several others involving high-level lawmakers and Trump fans as they traveled to and from the Capitol.
Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close Trump ally who criticized the president last week, was confronted and criticized by Trump supporters at Reagan National Airport, according to videos posted on social media on Friday. Utah Senator Mitt Romney was also harassed by pro-Trump supporters on a flight from Salt Lake City to Washington, ahead of Wednesday’s protests.
The United States Capitol Police and the Sergeant at Arms office said they would coordinate with other law enforcement agencies, including the US Marshals Service to ensure their safety. In addition, through the January 20 inauguration, Capitol Police officers will be stationed at the three main airports in the Washington, DC area: Reagan National Airport, Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) and Washington Dulles International Airport.
CNN’s Manu Raju and Clare Foran contributed to this report.