During the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump on Wednesday, Democrats unveiled a new footage of a US Capitol police officer acclaimed for his heroism during the January 6 uprising, this time directing Senator Mitt Romney to turn and go in the opposite direction of rioters invading the building.
The fire response from Eugene Goodman and other officials during the January 6 attack was central to the arguments put forward by impeachment managers seeking a conviction against the former president. In the footage, Romney is seen walking towards the protesters until a policeman turns him and he runs in the opposite direction.
“I was very lucky even though Officer Goodman was there to take me in the right direction, ”Romney told reporters later.
Wearing a suit, tie and mask with a blue line, Goodman remained inside the United States Senate House, watching footage of his life-saving efforts.
“As we all know now, if it weren’t for the heroism of Capitol policeman Eugene Goodman and other officers who took (the protesters) in a different direction than the police line, they would very likely have arrived here,” said Congressman David Cicilline de Rhode Island, one of the impeachment managers.
Managers played audio and video, some never heard or seen publicly, of abused police officers trying to delay or target troublemakers, some of whom were from other law enforcement agencies. In calls made to dispatchers, the police are heard begging for help, the despair in their voices is clear.
“We were flanked and lost the line,” a policeman heard himself saying.
Several investigations are underway to determine why the agencies left the police without staff and equipment, despite weeks of warnings of violence by white supremacist and far-right groups. Capitol police chief Steven Sund resigned the day after the riots and interim chief Yogananda Pittman faces a vote of no confidence from his base.
Capitol police officer Brian Sicknick died after the attack, one of five people to be killed.
Goodman became a national hero after a video filmed by HuffPost reporter Igor Bobic showed his response to troublemakers climbing the stairs near the entrance to the United States Senate Chamber. With no other officer in sight, he takes a half step to the left at the top of the stairs, then walks to the right, out of the chamber. The crowd follows him to a room where other policemen wait.
Goodman did not speak publicly about his actions that day. He accompanied Vice President Kamala Harris to her place at the opening ceremony, two weeks after the attack.
Other videos shown on Wednesday show policemen fighting in vain against the rioters with the intention of preventing certification of President Joe Biden’s victory over Trump.
Speaking during a pause in Wednesday’s proceedings, Romney said seeing the images of policemen fighting violent rebels brought tears to his eyes. “It was extremely distressing and emotional,” he said.
Asked about the video in which Goodman tells Romney to turn around, the senator said he did not know the policeman’s identity before.
“I look forward to thanking you the next time I see you,” he said.