Gov. Hogan: Trump Incited Riotous Mob, Ashamed Of GOP Followers

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Gov. Larry Hogan told CNN Sunday that he's "pretty worried" about plans for security and safety heading into President-Elect Joe Biden's inauguration, and laid the blame for Wednesday's deadly mob attack at the U.S. Capitol squarely with President Donald Trump.

Hogan spoke to Jake Tapper on “State of the Union” about his call-up of the Maryland National Guard to help restore order in Washington, D.C., after Trump held a rally in which he reiterated unproven claims that state election results were invalid and Vice President Mike Pence should overturn the votes.

"(Trump) incited this riotous mob, he had a huge role in this," Hogan said, adding that some in the violent crowd threatened to kill the vice president. Five people died in the mayhem.

The rioters — many dressed in gear that had white power images or carried Confederate flags — marched to the Capitol and assaulted police. Capitol Police officer Brian D. Sicknick died after he was struck in the head with a fire extinguisher; police said someone placed pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee.

Hogan was asked by Tapper Rep. Andy Harris., the lone Republican in Maryland's congressional delegation, should resign for questioning the presidential election results.

While Harris condemned the violence that erupted, he called for an investigation into the 2020 election and objected to the election results in Arizona and Pennsylvania. He said Thursday he will not resign.

"I’m not sure what Congressman Harris should do, but I was extremely outraged at some of the things he said," Hogan replied.

In a speech after the election at the Reagan Institute Hogan said it’s time for Republicans to choose, "is this the party of Lincoln and Reagan or keep heading down the path of worshiping at the altar of Donald Trump. A lot of people chose wrongly. As a lifelong member of the Republican Party I’m embarrassed and ashamed."

See Also:

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While it took 12 hours for members to form up and reach the District of Columbia, Maryland troops were the first to reach the Capitol area, Hogan said, and hundreds remain on duty there.

"My main focus is on trying to assist the Capital City in a peaceful transition of power," Hogan said. "We still have 500 Guard members in the city."

As the mob invaded the Capitol, security took House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) to an undisclosed location where he sheltered with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). The trio called Hogan from the bunker, asking him to send backup to quell the devolving scene on Capitol Hill.

But, the National Guard may only cross into the District of Columbia if it has permission from the federal government, specifically the secretary of defense. Maryland's National Guard repeatedly asked for access to the capital, but the feds denied each request. While it waited for approval, the guard organized so it could move immediately.

"I can’t speak as to what was going on at the other end of the line at the Pentagon or White House," the governor said Sunday.

Tapper asked if Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller might have purposefully delayed approval of troops at the president's direction because they approved of the uprising.

"I don’t know. It could have been the fog of what’s going on, I heard the National Guard is not the first line of defense, it’s the specially trained police," Hogan said. … "We were waiting to get the OK. I can’t tell you why."

Maryland's guard defended the Capitol building and the Library of Congress.

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