Michigan Gov. Whitmer on Yesterday’s Violence at the Capitol

GOV. GRETCHEN WHITMER (D-MI): I appreciate the question Christiane. To be honest, I’ve heard people saying they can’t believe this happened in our Nation’s Capital. And yet, eight months ago, that is exactly what happened in Lansing, Michigan at our Capitol, made people with long guns automatic rifles, Confederate flags, showing up and storming our Capitol with the intention of intimidating lawmakers. It played out on the national news and yet, in my calls to the White House to the Vice President directly to Republican leaders here on the ground in Michigan, as let’s bring down the heat, the death threats started back then. And they culminated in a plot to kidnap and murder me and yet, we know that this current administration has reaped the rewards of it and they have now reaped what they’ve sown for 10 months of hate and vitriol and it’s sad. It’s heartbreaking. And I think hopefully people of goodwill will now rise to this moment.

AMANPOUR: You know, Governor, this is obviously reverberated around the world and leaders and other observers all over the world are weighing in with the same kind of words that you’re using sad, shocking, you know, disgraceful, appalling, unbelievable. Why do you think the Capitol was not properly protected? Do you think it was — I mean, I don’t even want to say deliberate but where were the police? We saw this breach happen with only the thinnest of blue lines.

WHITMER: I don’t know. I was stunned by that. And yet I know that when the President wanted his photo op in front of a church, they had all the forces in the world to push back peaceful protesters and use rubber bullets. And they had that on a moment’s notice. And yet, this played out over the course of hours. It was stunning. There were some truly heroic law enforcement officials that were there. I’ve listened and talked to and checked in with a lot of our congressional delegation I know how tense and frightening the moments were inside the Capitol yesterday. But I think you’re asking a very important question where, what, who was in charge and who made those calls, I saw the mayor of D.C., come out with an action plan today and call for accountability. And she’s doing the best she can. But ultimately, these federal properties, I think, are within another’s jurisdiction. And we need to know who that was and why people were not protected, because they certainly had notice.