Statuary Hall is turned into a TV set for Jan. 6 amid accusations of GOP grandstanding
Grover C. Magnus
3 min read
On the eve of the first anniversary of the deadly attack on the Capitol on January 6, Statuary Hall – where a number of solemn events have taken place over the years – was being transformed into a television studio.
A stage was set up in the middle of the ornate chamber, alongside a large camera crane and teleprompters.
The room will be used by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday as they address the nation first thing in the morning from the United States Capitol.
Later, CNN will take over for a special hosted by Jake Tapper and Anderson Cooper called “Live from the Capitol: January 6, One Year Later.”
A CNN news release said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and nine House members, all Democrats except Rep. Liz Cheney, would join the program.
On Wednesday night, a number of Republican aides were appalled by the sight.
“It’s tasteless to treat this anniversary as a Super Bowl show to be milked for TV audiences, especially since the Capitol staff who were in the building a year ago continue to struggle with their experiences to this day. there,” a senior Republican official told DailyMail.com.
As of Wednesday evening, the United States Capitol’s Statuary Hall had been transformed into a television studio, complete with a large stage, a camera on a crane and teleprompters.
A teleprompter and television monitor were set up in Statuary Hall in preparation for a Thursday night CNN special hosted by Jake Tapper and Anderson Cooper.
A teleprompter can be seen installed in Statuary Hall on the eve of the first anniversary of the January 6 Capitol attack
Another GOP aide also remarked on the “Super Bowl”-like nature of the event.
‘It’s their 24/7. That’s their only problem,” the source scoffed.
“As someone who knows people with PTSD, those members who were supposedly scarred by these events don’t act like that,” the source added. “If they really had PTSD, they wouldn’t be talking about it and parading like they’ve been doing for a year.”
Another GOP Capitol Hill aide suggested Pelosi was turning the 1/6th anniversary into a spectacle to distract from the large-scale Omicron US COVID outbreak, which has left Democrats in charge of the White House. and both houses of Congress – flat-footed and unprepared.
‘Speaker Pelosi can’t go back in time to focus on the Democrats’ 1.9 trillion in COVID relief bills on COVID testing, so she’ll play a role during Trump’s time as president by turning the former House chamber into a soap opera,’ the aide said.
“There she will talk about how our democracy barely survived an out-of-control protest like it was the Battle of Hogwarts,” the source added.
A TV crew moves into Statuary Hall on Wednesday ahead of Thursday’s Jan. 6 anniversary
Statuary Hall, which is the original house chamber in the United States Capitol building, has been used for a number of solemn and joyous occasions
TV crews try out different chair configurations on the large stage built in Statuary Hall on Wednesday
Statuary Hall, which is the original chamber of the House, has been used as the setting for a number of solemn and joyful occasions.
This is where Representative Elijah Cummings and Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg were in state.
And this is where the traditional inaugural lunch takes place, among other celebrations.
On Thursday, the memorabilia will begin there, but move elsewhere in the US Capitol complex.
At 9 a.m., Biden and Harris will address the nation from Statuary Hall.
An hour later, Pelosi will deliver a statement on the House floor and offer a reflective statement to House staff.
At noon, Pelosi will lead the House of Representatives in a moment of silence.
And then at 1 p.m., she will host a discussion with historians in the Cannon Caucus Room.
Testimonials from members will also take place later in the afternoon.
The day will end with a prayer vigil on the steps of the Capitol at 5:30 p.m.
And then the CNN broadcast will start at 8 p.m.
Two Republicans allied with former President Donald Trump – Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz – plan to hold their own press event while members give testimony just steps away.
