Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., was one of the first people evacuated from the Cannon House Building after a bomb threat around 1 p.m. Wednesday.
After that, he says, things escalated quickly as supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol.
"When we were outside at the back of the building, I spoke with a Capitol Police officer who was really shaken up. You could tell they were already feeling under siege at that point in time," he said. "She told me to get as far away as I could, so that's what I did."
More on the riots at the Capitol
He then watched from a safe location as protestors stormed one of the most secure buildings in the world.
"There are windows and doors that got smashed, and just the sheer number of people, it was hard for them to control," Pappas explained. "To see people just parading through who have breached security is just crazy to think."
"We pride ourselves on being the party of law and order," the New Hampshire Republican Party said in a statement. "To riot and storm the halls of Congress as these protesters have done is not conservative."
Pappas calls it "disgusting," saying this kind of lawlessness inside the heart of our government is chilling.
"It's a sad day for America. I'm sorry this happened in our country and I think it's pretty obvious to see who incited this crowd," Pappas said. "This tension has been building for a number of years."
Pappas says the top priority in Washington is people's safety, but a close second is getting back to the business of our democracy.
