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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says she feared for her life during the riots on the Capitol building on Wednesday which saw Trump supporters storm the building and five people lose their lives.
The New York representative revealed to ABC 7 how she was not alone in fearing she might die as protesters managed to enter the congressional building, stating many of those inside were 'prepared for the possibility of losing our lives'.
Trump urged his fans to descend on Washington DC on Wednesday as Congress formally approved President-elect Joe Biden's victory.
© Provided by Daily MailCongresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said she feared for her life during the riots on the Capitol building on Wednesday. Pictured: AOC bows her head during a closing prayer of a joint session of the House and Senate to confirm Electoral College votes at the Capitol, early Thursday
AOC said representatives had been assured security was in place to protect politicians as intelligence revealed protesters planned to march close to the government building.
Speaking on Thursday, she explained how she and those around her felt as they cowered out of sight or fled when rioters made it inside.
'It was extremely worrying. I don't think it is an exaggeration by any means to say that many of us thought and were prepared for the possibility of us losing our lives yesterday,' she said.
'I certainly was thinking that was a possibility and I know many members thought that was a possibility as well.'
Members of congress run for cover as protesters try to enter the House Chamber
© Provided by Daily Mail She also revealed that many political figures had made inquiries into planned security measures for Wednesday.
Video: Democrats including Pelosi, Schumer call for the VP to invoke the 25th amendment (FOX News)
Democrats including Pelosi, Schumer call for the VP to invoke the 25th amendment
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'We were told that rioters would not find their way even onto the Capitol Plaza, let alone anywhere near the building,' she said.
The Congresswoman said the security breaches were 'extremely serious' and should be individually investigated.
AOC's words came after White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany delivered a statement the day after the riots, which the Congresswoman said did not accept Trump was responsible for 'incitement of that crowd'.
She is now part of a large group of Congressional representatives who are calling for Trump to be impeached, claiming every day Trump is in office is 'clear and present danger' to US democracy.
The two top Democrats in Congress, Sen. Charles Schumer and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, reached out directly to Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday to try to push him to act immediately to remove President Trump from office, only to be rebuffed.
© Provided by Daily MailTrump supporters clash with police and security forces as they storm the US Capitol in Washington, DC on January 6, 2021
The two leaders called Pence hours after he had overseen a Joint Session of Congress to count the electoral votes to make Joe Biden the next president, despite intense pressure by President Trump that Pence move against it.
Late Thursday sources told CNN that Trump's mental state was deteriorating and he was 'ranting' and 'raving' as he watched the 25th Amendment being discussed on television - with Pelosi and Schumer's demand being played repeatedly.
But if they had hopes that Pence might join in a speedy potential effort to seize the reins of power from a volatile Trump in his final days in office, the reception they got may provide an answer.
'Speaker Pelosi and I tried to call the vice president this morning to tell him to do this,' Schumer told reporters in New York Thursday. 'They kept us on hold for 25 minutes and then said the Vice President wouldn't come on the phone.'
'So we are making this call public because he should do it and do it right away,' Schumer said, explaining why both he and Pelosi are calling on Pence and the Trump cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment to declare Trump unfit and install Pence as president in an acting capacity.
© Provided by Daily MailProtesters made it into US Senate Chamber as Congress held a joint session to ratify President-elect Joe Biden's 306-232 Electoral College win over President Donald Trump
© Provided by Daily MailPro-Trump protesters storm into the U.S. Capitol during clashes with police during the rally in Washington DC
Wednesday's ordinarily mundane procedure of Congress certifying a new president was always going to be extraordinary, with Trump supporters vowing to protest over the results of an election that they have baselessly insisted was reversed by fraud.
In a raucous, out-of-control scene, protesters fought past police and breached the building, shouting and waving Trump and American flags as they marched through the halls.
The attack forced politicians to rush from the building and interrupted challenges to Biden's Electoral College victory.
Senators were evacuated. Some House politicians tweeted they were sheltering in place in their offices.
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