Jan. 6 hearing makes case Trump at 'center of this conspiracy' to overturn election

Thursday marked the House select committee's first prime-time hearing.

The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol held its first prime-time hearing on Thursday.

The hearing featured never-before-seen video footage and witness testimony as lawmakers aim to explain what they call a "coordinated, multi-step effort" by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.


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Documentarian notes Proud Boys went to Capitol before Trump spoke

Documentarian Nick Quested, who followed the Proud Boys through Washington as members of the extremist group marched on the Capitol and clashed with law enforcement, noted in his testimony that the group headed to the Capitol long before Trump spoke on the Ellipse.

"The was a large contingent, more than I would expect, and I was confused to a certain extent while we were walking away from the president's speech, because that's when I felt we were there to cover," Quested said.

Chairman Bennie Thompson emphasized that point to argue the Jan. 6 attack was not purely spontaneous but a "coordinated plan" and the "culmination of a months-long effort spearheaded by President Trump."

"They were not there for President Trump's speech," Thompson said of the hundreds of Proud Boys who descended on Washington. "We know this because they left that area to march toward the Capitol before the speech began."


Witness testimony begins, officer recounts insults hurled at her during attack

Capitol Police officer Caroline Edwards told lawmakers that her patriotism was called into question as she pushed back against rioters, sustaining a serious head injury in the process.

"I was called Nancy Pelosi's dog, called incompetent, called a hero and a villain," Edwards testified. "I was called a traitor to my country, my oath and my Constitution. In actuality, I was none of those things."

She continued, "I was an American standing face to face with other Americans asking myself how many times -- many, many times -- how we had gotten here."

Edwards recounted her own grandfather's experience fighting in the Korean war, telling lawmakers she will "gladly sacrifice everything to make sure that the America my grandfather defended is here for many years to come."


Cheney slams Kushner for downplaying resignation threats by WH lawyers as 'whining'

Among several clips of taped testimony with Trump aides, Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., played one of Jared Kushner telling the committee that he dismissed White House counsel Pat Cipollone's "multiple" threats to resign when asked if he was aware on any instances.

"Like I said, my interest at that time was on trying to get as many pardons done, and I know that he was always, him and the team, were always saying oh we are going to resign," Kushner said. "'We are not going to be here if this happens, if that happens' … . So, I kind of took it up to just be whining, to be honest with you."

Cheney slammed Kushner's response.

"Whining," she repeated.

"There is a reason why people serving in our government take an oath to the Constitution," she said. "And that oath must mean something."

-ABC News' Benjamin Siegel


Powerful video compilation prompts short recess

The House select committee played a 10-minute video compilation including never-before-seen footage of rioters violently breaching the Capitol overlaid with law enforcement officers calling for backup, and Trump calling the crowd "loving."

In chronological order, the video followed the timeline of the day: from Trump speaking at his "Save America" rally to the joint session of Congress being gaveled in -- leading up to rioters clashing with police and storming the Capitol, prompting lawmakers to take cover.

Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, one of several officers in the hearing room who defended the Capitol, was seen wiping away tears before Chairman Bennie Thompson called a short recess.

Some members of Congress watching in the public seats teared up, clearly rocked with emotion by the horrific memory.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., held tissues in her hands. Around the hearing room, people shook their heads yet intently watched the footage.

-ABC News' Katherine Faulders


Video shows Capitol Police officer getting knocked unconscious

The committee aired a video showing the moment Capitol Police officer Caroline Edwards was knocked out as she tried to hold the line from a crowd of rioters pushing up against barricades and bike racks.

Edwards winced as the video began.

"I felt the bike rack come on top of my head and I was pushed backwards, and my foot caught the stair behind me, and my chin hit the handrail," she said. "At that point I blacked out but the back of my head clipped the concrete stairs behind me."

Edwards returned to duty after regaining consciousness, saying "adrenaline kicked in" as she went to the West Front of the Capitol to protect the Senate steps. There she helped people who had gotten pepper sprayed and others injured before she was hit herself with pepper spray and tear gas.