Officer Eugene Goodman may have saved Mitt Romney’s life.
During the second day of Donald Trump’s impeachment trial on Wednesday, House impeachment manager Stacey Plaskett (D-United States Virgin Islands) introduced footage of Officer Goodman alarming the Utah senator about the approaching mob inside the Capitol building on January 6.
“Officer Goodman passes Mitt Romney and directs him to turn around in order to get to safety,” she said during the proceedings. “On the first floor, just beneath them, the mob had already started to search for the Senate chamber. Officer Goodman made his way down to the first floor, where he encountered the same insurrectionists we just saw breach the Capitol.” Romney was the only Republican to vote to convict President Trump in his first impeachment trial (in fact, he was the first senator ever “to vote to remove a president of his own party from office”), making him a target of the MAGA rioters.
At the time, rioters had already broken windows and were pouring into the building one floor below. Goodman then ran down the stairs to confront the crowd. Vastly outnumbered, Goodman steadily retreated, leading the crowd away from the Senate chamber and into a hallway where other Capitol Police could finally block the advance of the rioters.
Goodman, who served as acting deputy Senate sergeant-at-arms at Joe Biden’s inauguration, is the one thing Republicans and Democrats can both agree on: a bipartisan bill was introduced last month for the veteran to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom “for his bravery and quick thinking.” He deserves it, and so much more.
Never-before-seen security footage from the U.S. Capitol shows officer Eugene Goodman leading Sen. Mitt Romney away from the violent mob. pic.twitter.com/V310S2n4mB
— The Recount (@therecount) February 10, 2021
Eugene Goodman not only saved lives but saved American Democracy.
— Colin Hanks (@ColinHanks) February 10, 2021
Sure looks like Eugene Goodman saved Mitt Romney’s life.
— Sawyer Hackett (@SawyerHackett) February 10, 2021
Officer Eugene Goodman was even more heroic than we knew. Let’s promote him again and give him the Congressional Gold Medal. He has more than earned it.
— Doug Heye (@DougHeye) February 10, 2021
Officer Eugene Goodman in a full sprint running toward the danger on January 6th is the definition of a man who loves this country.
— Omar Jimenez (@OmarJimenez) February 10, 2021
so eugene goodman quite literally saved mitt romney
— David Mack (@davidmackau) February 10, 2021
You know what would be a good way to honor Eugene Goodman? ARRESTING THE PEOPLE WHO BREACHED THE CAPITOL AND PUTTING THEM ON TRIAL FOR THEIR CRIMES.
— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) February 10, 2021
Whoa: Eugene Goodman ran into Mitt Romney in the hallway and told him to turn around and get to safety, as the mob entered the building, in new footage.
Romney was going to run DIRECTLY into the rioters pic.twitter.com/0PX5LlxyXo
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) February 10, 2021
https://twitter.com/MorganJerkins/status/1359616902075711492