January 6 hearing: Capitol riot inquiry invokes emotional police ...

SectionsTVFeaturedMore from NBC Follow NBC News The House select committee formed to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol convened its first hearing on Tuesday, hosting a panel of four police officers who defended the building against a mob of supporters of then-President Donald Trump.The testimony, which included new video footage from the day, was both emotional and dramatic, as the officers described being overwhelmed by rioters who were better equipped for the battle that unfolded.Olivia OlanderIn a statement tweeted from the official U.S. Capitol Police account, Chief Tom Manger said he's "proud of the officers who had the courage to share their stories" as part of the select committee hearing. Allan SmithRight at about 1 p.m., Chairman Thompson adjourned Tuesday's hearing, after roughly three and a half hours of testimony from four police officers at the Capitol on Jan. 6.Rebecca ShabadOfficer Dunn responded to the idea that people are trying to politicize the Jan. 6 attack by saying, "It's not a secret that it was political." "They literally were there to 'stop the steal,'" Dunn said of Trump's supporters, echoing a mob rallying cry and the movement among the former president's supporters that perpetuated the lie that the election was stolen. I want you to get to the bottom of that."Pete WilliamsThe Justice Department has told several former Trump administration officials that they can answer questions from Congress about efforts by then-President Donald Trump or department officials to challenge, stop the counting or overturn the results of the presidential election.The letters are being sent to former officials who were asked to testify or answer further questions from the House Oversight and Senate Judiciary committees, according to Justice Department and congressional officials Tuesday.The news came as officers who defended the Capitol from the mob testified during the first hearing of the Jan. 6 select committee. It's gained a lot of notoriety in our vocabulary in the past few decades, and we like to believe, 'No, that can't happen here, no domestic terrorism, no homegrown threats,'" Hodges said.He then read from U.S. Code Title 18 Part 1 Chapter 113B, section 2331, which defines terrorism.It defines domestic terrorism as "acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State; appear to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States."Allan SmithRep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., began her questioning by thanking Officer Hodges and showing a video of him defending the Capitol entrance, revealing she was hiding in a location close to where he was holding back rioters.Murphy said she was stationed about 40 feet away from the tunnel battle Hodges was engaged in and was with Rep. Kathleen Rice, D-N.Y."The reason I was able to hug [my family] again is because of the courage you and your fellow officers showed that day," she said.Allan SmithRep. Schiff asked Officer Dunn about the racial epithets he faced and if he felt this was representative of America at large."I guess, it sounds silly but I guess it is American," Dunn said.