The Colorado Democrat definitely did not anticipate to be transported again to his days in fight as a US Army Ranger whereas sitting above the House flooring.
But that is the place he discovered himself on January 6, surrounded for greater than 30 minutes by a mob attacking the US Capitol, unconsciously slipping again right into a mindset he thought he’d left behind when he took his army uniform off greater than a decade in the past.
While Crow, who was famously pictured crouched down in support to a colleague through the assault, has spent the final week grappling with trauma shared by so many within the Capitol that day, he is additionally grappling with a broader situation: what comes subsequent.
The first reply, carried out on the House flooring precisely one week after the assault, was the impeachment of President Donald Trump — a second outlined by a way of unity contained in the House Democratic caucus pushed completely by the occasions of that day, Crow says.
“We have converted that experience into action and channeled that into resolve in my view,” Crow instructed CNN in an interview, noting that the caucus was “more united than we’ve ever been.”
Then there’s the psychological side — one thing Crow says has spilled out between colleagues in textual content chains, group zooms and conferences over the past a number of days, notably amongst these trapped within the chamber that day.
“Trauma, any trauma, impacts everybody,” Crow, who served fight deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, stated. “Nobody is immune to it and everybody responds to it differently so you just have to be aware of that and you have to seek the help that you need.”
But he is additionally wrestling with what comes subsequent for the nation, particularly via his function in Congress.
He’s pressed the Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan congressional watchdog, to launch an in-depth investigation within the occasions main as much as the assault — one thing he believes will set quickly.
Furious by the dearth of public details about the assault from federal officers, he positioned a name to Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy for extra particulars — after which promptly knowledgeable him he deliberate to launch detailed notes from the decision (McCarthy signed off on the transfer, although Crow says he doubtless would’ve performed it anyway).
“There had been no federal law enforcement or military briefings. None,” Crow stated explaining his determination to name McCarthy. “And I kind of had it with that.”
Crow makes clear he’ll attend inauguration and make his presence identified on the inaugural platform, even amid the elevated safety threats briefed to him and his colleagues over the past a number of days.
The subsequent steps for the nation — and particularly the US Congress — are much less clear.
“There’s been a lot of talk about moving forward, which is really important,” Crow stated. “But you can’t move forward without truth and accountability.”
“I don’t have the answer to that yet,” Crow readily acknowledged.
But Crow is, in actual time, working via his personal strategy of the way to attain that objective — one which seems on its face removed from anybody’s grasp given the polarized nature of each the nation and Congress.
There are others, nevertheless, Crow desires to have interaction with, however not on the political get together degree.
“I suspect the key to that is going to be individual discussions and outreach,” the second-term congressman stated.
“This is going to happen member to member, sitting down and having very, very honest discussions about what led us to this moment, what responsibility people are going to accept and what we’re able to do to move forward.”
“I just cannot see the political upside of doing what she did,” Crow stated in a method that got here throughout as a mixture of respect and marvel. “Which tells me that I think she did it for matters of principle and integrity. And you absolutely have to give credit where credit is due.”
Crow repeatedly makes one thing clear: he would not have the solutions. At least not but. He and his household are nonetheless grappling with what transpired on January 6, as are his colleagues.
That will not go away within the close to time period, notably, in his view, as a result of the risk is way from over.
“I’m still figuring out how to address this with my children,” Crow stated. “I haven’t fully figured that out yet.”
But whereas the solutions will not be plentiful in the intervening time, Crow if agency on one factor specifically.
“We need to be bold,” he stated. “We need to be present. And we need to show the American people that we will be the leaders that this country needs.”
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