Newly released video shows Sen. Chuck Grassley's close call with rioters on Jan. 6

Capitol rioters came within close proximity to Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley as security personnel evacuated him to safety on Jan. 6, according to footage recently released from the Department of Justice.

Grassley says he had no idea they got so close.

“I wasn’t aware of any of it,” he told Politico, which first reported it. “They just said: ‘We’ve got to get you out of here.’”

The video, captured by one of the rioters, shows uniformed officers quickly ushering Grassley across the main floor of the Capitol as the first rioters breached the building on Jan. 6.

"We're in" one of the rioters can be heard exclaiming as the group made their way inside while others chanted "this is our house." Dominic Pezzola, a prominent member of the Proud Boys, led the group of rioters into the building near the Senate chambers after using a riot shield to shatter a window, Politico reported.

The DOJ released the video in relation to the criminal case of Jacob Chansley, also known as the "QAnon Shaman." Chansley was arrested Jan. 9, 2021 — three days after the Capitol riot — and faced with six charges. He pleaded guilty to obstruction of an official proceeding and was sentenced to 41 months in prison in November 2021.

Politico reported the video appears to be taken by Daniel Adams, another rioter who was charged on Jan. 15, 2021, with civil disorder, obstruction of an official proceeding, and assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers, among other charges.

Many of the rioters appeared to look in Grassley's direction as he was whisked away by security officials, but it's unclear if any recognized him.

Then-serving as president pro tem, Grassley was third in the line of succession to the presidency. He told Politico he was unaware of how close he came to the rioters, noting officers quickly evacuated him to a secure location in the basement via multiple back staircases.

Grassley critiques Trump following Jan. 6, then accepts his endorsement

In the hours and days after the attack, Grassley condemned the “attack on American democracy itself,” praised Vice President Mike Pence for refusing to “kowtow” to a president who wanted him to overthrow the results of a valid election and suggested former President Donald Trump could no longer lead the Republican Party.

But in the months leading up to his reelection in 2022, Grassley also accepted Trump's endorsement and welcome Trump to join him on the campaign trail.

“The president's comments didn't help the matter any, and it made it worse,” he said at a town hall meeting in Newton about a week after the riots. He said he believed that Trump’s actions around the election would tarnish his legacy.

“I think what happened in the last three months, or two months, detracts from great accomplishments he's had,” Grassley said.

More:Democrats have criticized Chuck Grassley's record on Jan. 6. Here's what we found:

Although Grassley voted to acquit Trump during his second impeachment trial in February 2021, he issued a statement rebuking the former president.

"President Trump continued to argue that the election had been stolen even though the courts didn’t back up his claims," he said in the statement.

"He belittled and harassed elected officials across the country to get his way. He encouraged his own, loyal vice president, Mike Pence, to take extraordinary and unconstitutional actions during the Electoral College count," Grassley said. "There’s no doubt in my mind that President Trump’s language was extreme, aggressive and irresponsible."

Information from USA Today was used in this article. Chief Politics Reporter Brianne Pfannenstiel contributed reporting.

Francesca Block is a breaking news reporter at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at FBlock@registermedia.com or on Twitter at @francescablock3.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: New footage shows how close Chuck Grassley came to rioters on Jan. 6