Eager to witness 'history,' people, protesters huddle outside Trump impeachment inquiry hearing

The first public testimony in the impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump - anticipated to be a dramatic inflection point in the House's probe - drove members of the public and even members of Congress to the U.S. Capitol to get an in-person view of what some consider history on Wednesday.

Protesters wearing “arrest Trump” T-shirts, a drag queen and dozens of people anxious to witness the hearing crowded outside the hearing room.

“I feel like this is a turning point in our history,” Cathy Benjamin, a retiree who traveled with two friends from Long Island, New York, to watch the hearing. “This is a moment that could change everything and it’s important that people don’t ignore what’s going on.”

Tourists and members of the public seeking to watch the historic proceedings took photos of protesters and the dozens of journalists, who seemingly had become part of one of Washington's attractions. Throughout the morning and into the afternoon, the line to get inside remained long. Many waited at least an hour to gain entry.

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Benjamin got in line about 9 a.m. EST and was still waiting an hour and half later. “We could watch this on TV, sure. But it’s history. Who doesn’t want to witness history?” she said as her two friends nodded.

Law enforcement officers made the rounds, making sure protesters weren’t blocking the halls or causing a disturbance. They stopped one woman, wearing a black “ARREST TRUMP” T-shirt, who walked up and down the long line of people waiting to enter the hearing. The woman repeatedly read aloud the portion of the Constitution that outlines how Congress can remove a president from office.

Journalists lined the halls outside the of the committee room, many toting along small chairs and large cups of coffee from the nearby Dunkin' Donuts. At the entry of the Longworth House office building, where the hearing was taking place, nearly a dozen TV cameras were set up with producers and anchors sitting around what had become a makeshift studio. The group included members of the press from as far as Australia and Japan.

Inside the hearing room, a number of members of Congress not part of the Intelligence Committee sat in the audience.

Sam Lane held his 14-month-old daughter, Cleo, as he waited outside the hearing room. Traveling from Rochester, New York,, he was in Baltimore for a conference but knew history was happening only 30 miles south. Before he visited the White House or any of the city's many attractions, he headed for the U.S. Capitol to find the hearing.

"I'm curious to watch it and of course, I've been keeping up with the inquiry and everything," Lane said while standing in line with dozens of others. "Today is a little more overwhelming than I thought."

He was far from alone.

Julie Schisel and her husband, Chuck, leaned closed together, sharing earbuds as they watched Taylor and Kent on C-SPAN on their phones. Waiting in line to watch the hearing for themselves, the pair reflected on watching similar proceedings against former presidents Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon.

"We watched things on TV then, but my gosh, what an opportunity to see a piece of history in person," Julie Schisel said. The pair were wrapping up a week-long trip to Washington from their home in Seattle. They said they'd been taking photos of the commotion in the hallway where they stood, lawmakers coming in and out, a small number of protesters and groups of officers.

"There's an energy here," Julie added. "It's such a crazy and partisan moment."

Contributing: Bart Jansen

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump impeachment hearing: people wait hours to witness 'history'