Florida's DeSantis: Comparisons of Jan. 6 to 9/11 'insult to the people that were going into those buildings'

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DeSantis rips 'lockdown-politicians' for hypocrisy as AOC, Swalwell vacation in Florida: 'This is a ruling class mentality'

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis joined 'Fox & Friends' to discuss how liberal politicians have vacationed in Florida, saying they 'say one thing' but 'live under different sets of rules.'

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis condemned those comparing last year's Capitol riot to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, calling the comparison "an insult to the people that were going into those buildings," referring to the Twin Towers. 

"It's interesting how everything in our society becomes very politicized, and so today – honestly, I'm not going to watch any of it – you're going to see the D.C./New York media, this is their Christmas, Jan. 6," DeSantis said. 

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The governor was responding to reporters' questions about his feelings on the anniversary of the Capitol riot.

"They are going to take this and milk this for anything they could to smear anyone who ever supported Donald Trump," DeSantis continued.

DeSantis went on to compare the incident to an attack he survived years ago when several Republicans faced attempted assassination from a disgruntled Bernie Sanders supporter.

"I just look back and compare when I was in Congress, one event we faced was the attempted assassination of Republican members of Congress during a baseball game."

On June 14, 2017, several Republican members of Congress were practicing ahead of the Congressional Baseball Game. James Hodgkinson fired into the field, injuring U.S. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, among others.

"I was actually on the field. The guy, who was a Bernie Sanders guy, was definitely a politically motivated attack, came up, pulled his van, and we didn't think anything of it. We walked out to go to the car, and we cam in contact with him," DeSantis said.

He continued, "He wanted to know if it was Republicans out there. We get in the car, leave, and then we find out he shoots up a bunch of people. If you do not have the Capitol Police there, you probably would have a dozen people assassinated."

In addition to Scalise, three others were injured. 

"Look, if you obstruct a proceeding, all about holding people accountable. If you're rioting, hold them accountable," DeSantis said of the media coverage.

"But let's just be clear here: When they try to act like this is something akin to the September 11 attacks, that is an insult to the people that were going into those buildings."

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Leaders from the U.S. Capitol Police expressed little concern about planned demonstrations Thursday in the nation's capital while touting security improvements made to the Capitol complex since the Jan. 6 riots last year.

But the U.S. Capitol Police chief did point to one event that authorities are keeping their eye on Thursday, a planned demonstration by Look Ahead America, a conservative group demanding justice for those still jailed after last year's riot.

"There's one event that is occurring, I think down at the D.C. jail that we're paying attention to, but again, really nothing that is of great concern to us at this point," Manger said.

Fox News's Michael Lee contributed to this report.