Photo shows Vice President Mike Pence, family in hiding on Jan. 6: ABC News Exclusive
A new photo obtained exclusively by ABC News shows then-Vice President Mike Pence and his family in hiding after rioters broke into the Capitol on Jan. 6 and he was evacuated from the Senate floor.
ABC News is publishing the image for the first time on the eve of the House Jan. 6 committee's hearing Thursday focused on former President Donald Trump's pressure campaign against Pence.
In it, Pence can be seen with members of his family -- second lady Karen Pence, his brother, Rep. Greg Pence and his daughter -- in the vice president's ceremonial office just steps from the Senate floor.
Taken just minutes after the mob had breached the Capitol and as Pence and his family were evacuated from chamber by his Secret Service detail, the photo shows Karen Pence hurriedly closing the curtains in the room, as her daughter looks on with fear.
According to a source who was in the room, the second lady could see rioters outside the Capitol, so she closed the curtains, worried that the attackers would see her and her family.
The photo was taken after the mob had already breached the Capitol, some of them chanting "Hang Mike Pence."
This and other photos were taken by the former vice president's official photographer, Myles Cullen, who was with Pence throughout the day and night of Jan. 6.
While they were previously described in "Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show," they have never before been made public.
Minutes later, Pence and his family were rushed downstairs to a loading dock beneath the Capitol complex.
In another White House photo obtained exclusively by ABC News, you can see Pence after he returned to the Capitol with his daughter -- working on the speech he would give when the joint session of Congress reconvened to certify the election of Joe Biden.
As seen in another photo ABC News obtained, Pence returned to the House chamber later that night, to preside as Congress successfully certified Biden's victory.
"Today was a dark day in the history of the United States Capitol. But thanks to the swift efforts of U.S. Capitol Police, federal, state and local law enforcement, the violence was quelled. The Capitol is secured, and the people's work continues," Pence said.
ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl is the author of "Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show."
