Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, on Tuesday said that a recently-surfaced video of Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., running away from the Capitol riot was "not his greatest moment."
"You know, I haven't heard what his explanation is, but obviously that was not his greatest moment in that hearing," Romney told Insider shortly after the January 6 committee played footage of Hawley fleeing in its latest hearing.
It isn't the first time Romney has attacked Hawley over his possible role in inciting the riot.
Last May, The Washington Post reported that Romney screamed at Hawley while the mob was ransacking the Capitol. "You have caused this!" Romney reportedly erupted at the Missouri Republican.
Hawley's desperation to escape the riot as it was unfolding runs in stark contrast to his persona just hours before, during the "Stop the Steal" rally, where the conservative lawmaker raised his fist for the throng of Trump supporters who would go on to breach the Capitol. Hawley has since said that he has no regrets about striking that pose.
During last Thursday's January 6 hearing, Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., played never-before-seen footage of Hawley running out of the Capitol building to escape the violent crowd of Trump supporters.
"Earlier that afternoon before the joint session started, he walked across the East Front of the Capitol," said Luria, displaying a photo of Hawley fist-pumping the riotous mob. "As you can see in this photo, he raised his fist in solidarity with the protesters already amassing at the security gates."
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(1/2) Tonight's Jan. 6 hearing put a spotlight on Sen. Josh Hawley, who helped lead the effort to try to challenge the 2020 election results.
— POLITICO (@politico) July 22, 2022
The committee contrasted our infamous photo of Hawley giving a fist pump to protestors early on Jan. 6...https://t.co/zoECscyvXl pic.twitter.com/PkHSQk4nha
Josh Hawley running away to a variety of soundtracks.
— Mallory Nees (@The_Mal_Gallery) July 22, 2022
Pt. 1: Chariots of Fire #January6thCommitteeHearing pic.twitter.com/tVCf2R5tUD
"Later that day," she added, "Senator Hawley fled after those protesters he helped rile up stormed the Capitol. See for yourself."
RELATED: Hawley roasted by hometown paper after ridicule for running out of Capitol on Jan. 6
After the footage was displayed, Hawley was widely mocked by Democrats and some Republicans.
On Sunday, Hawley's hometown paper, The Kansas City Star, called him a "laughing stock," who despite championing "masculine virtues," is actually a "fleeing coward."
Hawley, elected in 2019, was notably the first GOP senator to officially object to then-President-elect Biden's win in the 2020 election.
